Rachel Reeves eyeing spending cuts in spring January 10, 2025 Rachel Reeves is considering cutting departmental spending as UK borrowing costs soar, despite risks it could “dampen” activity and “further dent anaemic” growth. The Chancellor is said to be eyeing further reductions to unprotected government departments’ budgets after she ruled out additional tax rises or more borrowing to avoid breaking her fiscal rules following the [...]
Pound sterling sinks and gilt yields rise after US jobs report January 10, 2025 The pound plummeted against the dollar while gilt yields came under further pressure after new figures revealed the continued strength of the US economy. According to the latest report on the US labour market, the world’s largest economy added 256,000 roles in December, accelerating from November and well ahead of economists expectations. Unemployment, meanwhile, unexpectedly [...]
Mortgage rates to rise on back of bond market turmoil January 10, 2025 Gilt yields influence the mortgage market through swap rates, the main benchmark for mortgage lending in the UK.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves looks for pro-growth measures amid market tumult January 10, 2025 Earlier this week the yield on the 30-year gilt hit its highest level since 1998 while the 10-year gilt rose to its highest level since 2008.
‘Where is the Chancellor?’: Rachel Reeves urged to cancel China trip amid gilt turmoil January 9, 2025 Mel Stride has criticised Rachel Reeves for her absence in parliament as the UK government’s borrowing costs soar, asking the commons: “Where is the Chancellor?” The Conservative shadow Chancellor hit out at Reeves, who is coming under pressure to cancel a long-planned trip to China and Davos, during an urgent question in the Commons. It [...]
What is a gilt? And why should you care? January 9, 2025 Investors have been drawing comparisons to the bond market meltdown following Liz Truss's mini-Budget as well as the IMF bailout way back in 1976.
Strong governments must be prepared to upset the markets (a bit) November 12, 2024 The bond markets are a potent opposition, but governments must be prepared to take risks if they are ever to reap rewards, says Charles White-Thomson With a large majority and an election years away, the Prime Minister and Chancellor likely don’t feel the need to worry too much about what the electorate think. But one [...]
How will the bond markets react to the Budget? October 30, 2024 For all the government’s promises of stability and hoped-for reductions in interest rates, UK yields on government bonds are now, in fact, very similar to the levels to which they rose under the ill-fated Truss government, says Paul Ormerod There has been a huge amount of speculation about the Budget. Later today we will of [...]