US stocks rise as investors focus on Chinese trade recovery April 14, 2020 US stocks have risen sharply in early trading as investors take heart in better-than-expected Chinese economic data and as state governors weigh up easing coronavirus lockdowns. The S&P 500 index was 2.3 per cent higher roughly an hour after the bell. The Dow Jones was up two per cent and the Nasdaq had risen 3.1 [...]
Coronavirus: UK economy could shrink by 35 per cent in second quarter April 14, 2020 The UK economy could shrink by 35 per cent in the second quarter of this year and unemployment could hit 10 per cent as coronavirus lockdown measures take a devastating toll, Britain’s budget watchdog has warned. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said such a slowdown could send the budget deficit to its highest level [...]
Coronavirus: Global economy to suffer worst year since 1930s April 14, 2020 The global economy will shrink by three per cent in 2020 as coronavirus triggers the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said today. Although the IMF said growth will rebound in 2021 to 5.8 per cent, it said predictions were uncertain and the size of the recovery will depend [...]
Sajid Javid: Right policies can make economy’s coronavirus recovery ‘V-shaped’ April 14, 2020 Former chancellor Sajid Javid has said the UK economy’s recovery from coronavirus can be “V-shaped” if the government follows “free market” policies once the worst of the virus has passed. Javid – who was chancellor for seven months until February – today welcomed his successor Rishi Sunak’s unprecedented interventions into the economy. Sunak has unveiled [...]
Coronavirus: Banks approve 1.2m mortgage holidays amid financial strain April 14, 2020 More than 1.2m UK households have agreed mortgage holidays with their banks, figures have shown, as the coronavirus crisis causes borrowers unprecedented financial stress. Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced on 17 March that households with mortgages would be entitled to three-month payment holidays, meaning payments would be suspended. It was part of an unprecedented coronavirus response [...]
UK benefit claims surge to 1.4m as coronavirus economic crisis bites April 14, 2020 The UK has received about 1.4m new benefit claims for welfare payments as the coronavirus lockdown freezes large sections of the economy. “It’s now up to about 1.4m,” Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey told the BBC, adding that the figure included Universal Credit and job seekers’ allowance or employment support allowance. “We are capable [...]
Oil prices slip as production cut underwhelms April 14, 2020 Oil prices have fallen into the red as analysts warn that the production cut agreed by Opec+ will not be enough to match the slump in demand caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Brent crude was 1.1 per cent lower at $31.40 per barrel. US crude was down 1.6 per cent at $22.05 per barrel. The [...]
EDF withdraws financial guidance for 2020 and 2021 as coronavirus hits power demand April 14, 2020 French energy company EDF said today it was withdrawing its financial targets for 2020 and 2021 as a result of the coronavirus crisis. EDF said it was pulling all financial targets, including the lower end of the earnings Ebitda range of €17.5bn (£15.2bn) in 2020. “The economic turmoil that follows from the current sanitary crisis [...]
National Express pulls dividend and secures £800m in new cash facilities April 14, 2020 Transport group National Express said today it was scrapping its dividend and keeping future dividends under review as it said it had secured £800m in new cash facilities. National Express said that two of its workers had died of coronavirus globally and that other members of staff were suffering from the virus. The company said [...]
Asian stocks rise on Chinese trade data and easing of coronavirus measures April 14, 2020 Asian stocks rose this morning after better-than-expected trade data from China and as major economies began easing coronavirus restrictions. Data published today showing China’s exports in March fell only 6.6 per cent from the same period a year earlier – a smaller drop than the expected 14 per cent plunge – helped boost confidence. Imports [...]