Wall Street and FTSE surge as US stimulus and Brexit deal lift sentiment December 29, 2020 Wall Street hit fresh highs and the FTSE 100 posted strong gains today as investor confidence mounts in the final days of the year. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones were up 0.49 per cent and 0.57 per cent respectively as markets opened this afternoon. The Nasdaq also gained 0.42 per cent. Read more: Wall [...]
Excusez-moi: UK set to surge past French economy in decade to come December 27, 2020 The UK’s economy is set to remain the fifth largest in the world, according to a respected annual report, and to surge ahead of cross-channel rivals despite Brexit. The Centre for Economics and Business Research’s annual tally of the world’s leading economies sees the UK retake fifth place from India. Read more: Brexit deal lays [...]
Gove: Free ports and smart regulation the prize of Brexit deal December 26, 2020 Michael Gove has said that free ports, business-friendly regulation and ‘smart’ interventions to support entrepreneurs are the benefits of leaving the European Union. Writing today, the Cabinet Office minister also says that businesses have the “certainty and the ability to plan for growth and investment.” Read more: Opinion – forget Brexit, the EU is circling [...]
UK-EU financial services trade set for further negotiations December 25, 2020 A Government summary of the UK’s post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union indicates further negotiations will be required to establish market access rules for financial services firms. The document reaffirms “the integrity of our respective, autonomousequivalence frameworks,” the Government says. But specific equivalence deals will be codified in a forthcoming “memorandum of understanding.” Read [...]
PM: Brexit deal will allow the City to thrive like ‘never before’ December 24, 2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that the Brexit deal signed today will allow the City to thrive “like never before.” Asked about how much financial services figured in the deal, Johnson said there was “good language on equivalence.” He hinted that the European Union had pushed back on closer integration in the sector. “It [...]
Sterling hits $1.36 amid relief over Brexit deal December 24, 2020 Sterling extended gains on Thursday and hit $1.36 on the news that a Brexit deal has been agreed. Sterling had this morning been boosted by speculation, rising 0.47 per cent to $1.35, up 0.6% on the day and heading towards the 2-1/2 year high of $1.3625 hit last week. The pound edged up to 90.05 [...]
FTSE falls into the red as Brexit deal wait continues December 24, 2020 The FTSE 100 has fallen into the red as mid morning passes and the UK waits to hear if it has secured a deal with the European Union. At just past 11am London’s main market dropped 0.44 per cent after initially opening on the up. The market opened up 66 per cent this morning, following [...]
Banks amongst winners on FTSE as City waits for trade deal confirmation December 24, 2020 Lloyds Bank and Natwest are amongst those enjoying a Brexit deal boost on the FTSE 100 today. Lloyds is up more than 4 per cent on the last day of trading before Christmas. Natwest is also up. The deal is expected to be announced by Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen within the next [...]
Up the chain: Boris and Ursula try to seal a deal before Christmas December 23, 2020 PM Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are said to be in “close contact” in a last-ditch bid to secure a post-Brexit trade deal. Talks on the future relationship between the UK and the EU have now dragged on for four and a half years. Read more: One final push but [...]
Individuals rush to sell assets as capital gains tax bill rockets to £10.1bn December 23, 2020 The UK’s capital gains tax (CGT) bill has hit £10.1bn, up more than fourfold from £2.5bn a decade earlier, prompting people to sell their assets. Despite the increase of nearly £7.5bn in a decade, more CGT could be demanded from the taxpayer. The Office for Tax Simplification recently recommended the Chancellor increase CGT rates in [...]