UN highlights £17bn potential of girls’ education October 20, 2016 Ensuring girls stay in school could boost the developing world economy by $21bn (£17bn) a year according to a new United Nations study. The UN’s Population Fund (UNFPA) called on governments to introduce policies which ensure they do not miss out on the potential economic boost from their rapidly expanding and young populations. UNFPA said young [...]
Wanted: A market breakthrough to solve poverty in rich countries October 20, 2016 What is the point of a free market system? It’s to lift people out of poverty, giving them a better life, richer in every way. By this test, free markets have been fantastically successful historically. But rich countries, from the UK and America to those in Europe, have done nothing much for the poor in [...]
Leavers and Remainers launch group to untangle Brexit’s mixed messages October 19, 2016 A new group uniting Bremainers and Brexiteers to create clear, neutral, evidence-based research on the issues stemming from the Referendum result launches today. The Financial Services Negotiation Forum, or FSNForum for short, has already earmarked equivalence, euro-clearing, access to talent and market liquidity as research priorities. Anthony Belchambers, chairman of the honorary advisory council of the FSNForum, told City [...]
Philip Hammond reassures City their concerns over Brexit are being listened to October 19, 2016 Philip Hammond has distanced himself from previous pre-referendum analysis done by the Treasury which suggested there would be an economic shock if the UK were to leave the EU. Appearing before the Treasury select committee this afternoon, the chancellor said that some of the assumptions that were made in the controversial analysis had "already been proved [...]
Saudi Arabia to raise $17.5bn in record-breaking bond auction October 19, 2016 Saudi Arabia is on course to break records with its first ever government bond sale on the open markets. The oil giant will raise $17.5bn as it seeks to accelerate its diversification away from oil in the largest dollar-denominated deal of its kind from an emerging market economy, according to reports on Wednesday. Appetite for [...]
Unite urges government to beef up its industrial strategy after GKN job losses October 19, 2016 Britain's biggest trade union warned that the government needs to bring in its new industrial strategy urgently, as 221 jobs at the Yeovil GKN plant, which makes airframes for Royal Navy helicopters are set to be cut. Unite said that Theresa May's "much-trumpeted" industrial strategy needed "flesh put on the bones double quick", otherwise thousands of skilled [...]
Before the bell: What you need to know before the US market open October 19, 2016 The global economic picture is looking rosier as the UK labour market holds up in the face of the shock vote to quit the European Union and the Chinese economy is showing signs of stabilising. Here's what you need to know before the US market open at 2:30pm London time. US futures are mixed ahead of the [...]
Jobs market holds up as experts await Brexit hit October 19, 2016 The UK labour market is holding up well in the face of the shock vote to leave the EU, though experts say it is just a matter of time before wages come under pressure and jobs stutter. Employment and pay growth managed to beat expectations in figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) [...]
The pound’s doing what the pound does best October 19, 2016 Of course it was too good to be true. Yesterday, the FTSE 100 rose and the pound was up by more than one per cent against the dollar and the euro. But those who said such a mighty jump to the giddy highs of $1.23 and €1.12 (compared to $1.48 and €1.30 back in June), [...]
Leaked government documents reveal £75bn cost of hard Brexit October 19, 2016 Theresa May has come under fire for regurgitating pre-referendum economic warnings to claim leaving the EU Customs Union would cost the UK £75bn and inflict travel chaos across the country. According to The Guardian, the Prime Minister has circulated papers to top cabinet colleagues on her Brexit planning committee outlining the potential mutli-billion pound cost of a [...]