Investment to hit lowest rate since financial crisis, UK business body warns March 18, 2019 Business investment in the UK will decline by one per cent in 2019 amid further Brexit uncertainty, making it the worst year since the financial crisis, the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) has today predicted. Economic growth in 2019 will be just 1.2 per cent, the BCC, the national body of 53 chambers of commerce, also [...]
Small UK businesses remain confident despite uncertain outlook March 18, 2019 Three-quarters of Britain’s small and medium-sized businesses are confident about their growth prospects over the next 12 months despite tough political and economic conditions, according to new research. Read more: UK economy rebounds in January after December slump Almost 40 per cent describe themselves as “very optimistic”, with 70 per cent of small and medium-sized [...]
House prices fall in London as buyers await Brexit resolution March 18, 2019 London house prices fell in March as Brexit uncertainty held back the usual spring bounce, and are down almost four per cent year on year, a new report has said. The number of sales agreed by estate agents in February was also nearly 10 per cent lower in the capital than a year before, property [...]
London hosts bulk of Britain’s £100bn of secretly owned property March 17, 2019 Over 87,000 properties in England and Wales are owned anonymously through companies registered in tax havens, it has been revealed today. Together, these properties are worth at least £56bn, according to Land Registry data, and likely worth more than £100bn when accounting for inflation, according to new analysis by anti-corruption organisation Global Witness. Read more: [...]
The Brexit unknown: how the votes moved markets – and what next March 15, 2019 | City Talk British politics has faced a turbulent week: three nights of Brexit votes, a Spring Statement and a downgrade to economic growth. Market prices have swung on each twist as investors attempt to digest a constantly shifting set of possible outcomes. The single constant factor is uncertainty. With the scheduled exit date of 29 March looming, [...]
Trading on WTO terms would be no panacea for global Britain March 15, 2019 Despite the series of votes this week, a no-deal Brexit remains a real possibility. In fact, it is still the legal default unless a deal is struck or the EU agrees to extend Article 50. Many Brexiteers – 308 MPs, in fact – appear to think that this is the best Brexit option. Their assumption [...]
State-centric and uninspiring: The Spring Statement wasn’t much to get excited about March 15, 2019 Who has time to care about a Spring Statement when the unfolding Brexit process feels like watching a cross between Saw 3 and a monster truck rally? This has been a problem for two and a half years – the Brexit black hole has sucked time and resources away from almost every other area of [...]
IEA says attacks on tax havens undermine competition and privacy March 15, 2019 The Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA) has today attacked the UK government’s crackdown on tax havens, saying it undermines competition and breaches people’s right to privacy. Laws to make it public knowledge who avoids tax by registering companies in overseas British territories contradict principles of liberal democracy and damage the economy, the free-market think tank’s [...]
Trump attacks May’s handling of Brexit but dangles trade deal March 14, 2019 US President Donald Trump criticised Prime Minister Theresa May’s handling of Brexit negotiations, but restated his desire to strike a trade deal with the UK in a press conference today. He also came out against a second referendum and suggested there would have to be an extension of Article 50 while speaking at the White House [...]
Leading German think tank almost halves country’s growth prediction March 14, 2019 Germany has had its growth forecast for 2019 almost halved by one of the country’s top think tanks, adding to its economic gloom. GDP growth this year will be just 0.6 per cent, the Ifo Institute said today. It had previously predicted growth of 1.1 per cent. Read more: No-deal Brexit could hit Germany's economy, [...]