Labour is locking Britain into a high-tax, low-growth doom loop June 18, 2025 Tax, borrowing, the cost of borrowing, unemployment and inflation are all going up, while growth is going down. Yet in the face of this, Labour’s instinct is to tax more, spend more and centralise more, says Simon Clarke When in a big hole, muddle the figures so nobody can understand them. That’s what Paul Johnson [...]
Why the Bank of England will hold interest rates June 17, 2025 At every other meeting, the Bank of England publishes its monetary policy report alongside its interest rate decision. Each lengthy report includes fresh details on revisions to central forecasts, which are poured over with glee by economists and investors.. But this Thursday’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting will offer few statistical goodies. Officials will meet [...]
UK economy rebound hopes gather as City ‘ready to invest’ June 17, 2025 The UK economy could rebound May as a new business survey has signalled “tentative hope” that Chancellor Reeves can deliver higher growth. According to Lloyds’ latest sector tracker, two more areas of the economy saw output expand compared to data for April, a month which recorded a 0.3 per cent contract in GDP per official [...]
Inflation set to ease slightly before interest rates decision June 16, 2025 UK inflation is set to ease slightly to 3.3 per cent in May, according to a poll of economists, in a final set of data to be seen by Bank of England officials before they come to an interest rates decision on Thursday. A slightly lower rate of inflation would enthuse investors, who currently predict [...]
Exclusive: Richard Caring hits suppliers with mandatory ‘discount’ amid £1bn sale talks June 12, 2025 The Richard Caring restaurant empire, which includes the Ivy Collection and Caprice Holdings, has demanded its suppliers take a 2.5 per cent “discount”, blaming “increased tax burden and cost of employment, cost of indirect products [and] services and also direct cost of food and beverage.” In a letter dated 3 June, signed by Richard Caring’s [...]
Slower April wage growth to feed into interest rate cut hopes June 9, 2025 An expected drop in wage growth in April compared to the previous month could encourage Bank of England officials to vote for further interest rate cuts this year, leading analysts have suggested. Labour market data for April, which is due to be published on Tuesday morning, is set to reveal wage growth has cooled while [...]
B&M: Revenue ticks up as new stores outperform June 4, 2025 Discount retailer B&M has reported a bump in its full-year earnings after progress in France and a better-than-anticipated performance at its new stores. The London-listed Luxembourg-headquartered company reported revenue of £5.57bn in the 52 weeks ended March 29, up 3.7 per cent year on year. It said the higher revenue was “primarily driven” by the contribution [...]
Is Asda’s ambitious turnaround starting to bear fruit? May 29, 2025 Asda has had a tumultuous year and a half. Since January 2024, the supermarket giant has undergone numerous leadership changes, IT issues, and sales woes. Its troubles began back in 2021, when it was bought in a debt-fuelled takeover by the billionaire Issa brothers – who have since departed the board – and private equity firm [...]
Grocery inflation jumps to highest level in more than a year May 28, 2025 Grocery price inflation shot up to 4.1 per cent in May, driven by chocolate and suncare products in the hottest start to the month on record. The rise follows a 3.8 per cent jump in April and a 1.8 per cent rise in March, according to Kantar. “This latest jump in grocery price inflation takes [...]
Spending in pubs surges as Brits flock to beer gardens May 28, 2025 Pubs enjoyed a boost in April during the sunny spring weather as Brits opted for outdoor beer gardens over indoor restaurants. Like-for-like sales growth at pubs reached 9.1 per cent year on year, according to the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker. Sales across all hospitality outlets were 4.2 per cent ahead of April 2024 [...]