Dire economy drags UK consumer confidence down to lowest level ever August 19, 2022 “Exasperation” with the plight of the UK economy has eroded consumer confidence to the lowest level ever, reveals a closely watched survey published today. Households are being downtrodden by a string of bleak economic news, uncertainty over how they will cope with sky-high energy bills during the winter months and sharp fall in spending power. [...]
Ex-dividend shares tame FTSE gains as UK bond yields hit fresh 14-year high August 18, 2022 Traders ditching companies that have yet to announce the details of their next shareholder giveaway tamed London markets’ gains today. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index jumped 0.35 per cent to 7,541.85 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, climbed 0.55 per cent higher [...]
Brits’ spending drops sharply as recession clouds gather August 18, 2022 Brits’ credit and debit card spending dropped dramatically over the past week, according to fresh data published by the Office for National Statistics. This data ranked at 97 per cent of its level in February 2020, the month prior to the country’s first Covid lockdown. The figures are based on Bank of England CHAPS interbank [...]
A City super-regulator’s benefits are not immediately obvious August 18, 2022 The greatest compliment a football fan can ever give a referee is that they ‘let the game flow’ and try to avoid blowing their whistle except when absolutely necessary. Financial regulators sit broadly within the same definition. So it is with some regret that just a few years after we went through a post-crisis reorganisation [...]
Historic inflation surge to swell UK debt interest bill to over £200bn August 18, 2022 A historic inflation surge is set to swell the UK’s debt interest bill to over £200bn, top economists have warned today. Britain’s public purse is set to come under intense pressure over the next two years that may cause the government to miss their borrowing fiscal rule, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). [...]
Russia has 38 per cent jump in energy export earnings this year: internal document August 17, 2022 Reuters Higher oil export volumes, coupled with rising gas prices, will boost Russia’s earnings from energy exports to $337.5 billion this year, a 38% rise on 2021, according to an economy ministry document seen by Reuters. The jump in revenues, if it materialises, will help shore up Russia’s economy in the face of waves of [...]
Bank of England to launch another jumbo rate hike to tame over 10 per cent inflation August 17, 2022 The Bank of England is set to launch a series of jumbo rate hikes to tame inflation that is beginning to be driven by domestic factors, City economists warned today. Prices climbed 10.1 per cent annually in July, the fastest acceleration since February 1982 and much higher than the Bank and analysts’ forecasts, according to [...]
Inflation overshoot spooks investors as FTSE 100 house builders tumble August 17, 2022 London markets were shaken today by concerns that inflation is firming in the UK as housebuilders suffered heavy losses on the prospect of more rate hikes. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index dropped 0.27 per cent lower to 7,515.75 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of [...]
Bank of England’s recession warning hits UK consumer confidence August 17, 2022 Fears of a protracted recession as long as the one caused by the financial crisis is weighing on Brits’ optimism, a new survey released today showed. Consumer confidence dipped four points at the beginning of August, according to Bank of America. “Confidence remains weak, consistent with recession, and all components worsened,” the Wall Street giant [...]
High commodity prices boost bin collector Biffa’s recycling revenues August 17, 2022 Waste collection company Biffa today posted “strong” financial results as high commodity prices bolstered the firm’s recycling business whilst offsetting far-reaching inflationary pressures. The High Wycombe headquartered firm said it had cut its statutory losses by 57 per cent from £40.5m in 2021 to 17.6m in 2022. The stronger financial performance came as Biffa’s [...]