Supporting women entrepreneurs could unlock $330bn worldwide as most female-owned businesses struggle to get credit, group says April 29, 2019 Denying female entrepreneurs access to the funds they need is costing the global economy billions, an international charity said today as it called on financial institutions to improve their products and services for women. Development organisation Care said that 80 per cent of women-owned businesses that need credit are being under-served, opening up a $1.7tn [...]
UK economy’s strong start to year likely a ‘false dawn’, forecaster says April 29, 2019 UK economic growth will slow in the second half of the year after a strong start, according to economists at EY Item Club, as prolonged Brexit uncertainty and a global economic slowdown continue to bite. Read more: Prolonged Brexit process hurting UK economy, Goldman Sachs warns The economy is now predicted to grow at just [...]
HMRC ramping up spending on private debt collectors, new analysis shows April 29, 2019 HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has spent £90m on private debt collectors in the last three years, compared to £34m in the three years before that, according to new analysis. Read more: Public will be able to make digital HMRC complaints from August The UK tax agency spent £26m on private debt collectors in 2018 [...]
The left is upping its campaign against the free market – and the City in particular April 28, 2019 John McDonnell and the Labour party have long talked of the need to “democratise” our economy. Their plans for sweeping nationalisations, a state-run investment bank and the forced reallocation of shares to the workers are all couched in the language of taking power from the fat cats and making finance a servant of the public, [...]
Government plans to charge EU students higher university fees criticised April 28, 2019 Government plans to make students from the European Union pay higher tuition fees at English universities have been criticised in the run up to the European Parliament elections. Read more: UK universities to stick with Huawei despite Oxford suspending funding The Department for Education’s plan, first reported by BuzzFeed, would end so-called home fee status [...]
Philip Hammond to give verdict on future of 1p and 2p coins April 28, 2019 The Chancellor Philip Hammond is set to decide on the future of 1p and 2p coins this week, after much speculation that they could be axed. Read more: Scrapping 1p and 2p coins would have "no significant impact on prices" City A.M. understands that the two copper coins are likely to be saved by a [...]
Prolonged Brexit uncertainty hurting UK economy, Goldman Sachs warns April 26, 2019 The uncertainty caused by Britain’s protracted exit from the European Union is having a negative impact on the economy, Goldman Sachs has warned. The investment bank said that shrinking investment, a looming labour market shock and poor productivity were the side effects of the drawn out Brexit process. Read more: P&O sues government after no-deal [...]
Wanted: Your free-market ideas to give everyone a shot at improving their lives April 26, 2019 Life isn’t fair. It never will be. In fact, so much of what we experience day-to-day, year-to-year, is a result of things we can’t control – the country we’re born in, the robustness of our immune system, the bumps on our nose (well, mine anyway) are pre-determined facts of life. Progress means embracing or overcoming [...]
CBI: UK retailers enjoy sales boost for the first time in five months April 25, 2019 UK retail sales grew for the first time in five months in April, according to a major business group, in the latest sign that consumer spending is holding up despite ongoing political uncertainty. Read more: Retail sales jump higher than expected in March However, Easter falling later this year probably helped the figures, said the [...]
What a tin of battered beans can tell us about behavioural finance April 25, 2019 "Most people get interested in stocks when everyone else is. The time to get interested is when no one else is. You can’t buy what is popular, and do well.” Those are the words of one of the greatest investors of our generation, Warren Buffett. The investment guru got me thinking: why is the stock [...]