Brexit and election uncertainty knock hole in Robert Walters’ UK profit January 9, 2020 Robert Walters’ share price dropped today as it revealed a huge 23 per cent dent to UK profits as a result of a rollercoaster year of political uncertainty in 2019. UK gross profit fell from £26.8m in the fourth quarter of 2018 to £20.7m in the corresponding period last year. Read more: Time too short [...]
UK productivity creeps up but crisis continues January 8, 2020 The UK’s long-running struggle with productivity showed little sign of ending today when official figures revealed output per hour worked grew only marginally in the third quarter of 2019 following four successive quarters of falls. Productivity grew by 0.1 per cent in the July to September period of last year compared with the same period [...]
EU chief von der Leyen: Time too short for comprehensive post-Brexit deal by 2021 January 8, 2020 The new head of the European Commission has said there will not be enough time for the UK and European Union to reach a comprehensive trade agreement by the end of 2020, saying the two sides “must prioritise”. However, in a broadly conciliatory speech at the London School of Economics this morning, she said the [...]
Central banks running low on ammunition to fight recession, Mark Carney warns January 8, 2020 Central banks may not be able to fight off a sharp economic downturn because their monetary policy arsenals are still depleted following the global financial crisis, outgoing Bank of England Governor Mark Carney has warned. “It’s generally true that there’s much less ammunition for all the major central banks than they previously had and I’m [...]
Chinese investment in Europe and North America slumps to nine-year low January 8, 2020 Chinese investment in Europe and North America hit a nine-year low in 2019, new analysis has shown, as Beijing focused increasingly on the domestic economy and geopolitical tensions hurt capital flows. Chinese foreign direct investment in Europe tumbled 40 per cent in 2019 and fell 27 per cent in the US, analysis from law firm [...]
S&P says UK banks will ‘ease’ rather than ‘roar’ into 2020s January 7, 2020 US credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has predicted UK banks will “ease” rather than “roar” into the 2020s as low interest rates, technological disruption and political risks present new challenges to the sector. British lenders had a torrid 2019, with expensive misconduct charges denting their balance sheets and Brexit uncertainty casting gloom over [...]
Giant US services sector ends the year on a bright note January 7, 2020 The US’s enormous services sector outperformed expectations in December, survey data has shown, finishing the year in a strong position compared to the country’s struggling manufacturers. The closely-watched Institute for Supply Management (ISM) purchasing managers’ index (PMI) came in at 55 in December, up from a reading of 53.9 the previous month. Read more: Eurozone [...]
London house prices rose twice as fast as the rest of UK in 2010s January 7, 2020 London house prices rose twice as fast as the UK average during the 2010s, a new report has shown, notching up a 66 per cent growth rate that was far faster than any other region. In the country as a whole, the average house price rose 33 per cent over the last decade as it [...]
Chinese yuan set for best day in six months as risk appetite returns January 7, 2020 The Chinese yuan was set for its best day in more than six months this morning after investors’ appetite for risk returned and as traders await the signing of a “phase one” trade deal between China and the US. China’s yuan – the unit of its renminbi currency – had risen 0.57 per cent to [...]
What do the financial markets hold in store for 2020? January 7, 2020 After the festive break, everyone in the City is slowly settling back into work. The opening week of 2020 has been hectic already, with oil and gold prices rising and stocks falling in reaction to tension in the Middle East. But what else are the financial experts and asset managers keeping an eye on for [...]