The UK must leave the EU Single Market if it is to realise Brexit opportunities says Mervyn King December 26, 2016 Leaving the European Union offers “real opportunities” for the UK – as long as it is outside the Single Market – according to former Bank of England governor Mervyn King. Lord King also said the UK should be more “self-confident” in its approach to leaving, while saying that immigration controls were non-negotiable. “There are many [...]
Millions of Brits spend holidays at work on Christmas and Boxing Day – with Londoners most likely to have their feet up December 26, 2016 Millions of Brits are spending Christmas and Boxing Day at work, in a growing trend – although Londoners are most likely to have their feet up. Almost six per cent of UK employees work on Boxing Day, while 3.3 per cent work on Christmas Day itself, according to the Office for National Statistics. However, employees [...]
British businesses shrug off post-Brexit vote gloom as confidence hits highest level since June – although skills shortages are now a concern, says IoD December 26, 2016 British businesses are positive about the outlook for 2017, with confidence for the year ahead reaching its highest level since the vote to leave the European Union, according to a new survey. However, concerns remain, with the country’s economic situation and and a tightening labour market casting a pall, according to the poll by the [...]
Oil prices: Brent crude slips below $55 a barrel as stronger dollar and expected Libya output increase weigh on market December 23, 2016 There's been little Christmas cheer for oil today, with Brent crude has slipping below $55 a barrel after a stronger US dollar and higher estimated oil output from Libya weighed on the market. The global benchmark has slipped 0.54 per cent to $54.74 a barrel, while US sweet crude is down 0.59 per cent to $52.64. [...]
Britain’s third quarter GDP growth revised: Financial services provide better than expected growth December 23, 2016 Britain's third quarter growth has been revised up – but in an official shake-up of the figures year-on-year growth has fallen. The UK's GDP growth in the third quarter had previously been reported as 0.5 per cent but today updated statistics revised this up to 0.6 per cent. However, the official statistics for the first [...]
Brexit, six months on: City leader demands government allays uncertainty in the Square Mile December 23, 2016 Doesn't time fly? Just six months ago half the nation was celebrating the Britain's decision to unshackle itself from the EU, while the other half had that knot in the pit-in-the-stomach feeling. The good news so far is the sky hasn't fallen in. And this was after 2016 continued to shock and surprise us from a [...]
Consumers wary about creeping inflation in 2017 hitting household budgets December 23, 2016 Consumer confidence has flopped to its lowest levels since the Brexit vote with inflationary pressures starting to bite, according to leading group of economists. Concern about what the next 12 months will bring for household finances drove confidence to down by one point in November – it is at its lowest levels since July, a poll by YouGov and the [...]
US GDP grows at fastest pace in two years in the third quarter, although durable goods orders disappoint December 22, 2016 The US economy grew faster than previously thought in the third quarter of 2016, to post the fastest rate of quarterly growth in two years. The annualised GDP growth rate was 3.5 per cent in the third quarter, according to revised data from the US Department of Commerce. The upgrade in the measure was driven [...]
Are world stockmarkets good value going into 2017? December 22, 2016 | City Talk Global stock markets have seen a turbulent year, but surprised many with the resilience shown after the Brexit vote and the US presidential election result. Both the US and UK markets are significantly ahead of where they started the year, as is Japan, although Europe – which faces a series of major elections in 2017 [...]
Investor $2m visa applications rise post-Brexit vote as investors take advantage of weaker sterling and avoid immigration limits December 22, 2016 Investor visa applications rose sharply after the Brexit vote, as wealthy foreigners scrambled to take advantage of special immigration rules and a weaker pound. Applications rose by 61 per cent year on year in the three months after the referendum in anticipation of stricter rules on limiting immigration. This also represented a rise compared to [...]