UK banks expect a rush of defaults in coming months July 15, 2021 UK banks expect defaults to rise over the coming months as households struggle to service debt taken on to cope with the financial pressures of the Covid crisis, new figures released today reveal. According to the Bank of England’s latest Credit Conditions Survey, banks expect default rates on unsecured lending – or credit card lending [...]
China’s post-pandemic growth slows as government aims for more stable course July 15, 2021 China’s fast rebound from the Covid-19 pandemic has now slowed, according to official figures. The nation’s GDP for the second quarter of 2021 was up 7.9 per cent on the same period in 2020, falling short of economist’s forecasts of 8.1 per cent growth. It was less than half the growth seen in the first [...]
UK unemployment rate falls as lockdown easing drives up hiring July 15, 2021 The UK unemployment rate dropped in the latest quarter as the easing of coronavirus restrictions continues to spark a gradual economic recovery. Between March and May the unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage points to 4.8 per cent, while the employment rate was up 0.1 percentage point at 74.8 per cent. “As we approach the final [...]
US stocks muted as Powell moves to temper inflation fears July 14, 2021 US stocks were broadly flat on Wednesday morning after Fed Chair Jay Powell suggested that inflation could run hot in the coming months. The blue-chip S&P 500 edged up 0.08 per cent, while the Dow Jones added 0.01 per cent. The tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.02 per cent during the morning session. Read more: Powell: US [...]
US producer inflation surges to decade high July 14, 2021 US producer prices rose at their fastest pace in over a decade, fuelling concerns that inflation in the American economy could prove to be much stickier than first thought. The producer price index jumped 7.3 per cent annually in June, the biggest annual increase since November 2010, according to figures published by the US Labour [...]
Powell: US inflation likely to run hot in coming months July 14, 2021 US inflation is likely to continue to run hot in the coming months, according to the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. US Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell said in remarks prepared for the US House of Representatives Financial Services Committee that price rises “will likely remain elevated in coming months”, but will “moderate”. Read more: [...]
Opec+ end deadlock over oil supply policy, says source July 14, 2021 The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have ended an impasse over Opec+ oil supply policy, sources said today. A deal was reached after the UAE’s baseline was increased to 3.65 million barrels per day from April 2022, the date when the current pact had been scheduled to end. The news was first reported by [...]
PureGym mulling IPO as gym usage rebounds July 14, 2021 PureGym is considering reviving its plans for an initial public offering, as gyms across the UK rebound. In an update to bondholders earlier today, seen by City A.M., the no-frills gym chain said it was comparing its options for raising equity including, potentially, in the public markets. It is understood that the fitness chain is still [...]
UK inflation hits 2.5 per cent in June July 14, 2021 UK inflation jumped again in June, outpacing economists’ expectations to accelerate away from the Bank of England’s target, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) revealed this morning. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 2.5 per cent last month, its highest level since August 2018, up from 2.1 per cent in May. Analysts had forecast [...]
Why China’s stunning vaccine surge could be good news for the world July 14, 2021 | City Talk Not only is the rapid roll-out of Covid-19 vaccinations in China good news for the domestic economy, but it could also potentially see a sharp increase in exports of treatments to other emerging markets (EM). That would help those EM that have so far lagged behind in the vaccination race. And the geopolitical dynamics could [...]