Trump’s tariffs to tip world over into ‘recessionary phase’ April 16, 2025 A locking of horns between the US and China over tariffs could tip the world economy into recession as soon as this year, a closely-watched forecast has suggested, as businesses wrestle with the fallout of declining global trade volumes. Global growth is set to slow to 2.3 per cent this year, according to projections by [...]
FCA to rip 140 pages out of handbook in deregulation drive April 16, 2025 The UK’s financial watchdog has vowed to rip scores of pages from its handbook as it slashes red tape in a drive to boost growth. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said as many as 140 pages will be removed from the lengthy handbook, as it opened a consultation on scrapping data collection requirements. The move [...]
Dollar movements spark ‘Trussonomics’ fears with worst case scenario ‘no longer unthinkable’ April 16, 2025 The dollar’s worst case scenario is “no longer unthinkable,” economists have warned, as some draw parallels with the crisis in UK financial markets during the Liz Truss premiership. Alongside plummeting stocks and falling bond prices, the US currency has weakened in the wake of Trump’s erratic tariff agenda, with growing concerns that its status as [...]
Stealth income tax hike will hit millions of over 60s April 16, 2025 Millions more Brits, including a significant percentage of over 60s, will be dragged into paying income tax in the coming months as Rachel Reeves squeezes the spending powers of lower earners with a freeze on tax bands. Official data suggests that around 11m Brits will begin paying the basic rate of income tax by 2028. [...]
Inflation eases in March amid looming Bank decision April 16, 2025 Inflation remained stubbornly high at 2.6 per cent in March, official data has shown, leaving Bank of England policymakers with a difficult decision to make on interest rates early next month. The year-on-year increase in consumer price inflation (CPI) was lower than the 2.7 per cent figure forecast in a Bloomberg poll of economists. The [...]
Firms scramble to ‘protect bottom line’ amid low growth April 16, 2025 Firms across the UK are putting in “hard work” to limit cost pressures and maintain profits amid low growth, one of the country’s biggest banks has said. Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s aggressive tax hikes at her last Autumn Budget have piled higher employment costs on businesses large and small, threatening to kill off some companies by [...]
Inflation expected to ease slightly in March amid uncertain future April 15, 2025 Inflation in the month to March is expected to remain well above the Bank of England’s target rate of two per cent, putting policymakers in an awkward position ahead of a potential interest rate cut in May. A Bloomberg poll of economists said that consumer price inflation (CPI) on a year-on-year basis will hit 2.7 [...]
Small firm owners are leaving the UK en masse, survey finds April 15, 2025 Small business owners up and down the country are packing their bags to escape a flurry of higher taxes, soaring costs and red tape, fresh data has found. Nearly two in five owners of small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) have either left the UK or are considering an imminent departure, according to a new survey, [...]
UK employers cut jobs as tax hikes bite April 15, 2025 High wage growth persisted in the three months to February, official data has shown, but a rapid drop in payrolled employment pointed to concerning trends in the labour market. Annual growth in average weekly earnings excluding bonuses hit 5.9 per cent, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Tuesday. But separate tax data showed [...]
Barclays: Consumers plan to ‘buy British’ amid escalating trade war April 15, 2025 British consumers are planning to buy more UK-made products as two thirds of adults fear tumbling markets could lead to a deterioration in household finances, new research by Barclays has shown. President Donald Trump’s tariffs have dampened the UK’s economic outlook and put household finances under pressure. Consumers are now rapidly responding to the changes, [...]