Interest rates likely to remain higher for longer August 8, 2025 Markets are indicating interest rates are set to stay higher for longer than expected after the Bank of England’s “hawkish cut” and gloomy inflation and growth forecasts shocked City analysts. Prior to the Bank’s interest rate cuts, markets had all but priced in a further 25 basis point cut by the end of the year, [...]
Iceland in the red as Rachel Reeves’ tax raid forces prices higher August 8, 2025 Iceland has warned it is being forced to increases prices because of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax raids as the supermarket chain fell into the red. The Flintshire-headquartered said that while it is “doing our utmost” to offset increasing costs arising from last year’s Autumn Budget, it will “inevitably have to pass some of these on [...]
Bank of England: Future of interest rate cuts now ‘more uncertain’ August 7, 2025 The future of interest rate cuts is now “more uncertain” as the Bank of England suggested it was more worried about inflation ticking up higher than expected. In its decision on Thursday, the Bank voted 5-4 for interest rates to be cut by 25 basis points to four per cent. But the Bank now believes [...]
Revolut drafts in EY amid banking licence push August 7, 2025 Revolut has tapped accountancy giant EY to replace BDO as its auditor as the firm pushes to secure its UK banking licence. The UK fintech juggernaut said EY will act as the firm’s auditor for the financial year ending December 2026 after a formal bidding process. This comes as Revolut expects to launch as a [...]
Starmer refuses to rule out tax rises – and criticises forecasters August 6, 2025 The Prime Minister has refused to comment on whether he will break Labour’s manifesto pledges on taxes at this year’s Autumn Budget as he slapped down independent forecasters’ claims the government faced a £50bn black hole. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) claimed Rachel Reeves would miss her borrowing target by £41.2bn [...]
Entrepreneur slams No 10 wealth grab – despite getting taxpayer-backed loan August 6, 2025 The founder of a hot tub and plunge pool business has said he understood why “the masses” were leaving Britain and was accelerating plans to do so himself, despite his firm recently receiving a taxpayer-funded loan to fuel its international expansion. Rob Carlin, who runs Derbyshire-based spa company Superior Wellness, blamed a succession of punitive [...]
Mortgage recovery hinges on a Bank of England interest rate cut August 6, 2025 Homeowners across the UK are catching a break as mortgage arrears fell for the first time since the cost-of-living crisis began – but a full recovery will hinge on the Bank of England’s decision on Thursday. Missed mortgage payments in the second quarter fell by 4.4 per cent across the UK, whilst direct debit rejections [...]
Quilter: Net inflows rise as baby boomer wealth transfer looms August 6, 2025 Wealth management firm Quilter has bounced back as it braces for an increase in generational wealth transfers as inheritance tax rule changes creep closer. The wealth manager recorded a three per cent increase in adjusted profit to £100m as well as a one percentage point improvement in its operating margin to 30 per cent after [...]
Wealth exodus ramps up as bosses quit UK August 6, 2025 A wave of company directors have left the UK since the government unveiled a host of punitive tax rises on the wealthy at its maiden Budget last autumn, exacerbating fears that a wealth exodus of Britain’s most affluent residents is afoot. According to an analysis of Companies House data, 3,790 company directors removed Britain as [...]
Government weighs offering HR vouchers to small businesses over employment rights changes August 6, 2025 The government is weighing offering free HR advice to small businesses as it braces for the fallout from measures contained in its forthcoming Employment Rights Bill, City AM can reveal. The Department of Business and Trade is understood to be considering a voucher scheme in which firms would be given time with HR specialists to [...]