As London passes the peak and transport reopens, could it really be a happy new year? January 10, 2022 London may be emerging from the worst of the new Covid-19 peak, with the capital’s public health boss saying London appears to be past the peak of infections and vital transport infrastructure kicking back into gear today. Professor Kevin Fenton, London’s public health director, said the data suggests “we may have passed or are at [...]
UK’s biggest energy users warn gas price hike could hit net zero January 9, 2022 Eight in 10 of the UK’s biggest energy users have said they are worried by rapid rises in energy prices and fear it could put their environmental investments at risk. Most intensive energy users have plans to cut their carbon emissions, according to a new survey. Energy giant Vattenfall said that 90 per cent of [...]
Small businesses fear rising prices will slow the recovery January 9, 2022 Almost half of Britain’s small businesses say the increased cost of doing business is a concern for them in the new year. And across the wider economy, inflation is seen as a threat by around three-quarters. Inflation is heading north already and is expected to peak at around six to seven per cent in April [...]
Sunak: Britain poised to unlock well of untapped digital innovation January 9, 2022 BRITAIN is set to unleash a wave of economic growth by unlocking a well of untapped digital innovation, according to Chancellor Rishi Sunak. Fast growing startups and fintech firms are poised to propel the UK economy into a new digital age. “The digital economy… is a huge opportunity for us. We have one of the [...]
Investors eye UK supermarkets’ Christmas performance in busy week on London markets January 9, 2022 Investors will be eyeing how the UK’s biggest supermarkets fared over the Christmas trading period in a busy week of corporate announcements on London markets. Traders will be looking for clues in the string of supermarket updates on whether the imposition of plan B measures and soaring Covid-19 cases prompted consumers to divert money that [...]
UK businesses pay more than EU firms for emission trading post Brexit January 9, 2022 UK businesses are paying 10 per cent more than their EU counterparts to trade their emissions following Brexit. As a result of the government’s refusal to link the UK carbon market to the EU’s, British firms pay more than £75 per tonne of CO2, while EU businesses pay up to €85 (£71), the Guardian reported. [...]
Wave of staff absences set to wipe off £35bn from UK economy January 9, 2022 A wave of staff absences triggered by Omicron sweeping across the UK could shave £35bn off the British economy, according to new figures released today. The loss in output caused by workers being forced to self-isolate after contracting Covid-19 may wipe off around 8.8 per cent of January and February’s combined gross domestic product (GDP), [...]
Why the energy crisis is set to derail the UK economy in 2022 January 7, 2022 A wave of concern over the swelling cost of living is sweeping across Britain. While households are bracing for higher tax bills and are already being stung by food prices leaping, it is swelling energy costs that will hit hardest in 2022. The UK’s benchmark gas prices have quintupled since January 2021, leaping from £54 [...]
U.S. jobs growth slows well below forecasts January 7, 2022 US jobs growth fell well below forecasts in December as rising COVID-19 infections disrupted economic activity, according to official data released today. The figure in the US Bureau of Labor Statistics report showed that the US economy added 199,000 jobs in December, after economists polled by Reuters had anticiapted a rise of 400,000. Unemployment levels [...]
Income of FTSE 100 executives passes median UK worker’s annual salary today despite CEO pay dropping to £2.7m January 7, 2022 New research shows this morning that the pay of top company executives will pass the median annual wage for a full-time worker by Friday morning, sparking outrage from unions. The High Pay Centre said that, by this morning, the median FTSE 100 chief executive (CEO) will have been paid the median UK worker’s annual salary. [...]