Traders nervy at FTSE open after Asian bank stocks tank – despite Credit Suisse rescue March 20, 2023 The global sigh of relief at the rescue of Credit Suisse does not appear to have lasted long, with big banks battered in trading overnight in Asia. HSBC and StanChart both took more than a six per cent hit in Hong Kong as investors, already spooked by volatility in banking across the world, took flight. [...]
LME delays reopening of Asian trading after finding bags of stones instead of nickel March 20, 2023 The London Metal Exchange has postponed the resumption of nickel trading during Asian hours by a week to March 27.
Ofwat and the Environment Agency must have the willpower to fix the water industry March 20, 2023 The heads of both leading watchdogs for the water industry were grilled in Parliament last week by MPs, amid concerns over sewage leaks.
UK hosts crunch talks on Putin ‘war crimes’ investigation March 20, 2023 International justice ministers are meeting in London to discuss support for the investigation into war crimes in Ukraine. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued a warrant for Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s arrest, accusing him of bearing personal responsibility for the abduction of children. It is the first arrest warrant to be issued against a [...]
Analyst: Why Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has less headroom than he thinks on the public finances March 20, 2023 THE OFFICIAL Treasury watchdog may be repeating its mistake of over-estimating UK growth, Deutsche Bank analysts have warned, with the forecasting miss potentially wiping out Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s spending power in years to come. In forecasts published by the Office for Budget Responsibility last week, the watchdog said it expected UK GDP groth to settle around 1.75 [...]
Crash? What crash? House prices defy gravity though London lags slightly March 20, 2023 House prices continues to defy expectations with a steady recovery this month that has seen the average property coming onto the market increase by £3,000. Asking prices for new sellers do still remain £5,800 below their peak in October 2022. London’s average asking price fell by 0.1 per cent in March, leaving the average price [...]
Brits now more concerned about state of UK economy than before budget, polling finds March 20, 2023 More than a third of Brits surveyed say the budget last week made them more concerned about the state of the UK’s economy. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt unveiled his spring statement in the House of Commons last week in light of rosier economic projections and within the government’s self-imposed fiscal rules. He focused on childcare reforms, [...]
Fed set to hike rates by 25 basis points despite turmoil in US banking sector March 20, 2023 The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates for the ninth time in a row later this week despite widespread instability in the US banking sector. According to Fedwatch there is a 62 per cent chance that the Fed will opt for a 25 basis point hike and 38 per cent chance that it [...]
Gold hits record highs as investors scramble for safety in week of bank turmoil March 20, 2023 Gold prices reached record highs in the UK last week as investors scrambled for safety in the wake of Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse and an ensuing banking crisis on both sides of the atlantic.
Government ‘always willing’ to engage on NHS strikes, minister claims March 20, 2023 The government was “always willing” to engage with unions on strikes and NHS pay, a minister has claimed. Cabinet office minister Oliver Dowden told the BBC there were “initial discussions” with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and that the deal which has been agreed is a “decent deal”. His comments came as the British [...]
