OBR financial report and government fiscal plan to be delivered on 31 October October 10, 2022 The UK’s spending and borrowing watchdog’s assessment of the government’s tax cutting splurge will be released on 31 October, chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announced today. In a letter to Tory MP and chair of the treasury select committee, Mel Stride, Kwarteng said he has decided to bring the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) forecasts forward from [...]
Kwarteng to meet with IMF after it cautioned chancellor over mini-Budget October 9, 2022 Kwasi Kwarteng will travel to Washington, DC this week to meet with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the first time as chancellor. Kwarteng is travelling to the US for the IMF’s annual meeting, the first of its kind in-person since Covid, where he is expected to meet with its managing director Kristalina Georgieva. He [...]
Stronger than expected US job growth plunges pound against dollar October 7, 2022 The pound slipped 0.3 per cent against the dollar at $1.113 this afternoon after US labour figures suggested stronger than expected jobs growth. US employers added 263,000 jobs in September as the country’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.5 per cent, figures from the Bureau of Labour Statistics show. Economists polled by Reuters had previously expected US [...]
US employment market tightens as companies add 263,000 jobs October 7, 2022 US employers added 263,000 jobs in September as the country’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.5 per cent, figures from the Bureau of Labour Statistics show. Economists polled by Reuters had previously expected US employers would add 250,000 jobs in September. The figures mark both a slowdown and a tightening of the US jobs market, [...]
UK jobs market finally flashes cool down signals as hiring slows October 7, 2022 The UK jobs market is finally flashing slowdown signals after running hot for months after the worst of the Covid-19 crisis, a closely watched survey published today reveals. Firms are moderating hiring campaigns in response to concerns over the UK’s weakening economy and a shortage of workers. Britain is on course for a recession as [...]
Pound slumps against US dollar after Fitch sounds alarm on UK finances October 6, 2022 The pound slumped against the US dollar today while UK debt sold off after one of the world’s top credit rating agencies issued a sombre warning to investors about the country’s finances. Sterling weakened 1.55 per cent against the greenback to buy 1.115. It fell by a slightly smaller amount against the euro too. The [...]
Analysis: Bank of England averts market spiral, but pressure remains October 6, 2022 Hat tip to Mel Stride, Tory MP and chief of the treasury committee, for asking the Bank of England to explain why they launched an emergency support package for the UK debt market last week. If he hadn’t, we wouldn’t know there was a “self-reinforcing spiral” – how deputy governor at the Bank Jon Cunliffe [...]
Mini budget market turmoil partly triggered BoE emergency intervention, dep governor says October 6, 2022 Market volatility that followed chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini budget last month partly forced the Bank of England to step in to stabilise UK debt prices and prevent a crisis in the pensions sector, one of its top officials said today. After Kwarteng slashed taxes by £45bn and signalled a borrowing surge on Friday 23 September, [...]
Construction firms clear backlogs before downturn hits October 6, 2022 Construction firms are clearing a huge backlog of work, but the sector is on course to shrivel in the coming months as it is whacked by soaring interest rates, a closely watched survey published today. S&P Global and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s (CIPS) purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for the construction industry swung [...]
Consumer squeeze ‘worse than I have ever known’ says ex CBI boss and Cobra Beer chair October 6, 2022 Consumers are being squeezed by “worse than I have ever known,” the former chief of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the founder of Cobra Beer has said. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Wake Up to Money programme, Lord Karan Bilimora was asked about the impact of industrial action this month – with [...]