Exclusive: Starmer to back away from 2019 Labour manifesto with series of key speeches February 18, 2022 Sir Keir Starmer will try to definitively distance himself from Labour’s far-left 2019 election manifesto in a series of key speeches over the next few months. This will begin next week when the Labour leader makes a speech outlining his stance on some “meaty” economic issues as he sets out “a totally distinct path from [...]
London markets mixed as investors mull next steps in Russia-Ukraine saga February 17, 2022 London markets plummeted today as investors were spooked by a seeming false alarm on a de-escalation in the Russia-Ukraine saga. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index dropped 0.87 per cent to 7,537.37 points, while the domestically-focused FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, plunged 1.24 per cent to [...]
Slap up Valentines Day meals boosts UK diner volumes February 17, 2022 Couples treating themselves to a slap up Valentines Day meal boosted the volume of diners in the UK over the last week, revealed official figures released today. The number of restaurant goers in Britain surged 17 percentage points in just a week and is now nearly a third above its pre-pandemic level, according to the [...]
Entrenched supply crunch stoking inflation risks throttling global economy, IMF warns February 17, 2022 Supply chain breakdowns stoking inflation are inflicting “harm” on the global recovery from the Covid-19 crisis, the world’s economic watchdog warned today. Swelling costs fuelled by choking supply bottlenecks pose a serious risk to derailing the economic rebound by cutting households’ spending power, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned. Central banks launching a rapid [...]
Conflict of interest claims: While looking for Brexit opportunities, Jacob Rees-Mogg holds stake in $8bn emerging market investment fund February 17, 2022 Experts have pointed out that Jacob Rees-Mogg holds a substantial stake in a multi-billion investment fund specialised in emerging markets, while at the same time he is now tasked with finding ‘Brexit opportunities’ in those same countries. Rees-Mogg is a major shareholder in Somerset Capital, an investment firm he co-founded and focuses on investment projects [...]
Brits to face permanently higher prices if rising wage and energy bills persist February 17, 2022 Consumers will face permanently higher prices for products if rising wages and energy costs persist, reveals fresh research published today. Services firms are raising prices at the fastest pace on record to alleviate severe margin pressure stemming from rising bills, according to a survey by Lloyds Bank. Soaring staffing and energy bills are sending costs [...]
Brexit shaves off record £20bn from UK exports in one year alone with imports from EU also dropping February 16, 2022 UK exports to EU countries shrunk by a record £20bn in just 20 months, according to new figures. Sales to the EU dropped more significantly in 2021 than exports to any other country in the world, the ONS data shows, as UK to EU exports nosedived 12 per cent between January and December of last [...]
London markets edge higher as investors shrug off another hot inflation print February 16, 2022 London markets were muted yesterday as investors digested the implications of another red hot UK inflation print. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index edged down 0.07 per cent to 7,603.78 points, while the domestically-focused FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, dipped 0.11 per cent to 21,828.94 points. [...]
Brits brace for multi-pronged living standards crunch as inflation hits new 30-year high February 16, 2022 Brits will be hit by a multi-pronged squeeze on their living standards this year, economists are warning after new figures published today revealed inflation has climbed to a fresh 30-year high. A combination of accelerating price rises, tax hikes and higher interest rates will erode Brits’ finances at the worst rate since the late 1940s, [...]
British factories hike prices rapidly to protect margins February 16, 2022 British factories are hiking prices for goods rapidly in a bid to offset swelling raw material costs, reveals official figures released today. Prices charged by manufacturers accelerated 9.9 per cent in the year to January, up from 9.3 per cent in December, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Soaring oil prices driven by [...]