London house prices: West End buyers shrug off stamp duty rise and mansion tax threat as sales rise April 27, 2015 The West End residential market saw no let up in activity over the first quarter of the year, figures show, despite changes to stamp duty and the threat of Labour’s proposed mansion tax. Property advisory firm CBRE said sales transactions jumped by 33 per cent on last year as it agreed sales on £54.7m worth [...]
European markets sink as Greece jitters continue April 27, 2015 Another week, another set of worries about Greece. Although European markets started the day well, that rally faded quickly, with the FTSE 100 falling 0.36 per cent by mid-morning. At the same time, Germany's Dax dropped 0.29 per cent and France's Cac 40 fell 0.9 per cent. Although the FTSEurofirst 300 opened 0.4 per cent [...]
Confidence in economy climbs to highest level for four years April 27, 2015 People are more confident about the state of the economy than at any other time since 2011. Lloyds Bank’s spending power index climbed to a record high score of 158 in March, according to figures published today. This marks a four point gain on February’s 154 and is now the highest since the index began [...]
Brexit and the City: Business and Brussels – to stay or split? April 27, 2015 HSBC chairman Douglas Flint entered a political firestorm last week when he said Britain’s biggest bank was considering moving its headquarters out of the UK. Speaking at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) in London on Friday, Flint said the bank was looking to relocate in part due to uncertainty over the UK’s relationship [...]
More shoppers are supporting living wages April 26, 2015 Public sentiment toward the living wage campaign – the campaign to get employers to pay workers a calculated wage higher than the minimum wage – is on the climb. A survey published today by financial services firm KPMG found that seven out of 10 UK adults would consciously shop in favour of a retail chain [...]
Switzerland is voted the happiest country in the world, while the UK falls into 22nd place April 24, 2015 Chocolate, mountains and cheese go a long way when it comes to making us feel jolly, so it should come as little surprise that Switzerland, home to an abundance of all three, is ranked the happiest country in the world by a new poll. The latest edition of the World Happiness Index didn't just put [...]
Budget deficit drops but pre-General Election growth could disappoint Tories April 23, 2015 Chancellor George Osborne received a budgetary boost yesterday as figures revealed the government had cut the budget deficit, but weak retail sales could hit a key economic growth figure in the run up to the General Election. Government borrowing – as measured by the public sector net borrowing requirement excluding public sector banks – totalled [...]
Mortgage lending lull ends as March registers upturn as General Election uncertainty fails to make slow demand April 23, 2015 Mortgage lending has picked up in March following a slow start to 2015, data released yesterday by the Council for Mortgage Lenders (CML) show. Gross mortgage lending reached £16.5bn, 21 per cent higher than in February and seven per cent higher than March last year. Lending remains below levels seen last summer and is far [...]
Brent Crude oil prices have just hit a 2015 high on Yemen worries and US data April 23, 2015 Oil prices have surged today on the back of worries over the conflict in Yemen and new data suggesting a fall in US supplies, sending prices to their highest of 2015. Benchmark Brent Crude hit $65.13 a barrel, rising $2.40 or three per cent, its first move above $64 this year, while West Texas Intermediate rose $1.63 [...]
Have UK government borrowing figures just given Osborne a pre-election boost? April 23, 2015 Chancellor George Osborne just received a pre-election boost after official figures released today showed he met his target for lowering the country's budget deficit in the 2014/15 financial year. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing, which fills the hole between spending and revenues, fell to £7.4bn in March, down 5.6 percent [...]