US West Texas Intermediate crude oil price just went below $30 per barrel again as talks of a deal dwindle February 2, 2016 The US oil benchmark, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), has fallen under $30 per barrel for the first time in over a week as rumours of a production cut deal between Opec and non-Opec members diminished. Brent crude was trading around $32.61 when WTI dipped under the psychological $30 barrier. WTI, also known as Texas light sweet, came into price parity [...]
Parliament to debate gender pricing and why there seems to be a premium on being female, as goods marketed towards women cost more February 2, 2016 MPs are set to debate an apparent tax on colouring things pink this evening, after research unveiled that the price tag on items marketed towards the fairer sex is routinely hiked up. The debate on gender pricing, which is set to take place in Westminster Hall at 4:30pm today, was raised by Paula Sherriff, the Labour MP for Dewsbury. [...]
Did David Cameron and Donald Tusk’s draft deal on EU membership help lift the pound? February 2, 2016 The pound has bounced back against the dollar after the publication of a draft agreement designed to keep the UK inside the 28-member EU. Currency experts any upward movement in sterling resulting from the deal was due more to the fact it reduced uncertainty, rather than the contents of the deal itself. The deal increases the chances of a summer [...]
Landlords threaten to sell up 500,000 rental homes after stamp duty hike February 2, 2016 Landlords are so tired of being persecuted by the government, they're threatening to flog half a million rental properties in the next 12 months – meaning the UK's rental sector could be about to shrink dramatically. And as we have learned today – the UK needs more rental properties… Research by the National Landlords Associations [...]
Jobs market is booming for start of 2016, with vacancies growing by 15.8 per cent, but London doesn’t even rank within the top five for growth February 2, 2016 The jobs market has boomed into 2016 but, despite how packed the tube seems during rush hour, London has failed to place within the top five for job creation during the first month of the year. According to figures released today by CV-Library, the number of job vacancies grew by 15.8 per cent in January [...]
UK construction sector suffers slowest growth for nine months as house building loses momentum February 2, 2016 The UK's construction sector lost steam in January, new figures reveal. Markit's construction purchasing managers' index – compiled from a survey of firms – dropped to a score of 55 from 57.8. While it is above the 50 mark that indicates no change in activity on the previous month, it marks a slower expansion. Weighing [...]
UK house prices: The UK needs a million more rental homes in the next five years February 2, 2016 The UK needs more than a million new rental homes by 2021, a new report has suggested. The government has a target to build 400,000 new affordable homes for sale over the course of this parliament – but that's ignoring the needs of renters, the research, by Savills, suggests. Sluggish economic recovery, low interest rates – [...]
Immigration and terrorism worries weigh on UK consumer confidence February 2, 2016 Consumer confidence in the UK has dropped for the first time since 2013, according to survey figures published this morning. Market researchers Nielsen said its consumer confidence index fell to a score of 101 in the final three months of 2015. Concerns over immigration and terrorism had a negative impact. However, consumers are upbeat on [...]
Northern SMEs call for digital investments, as poll shows doubt over the scheme February 2, 2016 Investment in digital infrastructure has been found to be as important to small businesses in the north of England as transport between cities. A desire for increased digital infrastructure spending tied with inter-city transport for the second most wanted investment, supported by 37 per cent, behind increased local control over public spending with 40 per cent. [...]
Next mayor will need to bank on private sector to fund London’s needed infrastructure boom, warns Institution of Civil Engineers February 2, 2016 An industry body for engineers has today called on the mayoral candidates to try out a private-sector focused funding platform that has been successful in the US to help fund London's much needed infrastructure boom. The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has warned that the next Mayor of London will have to do something "radical and innovative" [...]