Tensions rise between Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak behind closed doors over spending June 20, 2021 Tensions are reportedly increasing between Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak over the Prime Minister’s myriad of recent spending promises. Two recent major spending announcements – of a new Royal Yacht and a new G7 green infrastructure programme for developing countries – were reportedly announced by Johnson without even consulting Sunak or the Treasury. The green [...]
City A.M. TV: A market snapshot June 18, 2021 After sharp moves (in most cases losses) following on from the US Fed’s statement and press conference on Wednesday, many key asset prices remained under pressure
FTSE 100 drops while industrial stocks boost mid-caps June 18, 2021 London’s FTSE 100 dipped this morning after a fall in heavyweight oil majors BP and Royal Dutch Shell dragged down the index. The blue-chips fell by 0.5 per cent at the open, with oil dips offsetting gains in large dollar-earning consumer staples firms including Unilever and Diageo. These companies benefitted from a weaker pound, as [...]
Mindy Lubber, CEO of Ceres, on why the private sector must wake up to the economic impact of climate change June 18, 2021 | City Talk As President and CEO of Ceres, Mindy Lubber is a world-leading voice on sustainability and finance. She tells Laurence Eastham why the private sector must act now on climate change or risk being left behind. Ceres has been there from the very start. The sustainability advocacy organisation, founded in the wake of the Exxon Valdez [...]
UK retail sales fall in May as Brits swapped supermarkets for restaurants June 18, 2021 UK retail sales fell by 1.4 per cent in May following a sharp increase in April when lockdown restrictions were eased, according to new Office for National Statistics (ONS) data. The monthly drop was unexpected, with economists predicting a 1.6 per cent increase. The largest contribution to the decline came from food stores, where sales [...]
UK businesses pay £1bn of furlough money back to the Treasury June 17, 2021 British firms have paid back the government more than £1bn in previously claimed furlough payments, after weathering the Covid recession successfully. A Freedom of Information request, sent by the Financial Times, revealed that £709m of money claimed through the coronavirus job retention scheme has now been repaid to HM Revenue and Customs by businesses. Another [...]
US stocks fall as Fed’s taper talk drags down tech shares June 17, 2021 Tech stocks dragged Wall Street lower today after the Fed hinted at tapering its stimulus sooner than expected, piling pressure on a sector that is vulnerable to higher interest rates. The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell by 0.25 per cent at the open, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.1 per cent. Meanwhile, the S&P [...]
Sterling dips back under US $1.40 for the first time in a month June 17, 2021 Sterling has dipped back under $1.40 for the first time in a month, likely swayed by a hawkish US Federal Reserve last night. The Federal Reserve suggested it may taper its stimulus earlier than expected last night, which knocked the commodity price index off a 16-month high. The Fed also signalled it will raise rates [...]
Exclusive: British Business Bank could target future support towards Covid-battered sectors June 17, 2021 The head of the British Business Bank has intimated that their future loan support could be targeted on parts of the economy which have seen the biggest hit from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Bank has played a key role in the economic response to the pandemic, expanding its balance sheet from £8bn-worth of loans to [...]