Tech sector activity gets a boost despite falling optimism April 30, 2019 Business activity growth in the UK technology sector has recovered to its fastest pace since the second quarter of 2018, while optimism fell to a 10-year low. The strength of business activity rose to 54.4 in the first three months of 2019, up from 52.3 at the end of last year, according to data from [...]
Business secretary Greg Clark set to announce £100m funding for British Steel April 30, 2019 Business secretary Greg Clark is set to announce a £100m funding package for British Steel. Sky News reported that Clark will announce the pledge in the House of Commons tomorrow after the UK’s second-biggest steelmaker made the request for emergency funding to pay an EU climate levy. According to the report, government funding has been [...]
Brexit offers a chance for bold, liberalising immigration reform – but Brexit paralysis prevents the government from grasping the chance April 30, 2019 Given how much the government is struggling to actually leave the European Union it should come as no surprise that it also struggles with key areas of policy that Brexit brings to the front and centre of the stage. Immigration policy is one prominent example and an area where the government still lurches from one [...]
Confidence in UK among European business leaders has collapsed due to Brexit, says survey April 30, 2019 The confidence of European business chiefs in the UK economy has evaporated due to Brexit, causing them to slash their investment intentions, a new report by investment bank Credit Suisse has revealed. Read more: Investors withdrew savings from UK funds in lead up to Brexit deadline Over 65 per cent of European business leaders said [...]
Labour opts for status quo on second Brexit referendum after five-hour meeting April 30, 2019 Labour’s top decision making body today stopped short of committing the party to support for a second Brexit referendum in the upcoming European election campaign. After a five hour meeting, Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) decided not to back a second referendum in its European election manifesto. Read more: Tories trail Brexit party, Labour and [...]
European elections poll: Conservatives trail Brexit party and Labour with 13 per cent of vote April 30, 2019 A new poll has put the Conservatives behind Labour, the Brexit party and Change UK as voters prepare for the European elections almost three years since 2016's vote to quit the EU. Theresa May's party is on track to win just 11 per cent of the vote in London, well behind Labour’s 28 per cent, [...]
Tom Watson leaves shadow cabinet meeting early over second referendum splits April 30, 2019 Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson walked out of a shadow cabinet meeting today in a bust-up over leader Jeremy Corbyn’s position on a second Brexit referendum. Watson denied reports he stormed out of the meeting after copies of the party's EU manifesto document were not shared with the cabinet. Read more: Labour could bypass second [...]
European Central Bank hikes supervision fees by 21 per cent as Brexit takes financial toll April 30, 2019 The European Central Bank (ECB) today increased supervisory fees by 21 per cent as it seeks to cover higher than expected costs to prepare for Brexit. Read more: Euro falls as ECB chief Draghi bearish on Eurozone economy The hike amounts to an estimated €576m charge on banks this year, up from €502.2m in 2018, as a [...]
Euro rises as Eurozone economy shows stronger-than-expected growth in first quarter April 30, 2019 The Eurozone economy achieved faster-than-expected growth in the first quarter of the year, marking a pick-up from its lacklustre performance at the end of 2018, official statistics have revealed. Read more: Euro falls as ECB chief Draghi bearish on Eurozone economy Economic growth in the currency area was 0.4 per cent in the first quarter [...]
Countrywide warns of earnings hit as it blames Brexit for sales slowdown April 30, 2019 Embattled estate agent giant Countrywide warned this morning that £5m would be wiped off of the group’s first-half earnings, as it blamed Brexit uncertainty for a slowdown in the UK property market market. Read more: Countrywide losses deepen amid housing market slowdown Countrywide, which owns brands such as Bairstow Eves and Gascoigne Pees, posted a [...]