US private sector output falls to three-year low as trade war bites May 23, 2019 The ongoing trade war with China helped push business activity growth in the US to a three-year low in May, according to widely-watched survey released today. Read more: Chip designer Arm to suspend business with Huawei Output in manufacturing and services was held back by lower demand and subdued growth of new orders, which firms [...]
German manufacturing output falls but services push economy to growth May 23, 2019 Germany’s manufacturing output fell for the fourth month in a row in May as new orders fell, according to the latest IHS Markit survey of the country’s private sector. Read more: Eurozone sees weak growth in May amid stagnant demand May saw the third straight monthly decrease in employment in the manufacturing sector, making the overall [...]
Eurozone economy limps to weak growth in May amid stagnant demand, says survey May 23, 2019 The Eurozone saw subdued business growth in May as demand stagnated, with manufacturing facing the toughest conditions of any sector, according to a new survey. Read more: EU slashes its forecast for German growth as it predicts Eurozone slowdown New export orders fell markedly once again, their eighth successive monthly fall, according to today's widely-watched [...]
ii Winter Portfolio doubles after fifth market-beating year May 22, 2019 | City Talk After an amazing fifth winter, our portfolio almost doubles in value and beats all the global indices, proving that international investors are wrong to ignore UK stocks. It also proves it is possible to time the market. Five years ago, our interest was piqued by a stock market phenomenon that promised consistent market-beating returns year [...]
UK inflation rises above two per cent target as energy costs increase May 22, 2019 The UK’s core inflation rate climbed to 2.1 per cent in April, as rising energy costs pushed up by the higher Ofgem price cap fed into dearer prices in the economy, official statistics have revealed. Read more: UK economy bounces back, but is growth just a ‘flash in the pan’? Traditionally, inflation above the Bank [...]
The extremist Green party is trying to overthrow capitalism May 22, 2019 The Green Party is doing well. It gained nearly 200 council seats in the recent local elections and is hoping for a strong showing in the European ones this week. Publicity over school children going “on strike” to protest about climate change has helped. With politicians competing to fawn over the truants, the Green Party [...]
Puzzled over Australia’s shock election result? Economics can help explain May 22, 2019 The surprise of the week was the re-election of the centre-right Coalition government in the Australian General Election. The Labor opposition had led every major opinion poll for the past two years. But Scott Morrison of the Coalition is still Prime Minister – and it is his Labor opponent who is resigning as leader. Economists, regardless [...]
US-China trade tensions a major threat to global growth, says OECD May 21, 2019 Global economic growth is under threat from the escalating US-China trade conflict, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has warned. Read more: Global markets in tailspin after Trump threatens huge China tariff rise The OECD’s closely-watched Economic Outlook said if current tariffs between the two countries are maintained, they will shave between 0.2 [...]
Britain’s small businesses deserve a simpler, fairer tax system May 21, 2019 “When you look after small business,” Sajid Javid said last week, “you look after Britain”. But too often, he admitted, the government has focused its attention elsewhere – big government finding it easier to talk to big business than small. Britain has an enviable record of company creation. Indeed, alongside our stellar job creation rates, [...]
Sterling falls below $1.27 for first time since early January as Brexit fears intensify May 21, 2019 Sterling has fallen below $1.27 for the first time since the beginning of the year as Brexit fears intensify. It comes as Prime Minister Theresa May prepares to unveil her “new and improved” Brexit plan to her Cabinet this afternoon in a bid to pass a deal through parliament at the fourth time of asking. [...]