Recession risks return as Brits brace for cost of living crisis to make 2023 a ‘bumpy ride’ January 20, 2023 UK consumer confidence dipped for the first time in two months in January, raising the risk the economy will slip into recession after all despite a string of better than expected data recently, a closely watched survey out today reveals. A credit card debt hangover from the Christmas spending splurge and energy bills looming has [...]
‘Heartbreaking’: Eve Sleep calls in administrators after unsuccessful sales talks October 17, 2022 Mattress seller Eve Sleep has been forced to call in administrators after bosses said the scale of the company had struggled to withstand an “economic tsunami” this year. The AIM-listed sleep wellness brand had been searching for a buyer or equity fundraising but said talks had not been successful. Shoppers had shunned big ticket items [...]
FTSE 100 today: London markets poised for quiet start as traders take break before Easter March 28, 2024 Asian shares stay calm despite the S&P 500 hitting a new high. The US dollar holds firm post comments from the Federal Reserve's Waller. Attention turns to possible yen intervention by Japan, while gold prices decline. Investors await updates on US consumer confidence and UK Q4 GDP.
Truss or Sunak will need to deliver ‘shot in the arm’ of UK economy July 22, 2022 Rishi Sunak or Liz Truss will need to deliver a “shot in the economic arm” of the country to lift Brits’ confidence out of the doldrums after one of them wins the Conservative leadership race, two closely watched surveys published today reveal. Scorching inflation, the highest interest rates in 13 years and tax hikes have [...]
Pound on crash course to record low against US dollar September 1, 2022 The pound is on course to plunge to a record low against the US dollar driven by the UK tumbling into a tough recession, City economists warned today. Sterling will drop to $1.05 by the middle of next year, but could fall close to parity with the greenback, according to consultancy Capital Economics. The downbeat [...]
‘Perfect storm’ of headwinds crimps UK optimism February 25, 2022 A “perfect storm” of headwinds gripping households with the tightest financial squeeze in a generation is eroding Brits’ optimism, reveals a closely watched survey published today. Concern about the impact soaring inflation will have on household finances drove UK consumer confidence to its lowest level in over a year, plummeting to minus 26 points this [...]
Consumer confidence drops further as cost of living concerns intensify due to skyrocketing bills February 7, 2022 Consumer confidence dropped further in the fourth quarter of last year as Brits concerns about the cost of living intensified. Skyrocketing bills resulted in UK consumer confidence falling one percentage point at the end of last year, to minus 11 per cent, according to the latest Deloitte Consumer Tracker. Cost increases for utilities and groceries [...]
Week ahead: City eyes cladding bill impact on house builders’ bottom lines April 24, 2022 Signs of the negative impact of the government turning to home builders to fix the cladding crisis is likely to draw City traders’ gaze in a week of jam packed corporate and economic announcements. London’s capital FTSE 100 index dipped 0.78 per cent to 7,521.68 over the last week, while the mid-cap domestically-focused FTSE 250 [...]
Media and tech players in different states as we head into recession September 21, 2022 Summer is over and the nights are becoming longer. In addition, the increasing gloom on the weather front is matched by a similar gloom when it comes to the consumer. The rise of double-digit inflation, with skyrocketing energy bills, has dominated headlines and driven UK consumer confidence, according to GfK, down to historic low levels. [...]
FTSE 100 today: London markets set to open higher on the heels of strong US tech earnings April 26, 2024 Asian stocks rallied alongside a strong tech sector fuelled by impressive US earnings. Bank of Japan maintained its short-term interest rate target at 0-0.1 per cent. Oil prices climbed, while Microsoft and Alphabet shares surged post-earnings beats. Investors await US inflation data and focus on ExxonMobil and NatWest earnings.