Budget uncertainty has gone but odds have been stacked against business November 22, 2024 If Rachel Reeves thought certainty would cure the UK economy’s growth problem, she was wrong. She’s just pitted consumers against retailers. This data-heavy week has reflected that uncertainty over the Budget has not been cured by policy which heaps pressure on business. We’ve had inflation rising, debt compounded, inheritance tax receipts soaring, farmers protesting, the [...]
Inflation surprise scuppers hope of Christmas interest rate cut November 20, 2024 A bigger than expected rise in inflation last month has all but scuppered hopes of a cut to interest rates by the Bank of England in December. While economists had been expecting rising energy prices to push inflation beyond the Bank of England’s two per cent target last month, a sharper than expected lift in [...]
Surging housing costs push inflation back above Bank of England target November 20, 2024 Inflation has risen back above the Bank of England’s two per cent target, the latest data has shown today. According to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) consumer price inflation (CPI) hit 2.3 per cent in October. The figure came in above economists projections. Economists had forecast CPI to come in [...]
Why a 24 per cent drop in insolvencies is not all it seems November 19, 2024 At first glance, the Government’s new figures on insolvencies appear cheery, with the number of companies going bust over the last year down 24 per cent, from 2,293 to 1,747. But analysts have suggested figures may have more to do with falling interest rates than the general health of the economy, in addition to warning [...]
Lower interest rates not enough to rally consumer confidence November 18, 2024 After a steady climb throughout the year so far, consumer confidence dipped in November amid warnings it could continue to fall into 2025. Overall confidence fell from 47.3 in October to 46.9 in November, according to the S&P Global UK Consumer Sentiment Index (CSI) survey. The neutral mark is 50. Chief business economist at S&P, [...]
HSBC asks managers to reapply for jobs in global cost-cutting drive November 18, 2024 HSBC is forcing managers in its newly formed corporate and institutional banking arm to reapply for their jobs as part of a sweeping cost-cutting drive, according to reports. Hundreds of managers have been asked to interview for their roles as the lender merges its corporate and investment banking businesses in a seeping restructuring plan, unveiled [...]
Sterling hits lowest level since July as Trump victory dents the pound November 14, 2024 "The FX market tends to concentrate on one theme at a time, and right now that is dollar dominance," Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB said.
Prospect of fewer rate cuts buoys sterling and UK-focused stocks November 7, 2024 The pound and UK-focused stocks rose this afternoon after the Bank of England indicated it would take a more “gradual” approach to cutting rates in the year ahead. The Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to lower the base rate to 4.75 per cent in a widely anticipated move that follows a sharp fall in [...]
Bank of England set to lower interest rates as Budget dampens bets for 2025 November 3, 2024 The Bank of England is expected to lower interest rates this week, while markets are betting on fewer cuts next year after forecasts suggested the new government's first Budget will push up inflation.
Eurozone inflation rises faster than expected in October October 31, 2024 New 'flash' figures from Eurostat showed that inflation rose back up to 2.0 per cent, rising from 1.7 per cent in September and slightly higher than markets had expected.