‘Bond market tantrum risks’: Gilt traders brace for Labour leftward pivot as Starmer future uncertain
Barratt: ‘Uncertainty’ pushes housebuilder’s sales reservations down 44 per cent but pre-tax profit rockets to £521m February 8, 2023 Barratt Developments posted profit before tax of more than £520m as the company suggested that its outlook for the year was improving, despite sales at the beginning of 2023 lagging behind last year. The housebuilder’s revenue increased 24 per cent in the six months to December 31 from the same period last year while its [...]
More than £18bn was added to non-food retail sales by inflation as 80 per cent of retailers prepare to raise prices February 8, 2023 Inflation is set to add £18.2 billion to UK non-food retail sales this year, a report suggests. Sales values are expected to hit £249 billion in 2023, but the 2.6 per cent increase – or an additional £18.2 billion of spending on last year – will be driven entirely by rising consumer prices, according to [...]
Exclusive: Service sector confidence in Britain’s economy has rebounded since Liz Truss, research reveals February 8, 2023 Confidence in the state of the UK economy has rebounded since Liz Truss’ term as prime minister, new research shared exclusively with City A.M. has revealed. Execs working in the UK’s professional services sector are significantly more confident about the state of the British economy than they were in middle of 2022, data from the [...]
Legal & General CEO would like to see UK ‘move more quickly’ on Solvency II reforms February 8, 2023 Insurance giant Legal & General would like to see the UK “move more quickly” in reforming the EU rules that govern Britain’s insurance sector, the head of the FTSE 100 firm’s pensions buyout segment told City A.M. Andrew Kail, chief executive of L&G’s institutional retirement business, called for “clarity” on the UK’s plans to reshape [...]
UK to narrowly avoid recession but cost of living crisis will leave families £4,000 worse off February 8, 2023 The UK is poised to narrowly avoid a recession but the cost of living crisis will still leave average Brits £4,000 worse off this year, fresh forecasts out today reveal. Britain’s economy is set to squeeze out 0.2 per cent of GDP growth in 2023, meaning it will just about swerve a technical reversal, two [...]
Businesses trim hiring ahead of possible UK recession but experts cheer swelling vacancies February 8, 2023 Businesses are reining in hiring ahead of an economic slowdown that could tip the UK into recession, a closely watched survey out today shows. Permanent hires fell for the fourth month in a row last month, with KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s (REC) permanent placement index coming in below the 50 point growth [...]
A Big Tech-style restructure in Whitehall might just make our science sector February 8, 2023 When Google restructured to become Alphabet in 2015, it created a larger engine for innovation. Rishi Sunak’s reshuffle to create a Department of Science could do the same for investment into the UK, writes Daniel Korski.
An outdated Culture Department prioritised Centre Parcs over innovative start ups February 8, 2023 Britain’s startups deserve a department dedicated to fostering their success, rather than vying for attention against Centre Parcs, writes Dom Hallas.
Poor educational outcomes for today’s children could create a future wave of crime February 8, 2023 Children who started back at school post-pandemic lost valuable life skills, and if we don’t make up for it quickly, it could mean more deprivation - and crime - in Britain, writes Paul Ormerod.
100,000 civil servants to walk out on Budget Day, union says February 7, 2023 Around 100,000 civil servants are set to strike on Budget Day, their union has announced, amid a campaign of walkouts over pay disputes. The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) said it was escalating action after a “lack of movement” from the government over its concerns over pay, pensions and job security. Walkouts will take [...]