Parents with bulging pay packets are much more likely to work flexibly October 5, 2016 Parents picking up more than £70,000 a year are considerably more likely to work flexibly than those earning £10,000-£40,000, according to research from charity Working Families. Polling over 1,000 working parents, it found that 69 per cent of those with hefty pay packets (over £70,000) worked flexibly, compared to 47 per cent of those taking home pay in [...]
Bittersweet trading day leaves FTSE shy of record October 5, 2016 The FTSE 100 came close to an all-time closing high yesterday as shares were boosted by the fall in the pound. A lower pound lifts the earnings potential of some of the UK’s biggest companies that count their revenue in dollars and dominate the FTSE 100. When the closing bell rang at 4.30pm the blue-chip [...]
Theresa May sets down her vision for bigger government as she slams “divisive” Labour party October 5, 2016 Theresa May will wrap up the Conservatives’ conference today with a dramatic pledge to move her party further away from free-market liberalism and towards an approach that favours even greater government control. The new Prime Minister, who replaced David Cameron in July, will set out her vision for Britain, which she says will put “the power [...]
Krispy Kreme sold to US parent as UK floatation plans deserted October 4, 2016 US doughnut chain Krispy Kreme is buying the UK business from its private-equity owner. Earlier in the week Krispy Kreme UK abandoned its planned £200m London initial public offering after a bid from its US parent. No financial details were disclosed but it’s thought the price tag is in the region of the planned IPO, [...]
IMF U-turns on Brexit warning as UK poised to be fastest growing G7 economy this year October 4, 2016 The International Monetary Fund said today that it expects the UK to be the fastest growing G7 economy this year, backtracking on its post-Brexit recession warning. It comes despite an earlier prediction from the Washington-based fund that a Leave vote would plunge Britain into recession and crash its stock market. The IMF now predicts Britain's gross domestic product will [...]
With the FTSE 100 close to an all-time high, are UK markets heading for a fall? October 4, 2016 Jason Hollands, managing director of Tilney Bestinvest, says Yes. While it’s incredibly difficult to accurately call the top of a market, what we do know is that equities never rise relentlessly in a linear fashion, and the current bull market has run on for a very long time now, despite the headwinds of weak global growth [...]
Euro leaps on ECB quantitative easing tapering rumours October 4, 2016 The euro has shot up in late afternoon trading on rumours the European Central Bank is considering proposals for how to taper its quantitative easing programme. The euro jumped from £0.8730 against the pound, which was already suffering amid Brexit speculation, to £0.8787 in a 0.5 per cent pounce. Against the dollar, the single currency recovered [...]
Oil prices settle above $51 as Opec deal optimism abounds October 4, 2016 Oil prices hit a four-month high today as investors felt increasingly optimistic about the ability of Opec to agree its first production cut in eight years. Brent crude, the global benchmark, rose 0.45 per cent to $51.12 per barrel in late afternoon trading. West Texas Intermediate crude swelled 0.08 per cent to $48.85. Investor sentiment has [...]
Bank of England could unleash another £280bn of quantitative easing October 4, 2016 The Bank of England could take interest rates to zero and unlock another £280bn of quantitative easing if the economy slows in the wake of the Brexit vote. In fresh analysis by Michael Saunders, the newest member of the Bank's monetary policy committee (MPC), he outlines how the Bank would respond should the economy perform [...]
Businesses have reacted horribly to Amber Rudd’s visa crackdown October 4, 2016 Businesses have hit out at the government’s new plans to tighten visa rules for workers who come to the UK from outside the EU. Home secretary Amber Rudd told the Conservative Party Conference earlier today she is considering making it harder for UK businesses to recruit from overseas by introducing a new rigorous test to [...]