Ka-Ching! Brits pay instantly £1.65bn more in interest after today’s Bank of England rate hike September 22, 2022 With the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee confirming its base rate will rise by 0.5 per cent to 2.25 per cent, UK households face an immediate increase in interest payments of £1.65bn. Analysis of Bank of England data shows UK households are currently paying £20.25bn annually in interest payments on floating rate debt that are [...]
Bank of England shirks historic rate hike despite warning of longer inflation September 22, 2022 The Bank of England today shirked the biggest interest rate hike since the late 1980s despite inflation threatening to run hot for months. Borrowing costs climbed 50 basis points to 2.25 per cent, their highest since November 2008 and the seventh rise in a row, the Bank announced. Before the decision, City economists and markets [...]
Liz Truss tax cuts must be bolder to revive UK economy, Thatcherite thinks tank claims September 21, 2022 Liz Truss must be even bolder than cancelling the corporation tax rise to unlock the UK’s full economic potential, a Thatcherite think tank has claimed today. The prime minister’s chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, is expected to reverse the six percentage point corporation tax hike at this Friday’s mini-budget. The move will generate a 1.2 per cent [...]
UK government borrowing double than expected September 21, 2022 The UK government borrowed nearly double the amount than expected last month to fund the first stages of the cost of living care package, official figures published today show. Britain’s debt pile swelled £11.8bn in August, much higher than the country’s official forecaster, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), projected £6bn at the March budget, [...]
More sectors flash recession warning amid spending cooldown September 21, 2022 More sectors of the UK economy are flashing recession signals caused by consumers cutting spending in response to surging prices, a fresh survey published today reveals. Some 11 sectors out of the 14 tracked by Lloyds Bank recorded a slump in both demand and output last month. It is the fourth month in a row [...]
London’s FTSE 100 edges higher ahead of central bank rate announcements September 20, 2022 London’s FTSE 100 slid yesterday, driven by traders bracing for a big week of central bank announcements. The capital’s premier index dropped 0.64 per cent to reach 7,190.16 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, slumped 1.48 to 18,519.69 points. The world’s biggest [...]
US dollar this year has become the only asset in town September 20, 2022 Investors have had an insatiable appetite for US dollars this year. According to the Wall Street Journal’s dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of some of the world’s top currencies, the dollar is its strongest for over a decade. One dollar will buy you the greatest amount of Japanese yen since the [...]
Federal Reserve and Bank of England set to tighten policy once again this week September 19, 2022 The US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England this week are set to hike interest rates steeply again in a bid to chase down scorching inflation, investors are betting. The two central banks are expected to look through recession fears and continue their fight against historic price rises. Despite inflation dropping to 8.3 per [...]
City braces for BoE rate hike and mini-budget September 19, 2022 The City is bracing for a bumper week of economic data and policy announcements in a trading week shortened by the UK bank holiday for The Queen’s funeral. London’s premier FTSE 100 index posted mixed performance last week, initially jumping higher before closing 1.56 per cent lower at 7,236.68 points. Its mid-cap domestically-focused counterpart, the [...]
UK jobs market on course to lose steam amid economic slump September 16, 2022 The UK jobs market is on course to finally lose some steam, driven by firms cutting staff in response to swelling costs and weaker consumer spending, a new survey published last night revealed. A historic inflation surge is likely to throw the UK into recession as soon as this quarter, forcing firms to cut costs. [...]