UK manufacturing at four-year high but costs rise at pandemic pace Economics The UK manufacturing sector broke to a four-year record in April but the constraints triggered by the Iran war threatened to upend growth prospects. The latest Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) from S&P Global put the industry’s reading at 53.7 – its best since May 2022. This marked its sixth consecutive month above the neutral 50.0 [...]
Services sector cuts jobs and hikes prices after Reeves’ tax raid Economics The UK’s services sector has turned to hiking prices and shedding workers in an effort to balance the books in the face of rising cost pressures from government policy. Businesses activity picked up for the tenth-consecutive month in February, according to the latest Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) from S&P, but came amid a “solid” amount [...]
‘Trust me’: Jamie Dimon to defend JP Morgan’s $2bn-a-week bill Banking Jamie Dimon is set to defend JP Morgan’s $2bn-a-week cost bill today as analysts and shareholders gather for the banking giant’s annual investor day. The bank chief – generally considered to be the world’s most influential banker – unveiled higher-than-expected plans for 2026 spend at the beginning of the year. JP Morgan told markets spending [...]
Reeves’ Budget tax hikes force nearly 5,000 pubs to the brink November 3, 2025 The tax hikes announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in last year’s Budget have contributed to almost 5,000 pubs now being rated at maximum risk and becoming technically insolvent, according to new research. Figures from Price Bailey have revealed that just over 4,7000 pubs are now in that position, a 14 per cent rise on this [...]
Food inflation to spike as suppliers can ‘no longer absorb’ costs, FDF warns September 15, 2025 Food and drink inflation could climb to 5.7% by the end of the year thanks to cost pressures on manufacturers “trickling down” to supermarket shelves, a leading industry body has warned. The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) said current prices were “steeper than anything in recent decades”. The group – whose members make a quarter [...]
Currys: Shares dip despite interest rates helping sales at retailer May 21, 2025 Electrical retailer Currys has reported a jump in profit after sales jumped thanks in part to a boost from lower interest costs. In a trading update on Wednesday, the firm said it expects pre-tax profit to come in at £162m, up 37 per cent year-on-year. Previous guidance had indicated profit for the period ending May [...]
Pets at Home shakes off current market woes but warns of struggles ahead March 31, 2025 Pets at Home announced its profit had fallen in line with expectations in its performance update, but warned of struggles ahead. Its share price fell more than 10 per cent in early trades. The group predicted profit before tax for the year at £133m, in line with previous guidance. It said trends in the final [...]
Hospitality firms are bracing for the return of inflation November 21, 2024 October’s inflation figure has worried hospitality firms. While it is not too far above target – 2.3 per cent versus the sweet spot of two per cent – and one month does not constitute a trend, it has exacerbated concerns companies already had about the future of their industry. There are two reasons hospitality is [...]