Inflation turns negative for the first time in over 50 years – but it should only be a blip May 19, 2015 Britain fell into deflation for the first time since the 1960s after data released today showed the consumer price index (CPI) had dipped into negative territory. The Office for National Statistics said prices fell 0.1 per cent in the year to April on a fall in air and sea fares due to the timing of [...]
Greece insists deal to avoid bankruptcy is imminent as Jean-Claude Juncker offers a lifeline May 18, 2015 Greek officials expect technocrats to nail down an agreement this week that would unlock billions of euros to help the country and avoid it going bankrupt. The renewed optimism may have been the result of an intervention by European Commission (EC) Jean-Claude Juncker. Reports in Greek media suggest Juncker has outlined a much more favourable [...]
Sajid Javid to tackle late payments owed to small businesses in new enterprise bill May 18, 2015 The new business secretary will today promise to cut red tape and put at least £10bn back in the pockets of business owners over the next five years. Speaking at a business centre in Bristol, Sajid Javid will announce a new enterprise bill to be included in the Queen’s speech next week. He will say: “As [...]
Sir Hector Sants to lead new review into competitiveness of British banks May 18, 2015 A former top City regulator has been tapped to lead a new review of the competitiveness of Britain’s banking sector. The British Bankers’ Association (BBA) has asked Sir Hector Sants to look at whether tax and regulatory reforms in the wake of the financial crisis hurt Britain’s international reputation as a banking centre, Sky [...]
IMF raises Italy growth forecast May 18, 2015 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised its forecast for Italy's growth to 0.7 per cent this year, up from 0.5 per cent. The organisation said Italy was "emerging slowly from a painful recession", but had been buoyed by the European Central Bank's (ECB) quantitative easing programme. "Government bond yields have fallen to pre-crisis lows, [...]
Goldman Sachs slashes its oil price forecast for the next five years May 18, 2015 The good news is that after months of falls, oil prices have begun to tentatively rise (although that was thanks to fighting in Yemen and Iraq). The bad news is that Goldman Sachs doesn't think it's going to last: the investment bank has slashed its oil price forecasts for the next five years. In a [...]
Global finance chiefs urge policy makers to ward off bubble risks May 18, 2015 Chief executives, chairmen and senior executives of some of the largest banks in Europe and the US have warned of the potential for unforeseen risks caused by policy makers attempting to avoid future financial crises. Douglas Flint, group chairman of HSBC, UBS chairman Axel Weber, Deutsche Bank's co-chief executive Anshu Jain, Larry Fink, chief [...]
Markets hit as Greece letter shows just how close it came to defaulting on a €750m IMF payment May 18, 2015 The FTSE 100 started the day on a positive note, edging back above the 7,000 mark – but that was quickly curtailed, after the publication of a letter from Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras to International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde showed just how close it came to defaulting on a €750m (£544m) payment [...]
Agents bet on UK housing market activity boost after General Election May 17, 2015 Agents are expecting housing market activity to pick up following a decisive outcome to the General Election. “Now the months of uncertainty are finally over, we are already witnessing confidence returning to the market with buyers and sellers in a more informed position to make the decisions they were putting off,” said Andrew Weir [...]
Britain could be about to enter brief deflation May 17, 2015 The UK could enter deflation for the first time since comparable records began when figures are released tomorrow morning. Yet most economists believe inflation’s venture into negative territory will be short-lived, given that oil and global food prices have halted their declines. The consumer price index (CPI) – the basket of goods used to measure [...]