UK consumers cut spending amid wider economic nerves December 30, 2025 UK consumers’ debit and credit card spending slumped in 2025 for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic as wider economic nerves knocked confidence. Card spending fell 0.2 per cent in the last 12 months, according to Barclays, a sharp contrast to the 1.6 per cent growth recorded in 2024. Just a quarter of British [...]
UK to slide down world rankings on GDP per capita by 2030, report finds December 26, 2025 The UK is set to slip down the world rankings of GDP per capita by the end of the decade after being weighed down by “subpar” growth, a new report has said. The British economy will fall from its current rank of 19th to 21st next year and down further still to 22nd by 2030, [...]
Keir Starmer urges public to ‘reach out’ as he acknowledges cost-of-living struggle December 24, 2025 Prime Minister Keir Starmer has acknowledged that many are “still struggling with the cost of living” in a Christmas message posted on Wednesday morning. He said “we should each do our bit” as he urged people to “call around to a neighbour, check in on a friend or a relative who you haven’t heard from [...]
I’ve been speaking to CEOs all year – this is what they really think December 24, 2025 After spending a year interviewing some of the UK’s top business leaders, a number of themes have emerged which paint a concerning picture of their confidence in this country’s future prospects – but there is also hope. In 25 episodes of City AM‘s Boardroom Uncovered podcast series in 2025, a large number of the CEOs [...]
Labour U-turns on inheritance tax raid after year of farmer protests December 23, 2025 The Labour government will raise the inheritance tax relief threshold for farms in another dramatic U-turn following a year of backlash from rural communities. On Tuesday, the Treasury and Department for Food and Rural Affairs said it would increase the Agricultural and Business Property Reliefs threshold to £2.5m from £1m when it is introduced in [...]
Gold notches new high as Trump escalates Venezuela threats December 23, 2025 Gold has returned to its record-breaking routine this week as escalating geopolitical tensions and falling interest rates sent the metal to new highs. The yellow metal was closing in on $4,500 on Tuesday morning, reaching highs of $4,497 in early trading. On Monday, the price of an ounce of gold crossed the $4,400 mark for [...]
Business confidence ticked up after Budget, Lloyds Bank says December 23, 2025 Business confidence inched up at the end of 2025, according to a new survey, as firms were brought some relief and clarity after the Autumn Budget. Lloyds Banking Group’s latest Business Barometer found business confidence etched up 10 points by the end of 2025 when compared with the beginning of the year. Half of this [...]
‘Spectre of recession’ looms with growth set to dim in 2026 December 22, 2025 The government is facing a critical warning over the looming “spectre of recession” after economic growth stalled in the second half of 2025 and is expected to wane in the new year. On Monday, fresh figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) downgraded the economy’s second quarter expansion to a sluggish 0.2 per cent [...]
UK economic growth downgraded for second quarter December 22, 2025 Growth in the UK economy was revised downwards on Monday after fresh figures revealed economy expanded less than initially thought in the second quarter. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) cut the UK’s economic growth in the three months to June to 0.2 per cent from 0.3 per cent previously. The third quarter’s sluggish 0.1 [...]
UK government borrowing overshoots expectations in November December 19, 2025 UK government borrowing exceeded expectations in November but still fell year-on-year after tax receipts surged following Rachel Reeves’ first Autumn Budget. The latest release from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed public sector borrowing topped £11.7bn in November. City economists expected government borrowing to come in at £10.2bn over the month. Despite this, the [...]