UK government public borrowing falls to 17-year low but misses Hammond’s spring statement target April 24, 2019 Public borrowing fell to its lowest level for 17 years in 2017-18 but was still higher than predicted, according to data published today. Borrowing hit £24.7bn between April 2018 and March 2019, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed today, £17.2bn less than the previous financial year. Read more: Government borrowing falls to 17-year low [...]
Want to tackle the scourge of fake reviews? The market can help with that April 24, 2019 The internet has led to a massive increase in the amount of information available. Often, this is a good thing. For example, shopping around to find the cheapest price for something has become far easier. But it can have its downsides. A report last week from the consumer magazine Which highlighted one such disadvantage. An [...]
Andrew Bailey is right to think about the City’s future April 23, 2019 Throughout the interminable Brexit debate, sensible voices have been hard to come by – but Andrew Bailey provides one. The head of the Financial Conduct Authority was ahead of the curve in pushing for EU counterparts to match the UK's planning to ensure financial stability in the event of a no-deal Brexit and, now that [...]
Consumer confidence falls in both Eurozone and EU April 23, 2019 Consumer confidence in both the Eurozone and the European Union fell in April, in news that will cast further gloom on a region that has been struggling economically in 2019. Read more: Euro falls as weak Eurozone data triggers slowdown fears The European Commission’s monthly consumer confidence indicator dropped by 0.7 points in the euro [...]
UK household earnings rise at sharpest rate in a decade as spending ticks up April 23, 2019 UK household earnings have risen at their fastest rate in a decade and consumers increased their spending in April. The IHS Markit survey also suggested that the current downbeat consumer sentiment could turnaround in the next few months. Read more: Retail and casual dining bounce back in March amid sunny spring weather While spending rose, [...]
Natwest increases small business loan programme amid Brexit uncertainty April 23, 2019 Natwest will double its growth funding programme for small and medium-sized British businesses, citing the need to help them navigate Brexit disruption. Read more: Government provides £200m for small firms as Brexit threatens EU funding The UK bank’s growth funding loan pot, which was started in May 2018, will be immediately doubled to £6bn in [...]
Euro falls as data suggests Eurozone economy will grow just one per cent in 2019 April 18, 2019 The euro suffered today as economic data dealt a fresh blow to hopes for the Eurozone economy. Read more: Eurozone construction sector bounces back in February after weak January Germany and France’s manufacturing industries are contracting, a closely-followed index revealed, with both staying lower than the 50 measure representing growth. Overall, both the Eurozone’s leading [...]
No Brexit is now more likely than no-deal Brexit, economists predict April 18, 2019 Britain remaining in the EU is now more likely than a disorderly Brexit, according to a Reuters survey of economists. The poll found that Britain leaving with a free trade deal of some description was still the most likely outcome but Brexit being cancelled jumped above a no-deal scenario into third place in the latest [...]
Retail sales jump much higher than expected in March as shoppers keep spending April 18, 2019 Retail sales enjoyed a surprising boost in March climbing much higher than expected, led by a spike in food shopping. Sales rose 1.1 per cent month-on-month, above expectations of a 0.3 per cent drop as food store sales and non-store retailing drove the increase, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Year-on-year sales jumped 6.7 per cent [...]
From housing to recycling, fuzzy tokenism is no substitute for action April 18, 2019 The brakes are temporarily on the Brexit saga for Easter, giving the government an opportunity to address some of the major public policy issues that have been all but sucked up by the EU vacuum. Putting aside this administration’s inability to actually pass any legislation (Brexit or otherwise), one at least hopes for the promise [...]