Record £300bn wiped off UK bonds and gilts as investors flee in biggest market collapse in decades August 13, 2022 Just under £300bn has been wiped off the value of UK corporate bonds since the start of this year following a major sell-off in the bond market in what is considered the biggest collapse in two decades. In the first six months of this year, the total outstanding value of UK corporate bonds has fallen [...]
What the new interest rates mean for the City: ‘The UK fares worse than the EU and US’ August 13, 2022 The Bank of England’s decision to further raise interest rates from 1.25 per cent to 1.75 per cent and its two-year predictions means bad news for investors and UK residents alike. And the pain is far from over. A top City analyst expects this to further rise to 2.25 per cent in September. Other than [...]
UK’s trade deficit widens to record £27.9bn as business with Russia reaches historic low August 13, 2022 New data showed this morning that UK’s trade deficit in goods and services widens again in Q2 to a record £27.9bn. Moreover, monthly imports from Russia dropped to meagre £33m, the lowest since records began and down from over £1.8bn in both January and February of this year. Also during Q2, imports increased by £14.3bn [...]
Exclusive: Whitehall frustration at Johnson’s October deadline for UK-India trade deal August 12, 2022 Whitehall officials have raised concerns about Boris Johnson’s October deadline for a UK-India trade deal, with suggestions the PM’s “freestyling” could mean a lighter agreement than originally hoped. Johnson and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed during an April meeting that there would be a “trade deal by Diwali”, which is on 24 October this [...]
UK jobs market still holding up despite recession warnings August 12, 2022 The UK jobs market is defying gloomy recession forecasts, but economists have warned joblessness could rise as the country limps into the worst of the cost of living crisis, a new survey published today reveals. Vacancies surged to 1.85m last month, the highest this year, in a sign employers are still trying to grab new [...]
Ailing Haleon drags FTSE 100 lower as traders cheer cooling US inflation August 11, 2022 An ongoing slide in GSK and its consumer pharmaceutical spin out firm Haleon’s shares dragged London’s FTSE 100 lower today. The capital’s premier index fell 0.55 per cent lower to 7,465.91 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, dipped 0.26 per cent to [...]
Truss backs Bank of England review to ensure ‘it is fit for purpose’ August 11, 2022 The biggest overhaul of the Bank of England in 25 years may be needed to ensure “it is fit for purpose,” Tory leadership front-runner Liz Truss’s campaign told City A.M. today. The comments represent an escalation in Truss’s drive to shake up the regime overseeing the Bank’s performance. She has promised to review Threadneedle Street’s [...]
Exclusive: Energy crisis is a ‘state of emergency’ and the Government has to act now, warns So Energy August 11, 2022 The Government is running out of time to tackle rising household energy bills ahead of winter, warned Simon Oscroft, co-founder of So Energy.
Profits at M&G plunge to £182m as market turbulence hits August 11, 2022 Investor M&G reported its profits had slumped by nearly half in the first six months of the year after it was rocked by “adverse market movements” and soaring inflation.
Exclusive: Bank of England is ‘taking money from homeowners to curb inflation’ August 11, 2022 HOUSE prices will soon start to “flatline” following years of double digit rises, a leading property association claims this morning. Property values have continued to soar over the past two years in most regions of the UK – often defying predictions by economists who are convinced a crash is on the horizon. The National Association [...]