Analysis: Truss can’t buck the markets October 14, 2022 Around eight minutes is how long prime minister Liz Truss today allocated to explain why she sacked her chancellor for implementing her tax cuts and signed off her second mini budget U-turn. She clarified neither. She answered four questions and committed to her “mission” to boost growth in the UK at a Downing Street press [...]
Liz Truss appoints Jeremy Hunt as chancellor after Kwarteng sacking October 14, 2022 Jeremy Hunt has been appointed as the new chancellor after prime minister Liz Truss sacked Kwasi Kwarteng today following weeks of market turmoil triggered by last month’s mini budget. Hunt is the fourth chancellor this year. According to bookmaker Betfair, Truss is now odds on to step down as prime minister. Kwarteng wrote to Liz [...]
UK borrowing costs tank as mini budget U-turn rumours gather pace October 14, 2022 UK borrowing costs fell sharply today driven by chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and prime minister Liz Truss reportedly set to U-turn on more parts of their mini budget. The chancellor has today cut short his trip to the International Monetary Fund’s Washington meetings to hold emergency talks with Truss in London. Rumours of a second U-turn [...]
UK borrowing costs drop as Kwarteng hints at mini budget U-turn October 13, 2022 UK borrowing costs collapsed today driven by chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng sending the strongest signal yet he will roll back elements of last month’s mini budget. Rates on UK gilts dropped across the curve after they yesterday climbed to their highest level since the day the Bank was forced to step in. Yields on the 30-year [...]
City braced for end of £65bn Bank of England bond market package October 13, 2022 The City is bracing for the Bank of England to pull its £65bn emergency support package for the bond market tomorrow, but experts said volatility could be tamed by existing backstops supporting the pensions industry. Britain’s debt market has been rocked by concerns over the government’s financial credibility after it launched £43bn of tax cuts [...]
Kwarteng says ‘let’s see’ on tax cut U-turn as speculation mounts October 13, 2022 Kwasi Kwarteng tonight said “let’s see” in the face of questions about another potential tax cut U-turn, giving the strongest indication yet that there will be an about face from the government. The chancellor told the BBC “my total focus is on delivering on the mini-Budget and making sure we can get growth back into [...]
London’s FTSE 100 bags gains as rate sensitive stocks kick higher October 13, 2022 London’s FTSE 100 notched gains yesterday driven by stocks exposed to interest rates receiving a boost from reports the government will roll back some of the mini-budget. The capital’s premier index jumped 0.35 per cent to 6,850.27 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK [...]
Liz Truss eyes mini-Budget U-turn on Corporation Tax October 13, 2022 Number 10 is actively considering whether to U-turn on more of the tax cuts in the government’s mini-Budget, just hours after Liz Truss’ spokesperson said no changes are on the cards. Truss’ spokesperson today said there would be no cancellation of any more of the government’s tax cuts and that the timetable for implementing them [...]
US inflation tops expectations in sign Federal Reserve has more work to do October 13, 2022 US inflation climbed higher than expected on a monthly basis in September in a sign the Federal Reserve’s series of steep rate hikes are failing to tame the toughest price pressures. Inflation hit 0.4 per cent last month, above Wall Street’s expectations of a 0.2 per cent increase and higher than August’s print, figures from [...]
The Inflation Game: War, Peace and the Perils of Central Banking October 13, 2022 | City Talk The descent is always more sudden than the increase; a balloon that has been punctured does not deflate in an orderly way. — John Kenneth Galbraith I travelled with my family to London and Normandy in July 2022. Our primary purpose was to meet up in France with my father-in-law, who had dreamed of visiting the [...]