Optimism abounds in OBR forecasts, but just how feasible are they? November 28, 2022 When former Tory chancellor George Osborne created the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) in 2010, he was unlikely to have envisioned it would become the source of financial market turmoil. But, that upheaval was not the budget watchdog’s fault. Instead, it was former prime minister Liz Truss and ex-Number 11 incumbent Kwasi Kwarteng’s disdain toward [...]
Bank of England could cut rates to offset deep recession, deputy governor hints November 24, 2022 The Bank of England may have to cut interest rates if the UK economy slumps into a long, tough recession, a senior official at the monetary authority predicted today. Sir Dave Ramsden, a deputy governor at the Bank, told the Bank of England Watchers’ conference today that if households and businesses are under greater financial [...]
UK economy arrests decline but recession still coming November 23, 2022 The UK economy has arrested a decline, but it still looks likely to tip into a long recession, a closely watched survey out today has unveiled. S&P Global and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s (CIPS) flash purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for November inched up to 48.3 points from 48.2 in October. It is [...]
UK borrowing surges to £13.5bn on energy price cap support November 22, 2022 UK borrowing surged over the last year due to the government partially covering the cost of household energy bills, official figures out today reveal. The UK’s debt pile swelled £13.5bn last month, up more than £4bn compared to October 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Although high, the figure was far below [...]
UK slumps to bottom of G7 economy league next year, OECD predicts November 22, 2022 The UK economy will languish behind its rich counterparts next year amid a tough inflation surge driven by worker shortages and an “untargeted” energy support package, a new report reveals. Britain’s economy will shrink 0.4 per cent next year, the worst performance of any country in the G7, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation [...]
Flip flopping over tax hikes and spending cuts a ‘bruising episode’ for UK November 21, 2022 Flip flopping on UK economic policy has been “a bruising episode” for the country over the past few months, a top City economist said today. The huge swing in tax and spending decisions between former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and the current number 11 incumbent Jeremy Hunt has damaged the country’s financial credibility, according to Neil Shearing, [...]
UK ‘can’t afford’ another decade of lost growth, CBI warn November 21, 2022 The UK “can’t afford a repeat” of its severe economic underperformance since the 2008 financial crisis, the chief of the country’s top business group will warn chancellor Jeremy Hunt today. Responding to last week’s autumn statement, Tony Danker, director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), will slam the chancellor for failing to roll [...]
OBR: UK is already in recession and taxes on course for post World War II high November 17, 2022 The UK is already in a recession that will burn a huge hole in the public finances, forcing the government to hike taxes to their highest level since just after the Second World War in the 1940s, the country’s fiscal watchdog warned today in forecasts published alongside Jeremy Hunt’s autumn statement. The Office for Budget [...]
UK inflation scales to 41-year high, but analysts bet it has peaked at 11.1 per cent November 16, 2022 UK inflation has surged above the City and Bank of England’s expectations to reach a new 41 year high, but experts said it may now have peaked, official figures revealed today. Prices rose 11.1 per cent over the last year, pushing the rate a whole percentage point higher from September, according to the Office for [...]
Workers’ real pay erodes at historic pace despite huge wage rises November 15, 2022 Workers’ pay is still being eroded at a historic pace by rampant inflation despite employers hiking wages by one of the greatest amounts since records began, official figures revealed today. When taking off the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS) preferred measure of inflation, pay excluding bonuses dropped 2.7 per cent over the last three months, [...]