Non-farm payroll: Weak US jobs growth pushes back rate hike expectations October 2, 2015 Lacklustre US jobs growth has stoked concerns over the strength of the US economy and could push back expectations for a widely-anticipated rate hike. The Bureau of Labour Statistics said that the US economy added 142,000 jobs last month, below economists' estimates for 201,000. The August reading was also revised sharply downwards from 170,000 to 135,000. [...]
From the Chinese economy to a US rate rise: Why hot money is pouring out of emerging markets October 2, 2015 China's slowing economy. alongside a looming US rate hike, is creating a headache for emerging markets. Investors feeling the heat are set to pull around $540bn (£355bn) of cash out of emerging markets economies this year, as net flows turn negative for the first time since 1988. Residents sending cash out of the emerging markets has [...]
High stamp duty on prime property may prove self-defeating for the government October 2, 2015 In the days that followed the Conservative Party victory in May, the widely-held assumption was that normal service would resume at the prime end of the London housing market with double-digit annual growth. It was a proposition that never looked likely for several reasons, the principal one being a rise in stamp duty last [...]
Oil price pushed up by escalating tensions in Syria October 2, 2015 The price of oil has risen for the second day in a row, pushed up by an escalation of military action in Syria. In early trading, WTI was up at $45.67 per barrel – a 2.1 per cent increase from yesterday, while Brent was 1.5 per cent higher at $48.39 per barrel. Today, [...]
London house prices: The capital’s most exclusive homes are going for bargain prices October 2, 2015 Another day, another sign the top end of London's property market is in the doldrums, after figures by Knight Frank showed house prices in the capital's most exclusive areas grew just 1.3 per cent in September on the same month last year. That's the lowest rate of growth since October 2009 – and in some [...]
UK construction PMI: Housebuilding increases at its fastest pace in a year October 2, 2015 Housing crisis? What housing crisis? Demand may be vastly outweighing supply in the UK's housing market at the moment – but the signs are looking increasingly encouraging, after new figures showed the UK's construction sector had one of its best months of the year in September, with growth hitting a seven-month high and – housebuilding [...]
Financial watchdog tells banks to sort out current accounts as complaints soar October 1, 2015 The financial watchdog has called on banks to take action as the number of people complaining about their current accounts to banks soared 31.2 per cent over the past six months. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) released figures showing there has also been an 11.1 per cent increase in the number of customers complaining about [...]
Brent crude oil slides after rally despite hurricane upgrade October 1, 2015 It's been a rollercoaster ride of a day for oil investors, who earlier watched prices rise after a report suggested demand is likely to be higher than expected – before prices dipped again, after it was a tropical storm due to make landfall in the US next week will be less intense than expected. Brent [...]
Productivity gap closing? UK’s output reaches record high – but it’s still considerably down on where we should be October 1, 2015 Is the productivity gap closing? Figures out this morning show that labour productivity in the UK – as measured by output per hour – grew 0.9 per cent between the first and second quarter this year. That has taken it to the highest level ever recorded by the Office for National Statistics – [...]
UK workers get a pay rise as minimum wage raised to £6.70 ahead of National Living Wage introduction October 1, 2015 One million UK workers are getting a pay rise today, as the national minimum wage has gone up by 20p. This sets the new adult rate at £6.70 per hour. Youth rates are up too, as 18 to 20-year-olds will get £5.30 and under-18s get £3.87. Another pay rise is on the way for at [...]