FTSE 100 close: London index reverses losses as Bunzl struggles June 15, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 was dragged lower today by investors piling out of outsourcer Bunzl despite the firm this morning raising its revenue forecast before reversing losses in the afternoon session. The capital’s premier index jumped 0.34 per cent to 7,628.27 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health [...]
Federal Reserve pauses interest rate rise campaign as US inflation subsides June 14, 2023 The US Federal Reserve today held off on firing interest rates higher for the first time in over a year, electing to wait and see what impact prior increases have had on the world’s largest economy before straining households and businesses further. Chair Jerome Powell and the rest of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) [...]
Pound hits highest level against US dollar in over a year as traders bet Bank of England will outmuscle Fed June 14, 2023 Pound sterling today climbed to its highest level against the US dollar in over a year, driven upwards by investors betting that the Bank of England will surpass the Federal Reserve in its interest rate rise cycle to bring down inflation. Britain’s currency jumped around 0.7 per cent today to nearly $1.27, taking it to [...]
US inflation slips to lowest level in two years and to more than half of UK rate June 13, 2023 Inflation in the US has fallen to its lowest level in two years, setting Britain even further out as suffering the toughest price pressures in the developed world, official figures out today show. Prices rose four per cent over the year to May, down from a rate of 4.9 per cent in the previous month, [...]
FTSE 100 close: London markets rise ahead of Fed and ECB decisions this week June 12, 2023 London markets closed higher on Monday ahead of a big week for central banks, with the Fed, European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of Japan all set for their latest interest rate decision. The capital’s premier index climbed 0.1 per cent to 7,570.69 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned [...]
Bank of England to surpass Federal Reserve and hike interest rates to 15-year high May 31, 2023 The Bank of England will have to hike interest rates to their highest level in more than 15 years to tackle sticky inflation that will stay above its target for at least another three years, a top Wall Street investment bank has warned today. Researchers at Goldman Sachs suspect businesses will carry on passing on [...]
Markets: Three things we learned this week May 5, 2023 This week the markets had a lot to digest, bumper energy profits, the tail end of the banking sector’s latest round of results, and a rate rise from the Federal Reserve. There was also some positive house price data, which gave the FTSE 100 a spring in its step. With Coronation weekend looming we take [...]
US unemployment figures ‘confound expectations’ with 50 year jobless low, raising spectre of more Fed rate rises May 5, 2023 US employers went on a hiring spree in April while raising wages for workers at the same time, according to the Labour Department. The news that nonfarm payrolls increased by 253,000 jobs last month immediately sparked speculation that the US central bank the Federal Reserve could maintain its current policy of keeping rates higher. The [...]
European Central Bank hikes interest rates for seventh time in a row and Lagarde signals more rises May 4, 2023 The European Central Bank (ECB) today hiked interest rates for the seventh time in a row and slowed the pace of its aggressive campaign to tame inflation, though its chief Christine Lagarde signalled more rises are coming. She and the rest of the governing council sent borrowing costs among the 20 countries using the euro [...]
Federal Reserve bumps interest rates 25 basis points higher in what may be its final hike May 3, 2023 The US Federal Reserve today hiked interest rates for the tenth time in a row in what could be its final move.