Warm-weather pub trips boost tepid consumer spending growth in April May 8, 2019 Consumer spending growth slowed in April but was boosted by last month’s sunshine, resulting in double-digit growth in the amount spent at restaurants and pubs, according to the latest data from Barclaycard. Read more: Confidence hits new low but spending climbs amid sunny weather Overall consumer spending grew 2.5 per cent in April compared to [...]
UK’s biggest companies pull away as profits for rest of pack plunge May 8, 2019 Average profits at the UK’s 40 biggest companies rose by 11 per cent in the first quarter of the year while those outside the group saw a fall of 18 per cent, new analysis has shown, laying bare a stark division in the fortunes of British companies. Read more: 'Zombie firms' dragging down UK economy, [...]
EU slashes its forecast for German growth as it predicts Eurozone slowdown May 7, 2019 The European Union yesterday halved its growth prediction for the German economy as it forecasted lower growth for the Eurozone as a whole, laying bare the extent of the bloc’s economic challenges before a leaders’ summit in Romania this week. Read more: ‘Wake-up call’: Germany downgrades 2019 growth forecast Official forecasts, released by the European Commission [...]
This series of UK politics feels suspiciously like daytime TV May 7, 2019 Last week’s local elections were a democratic amuse bouche. A mere mouthful of popular sentiment, sending a message to the political elite that an offering meant to delight the taste buds has fallen as flat as a soggy souffle. Like a daytime TV rerun of MasterChef, it involved lots of familiar names and tried but [...]
Britain’s low import costs could be hit by Brexit, new analysis shows May 7, 2019 The UK has far lower import costs in percentage terms than the US and China, analysis by accountancy firm UHY has shown, with Britain paying 0.5 per cent in duties on its imports in the 2017-18 financial year. Read more: Liam Fox: A post-Brexit customs union would be 'worst of all worlds' Meanwhile, the US [...]
Business confidence steadies on Brexit delay decision May 7, 2019 Business confidence has stayed steady for the first time in 12 months as the prospect of an imminent UK exit from the EU recedes. According to an index from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), business confidence stood at -16.6 per cent in the second quarter, similar to 16.4 per cent [...]
Eurozone business confidence crumbles as bosses grapple with economic uncertainty May 7, 2019 The vast majority of European chief financial officers (CFOs) continue to consider the current level of financial and economic uncertainty as high or very high, a new survey shows. Uncertainty is now higher in the euro area, increasing to 65 per cent in the last six months from 62 per cent, in contrast to the [...]
Fix Brexit, unlock investment – and maybe we can all work a little less May 7, 2019 Did you enjoy your day off yesterday? Nice, wasn’t it, coming so soon after the extended Easter break? Plus there’s another bank holiday in just three weeks from now. Happy days. Square Mile workaholics aside, most of us would prefer to have a little more leisure and a little less time in the office – and [...]
Global markets in tailspin after Trump threatens huge China tariff rise May 7, 2019 US President Donald Trump’s latest threat to ramp up tariffs on Chinese goods rattled global markets yesterday at the start of a crunch week of negotiations between the White House and Beijing. Trump tweeted over the weekend that tariffs on $200bn (£153bn) worth of goods from China would be cranked up to 25 per cent [...]
‘Zombie firms’ dragging down UK economy, warns KPMG May 6, 2019 Increasing numbers of underperforming “zombie firms” are acting as a drag on the UK economy and raising the risk of contagion during an economic crisis, professional services firm KPMG has warned today. Read more: UK economy 'treading water' as services sector struggles Up to 14 per cent of listed UK companies showed zombie symptoms of [...]