Single Market blues: The pound’s fallen to its lowest level against the dollar since October January 9, 2017 The pound today fell to its lowest level against the dollar since October last year, after comments by Theresa May caused investors to shy away from the currency. The pound plunged one per cent to $1.2122 in afternoon trading. It also fell more than one per cent against the euro, to a day-low of €1.1491, [...]
Experts say experts under threat: A third of economists think central bank independence is under threat January 9, 2017 Almost a third of European economists believe that central bank independence will come under increased pressure over the next four years, according to a new survey. 32 per cent of economists polled in a survey by the Centre for Macroeconomics and the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) think politicians will try to gain more [...]
Oil falls two per cent as concerns rise that increase in US production will undercut Opec deal January 9, 2017 Oil prices fell more than two per cent today after figures indicated US production is growing and could undercut global deals to cut supplies and boost the global market. Data released by US oilfield services provider Baker Hughes today showed US energy companies added oil rigs for a 10th week in a row to 529, extending a [...]
IG Group sees the positive in French watchdog push back, shortly after UK clamps down on spreadbetting market January 9, 2017 IG Group today offered its support to the French watchdog's latest efforts to clampdown on the spreadbetting market. In a statement, the spreadbetting firm said the latest raft of rules from Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF) "will provide substantial protection for consumers and greatly improve standards in the sector". AMF recently confirmed new restrictions on electronic marketing of contract [...]
Eurozone youth unemployment rises sharply despite wider EU falls January 9, 2017 Unemployment in the European Union fell to its lowest point since February 2009 but youth unemployment rose sharply, adding further weight to concerns about the uneven nature of Europe's recovery. The unemployment rate in the EU fell to 8.3 per cent in November, down 0.1 percentage points from the month before, according to the European [...]
Weak sterling pushes FTSE 100 to open at yet another record January 9, 2017 The FTSE 100 has opened at a record high, building on last week’s string of positive performances, with sterling weakness providing a Monday boost. London's blue chip index rose as far as 7,239.26 points, its highest point ever, after ending last week at 7,210.05 points. Sterling fell as low as €1.1542 against the euro at the [...]
Christmas celebrations boost overall consumer spending for December January 9, 2017 Visa cardholders spent more in the final quarter of 2016 than they had for two years, according to Visa’s UK Consumer Spending Index, pointing toward a solid increase in household spending. The monthly report showed that consumer spending in December was up 2.6 per cent on the year in December with online purchases leading the [...]
Economists need to start playing catch-up – here’s why January 9, 2017 Last week was something of a cathartic one for the economics profession, as the Bank of England’s chief economist, Andy Haldane, conceded that those who engage in forecasting need to adapt to regain the trust of politicians and the public. Since last summer’s referendum, experts from the OECD, IMF, Bank of England and the Treasury [...]
We should all be concerned by Britain’s anxious, insecure young people January 9, 2017 "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” is the opening line of Charles Dickens’s novel A Tale of Two Cities, published in 1859. While the words were written over 150 years ago, I cannot think of a better phrase to encapsulate the situation facing young people in London and the rest [...]
This trade expert has warned of a “catastrophic” Brexit January 8, 2017 In the week that one of the UK's most "seasoned and tough" negotiators spectacularly resigned with a dig at the government's "muddled thinking", another negotiation expert has warned of the potentially "catastrophic" decision to leave the EU. Jason Langrish, a Canadian trade expert who worked on the country's deal with the EU, has said a deal between [...]