FCA clarity on defence investment and green rules welcomed by MPs March 11, 2025 MPs have welcomed a move by the financial watchdog, clarifying that defence investments aren’t constrained by green or sustainability rules. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) released a statement on Tuesday morning clarifying their position on sustainability and defence investments. A spokesperson said: “Our sustainability rules do not prevent investment in or finance for defence companies. [...]
FTSE 100 and European markets steady ‘Trump Slump’ March 11, 2025 Calm briefly returned to global markets on Tuesday morning after an aggressive sell-off on Monday triggered by President Trump’s comments over the weekend. What investors had previously hoped to be a ‘Trump Bump’ turned into a ‘Trump Slump’ after the President’s failure to dismiss recession fears spooked markets. The FTSE 100 was broadly flat Tuesday morning after [...]
Labour’s growth agenda? Necessary but not sufficient. March 11, 2025 Ministers will be deeply frustrated at the lack of economic growth, though they ought not to be surprised. Their own missteps have been well covered in this newspaper, and week after week new survey data reveals the extent to which government policies have dampened spirits, reduced hiring and spooked confidence. However, while their opening salvo [...]
Buy-to-let market ‘resilient’ despite fears of landlord exodus March 11, 2025 UK landlords are more optimistic than previously thought about buy-to-let as the market gears up to absorb economic and regulatory challenges, according to a new survey. A survey of 300 UK landlords has found that a third of landlords plan to expand their portfolios this year, while 43 per cent expect yields to improve. “It [...]
Tories call on Labour to abandon flagship Employment Rights Bill March 10, 2025 The Labour government’s controversial Employment Rights Bill returns to Parliament on Tuesday when it will face a fresh assault from Tory MPs, with shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith claiming the Bill will “take Britain back to the dark days of the 1970s.” Labour’s flagship legislation aims to boost protections against unfair dismissal, improve conditions for [...]
Taxes might be going up. Here’s how to cut your tax bill March 10, 2025 Savers are preparing for the possibility of income tax increases, with Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves expected to announce some changes to the tax regime in March. Labour pledged not to increase income tax during its election campaign. However, the Treasury has discussed freezing income tax thresholds and has refused to rule out income tax [...]
Reeves eyeing spending cuts as fiscal walls cave in March 10, 2025 Rachel Reeves is expected to take the chop to spending in her upcoming Spring Statement, as the government’s fiscal headroom disappears. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is set to show a depletion in the Chancellor’s headway, according to BNP Paribas economists. This leaves the government with little options beside further tax hikes or spending [...]
Markets reeling after Trump sparks recession fears March 10, 2025 Global markets took a hit on Monday as analysts warned of a bleak economic outlook after President Donald Trump refused to dismiss recession fears. When asked whether the world’s largest economy was heading toward recession, Trump responded that a “period of transition” was taking place. “I hate to predict things like that. There is a [...]
Households close to pylons to get £250 off annual energy bills March 10, 2025 Households situated near new pylons will receive hundreds of pounds off their annual energy bills as part of a government overhaul of the UK’s planning system. Proposals laid out this week will see residents within half a kilometre of new or upgraded electricty systems gain access to a bill discount scheme allowing them £2,500 off [...]
ONS reliability questioned after survey ‘collapsed’ to five respondents March 10, 2025 The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is under fire after internal emails exposed a sample size of employment data “collapsed to only five individuals”. According to correspondence obtained by the Financial Times, deputy chief economist Richard Heys cautioned in October 2023 that maintaining the statistics agency’s labour force survey (LFS) had “little and falling merit.” Heys [...]