Bank of England to launch record rate rise to step up fight against 40-year high inflation October 19, 2022 The Bank of England will have to hike interest rates by a record whole percentage point at its meeting on 3 November, City economists are betting today after inflation returned to a 40 year high of 10.1 per cent last month. Prices are still rising sharply despite the Bank already lifting borrowing costs seven times [...]
Sadiq Khan: Tax “confusion” could hit London’s investment appeal October 19, 2022 SADIQ KHAN has warned that instability at the top of British politics could hit London’s status as a desirable investment destination. Investors are “not sure that the stability and certainty that existed in London will be there going forward,” the Mayor of London told City A.M. yesterday. “Instability is good for no-one,” he added. A [...]
Hunt mini-budget overhaul right for now but investment relief needed, Thatcherites urge October 19, 2022 New chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s decision to junk pretty much all of prime minister Liz Truss’s botched mini-budget has damaged the UK’s tax competitiveness, a new report out today says. Britain has dropped to 33rd out of the 38 nations part of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) as a result of Hunt’s tax [...]
Khan: Crossrail’s Bond Street station can revitalise “tired” parts of Oxford Street October 18, 2022 London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said the opening of Bond Street’s Elizabeth Line station next week will help revitalise a “tired” part of Oxford Street – and keep big-ticket retailers in the West End. The station is the last of the Crossrail stations to open, having been delayed due to the complexity of the build. [...]
Khan: Tourist tax-free shopping u-turn bad for London’s businesses October 18, 2022 Sadiq Khan has slammed the government’s decision to u-turn on a plan to give tourists tax-free shopping. The Mayor of London said he “absolutely” shared the concerns of West End businesses, who have expressed disappointment that the capital will lag behind other cities’ in efforts to welcome high-spending foreign visitors. “VAT-free shopping for international tourists [...]
Shares jump for housebuilders as stamp duty survives mini-budget u-turns October 17, 2022 Shares jumped for this afternoon after stamp duty cuts survived Jeremy Hunt’s mini-budget backtrack. Major players like Barratt Developments, Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey all saw their stock rally after the new chancellor’s emergency statement this morning. Barratt’s shares climbed nearly four per cent, whilst Persimmon and Taylor Wimpey were up nearly five per cent. Hunt [...]
Pubs and brewers disappointed by alcohol duty reversal ahead of ‘toughest winter in history’ October 17, 2022 Pubs will be “hit extremely hard” this winter after the government scrapped an upcoming alcohol duty freeze, industry chiefs said. The duty freeze was one of many policies consigned to a bonfire of tax cuts from newly-appointed Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on Monday. Announced just a few weeks ago by Hunt’s predecessor Kwasi Kwarteng, the move would [...]
VAT free shopping U-turn ‘major blow’ for West End as tourists shun London for Paris and Milan October 17, 2022 Scrapping VAT free shopping for tourists is a “major blow” for London and the country’s economy, a group representing luxury stores in the West End and other retail hotspots has said. Paul Barnes, chief executive of the Association of International Retail (AIR) – whose members range from Bicester Village to Heathrow Airport – told CityA.M. the [...]
Nadine Dorries calls for Boris Johnson to return as Prime Minister October 17, 2022 Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries has the Conservatives should reinstall Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. The staunch ally of the ex PM took to Twitter ahead of chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s bombshell statement on Monday morning. Hunt announced the UK’s energy bills freeze will only be universal until April and binned the majority of Liz Truss’ [...]
Moscow’s elite in shock as another close Putin ally suddenly dies: Gazprom ‘wonderkid’ and Kremlin insider Nikolay Petrunin is no more October 17, 2022 Rumours are flying in Moscow today as it has emerged that another one of Vladimir Putin’s close allies has suddenly dies. Nikolay Petrunin, a 46-year-old Russian multimillionaire and a close confidant of the Russian president, is no more. The official reason by authorities was that the Gazprom executive has died as a result of complications [...]