Interest rates set to be held as inflation to remain ‘elevated’ despite Iran peace deal June 15, 2026 Interest rates are expected to be left unchanged as Bank of England policymakers wait to find out whether the Iran war peace deal holds up. The Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is set to keep interest rates at 3.75 per cent at a decision later this week. Its decision would suggest that the Bank is [...]
Inflation expectations at record high in interest rates signal June 12, 2026 Inflation expectations hit a record high in the second quarter of the year, which could rattle Bank of England policymakers and build the case for an interest rate hike. The Bank’s joint survey with Ipsos found that, on average, households believe inflation will rise by 3.9 per cent over the next five years. It was [...]
An emboldened – or desperate – new government will look to wealth taxes June 10, 2026 Wealth taxes are climbing back up the political agenda as the Labour party begins the process of reinventing itself for a post-Starmer era. Wes Streeting thinks he’s found “a wealth tax that works” by hiking capital gains tax while Andy Burnham is flirting with a land value tax that would naturally hit wealthy areas the [...]
Housebuilder Bellway warns mortgage rate hikes dampening housing demand June 9, 2026 Bellway has said that recent rises to mortgage rates as a result of the Iran war are dampening demand for housing, on top of rising building cost inflation due to the conflict. The FTSE 250 housebuilder said it has seen a “moderation” in customer demand in April and May, bringing an end to a “positive” [...]
Jeremy Hunt: Pension triple lock is an ‘anchor drag’ on economic growth June 8, 2026 Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt has warned that the triple lock on the state pension is acting as “an anchor drag on economic growth.” In an interview with City AM, Hunt said that above-inflation rises to the state pension are being funded “by more debt” on future generations and called for every major party to pledge [...]
Food inflation: First signs of energy cost surge feed through to supermarket shelves as discounts fail to stem price growth June 8, 2026 Supermarket food inflation has risen significantly for the first time this year, a City AM analysis has found, flashing an early warning sign that the surge in energy and freight costs triggered by war in Iran is reaching shelf prices in the UK. City AM reporters gather data on around 200 prices of products across [...]
Jobs slump as economy ‘held up by uncertainty’ June 8, 2026 The UK jobs market has been handed another blow as businesses ditch permanent hires as the economy battles against domestic and international uncertainty. The latest jobs report from KPMG and REC, the professional body for recruiters, showed hiring for permanent places dropped to a reading of 44.1 in May, which sits below the neutral 50 [...]
Is it time to change how we measure inflation? June 3, 2026 Measures of inflation are hugely influential on policy but struggle to account for the pace of technological innovation, says Paul Ormerod During this decade, the rate of inflation has become a key factor in determining living standards. Many benefits are linked to it. It sets a marker for wage demands. And when it goes up, [...]
Borrowing costs fall as interest rate hike fears ease June 2, 2026 Government borrowing costs fell sharply on Tuesday, after a dovish speech from Bank of England governor and revived hopes of a Middle East peace deal led traders to pare back bets on central bank interest rate hikes. Gilts rebounded across the curve, outperforming their European peers. The UK’s two-year and 10-year government bonds fell as [...]
Reeves’ savings package to have minimal impact on inflation rise May 29, 2026 A discount campaign launched by Chancellor Rachel Reeves will “shave off” an expected rise in inflation, analysis has suggested, as economists have raised concern over Britons’ inflation expectations. Reeves’ move to delay a hike in fuel duty beyond September and offer VAT relief for businesses giving families reduced prices could strip 0.2 percentage points off [...]