IFS: Tax hikes will not provide enough funds for NHS September 10, 2021 A leading economic think tank has warned the government’s decision to launch a tax assault will not raise enough funds for the NHS in the long run, in brand new research published today. The Institute for Fiscal Studies said ongoing cost pressures stemming from dealing with the long-term health implications of the Covid crisis will [...]
FTSE 100 slides after ECB reins in stimulus September 9, 2021 London’s FTSE 100 slid to its lowest level in almost a month during opening exchanges this morning, before paring back losses in the afternoon session as investors digested news the European Central Bank (ECB) will tighten policy soon. The capital’s premier index sank 0.84 per cent to 7,036.05 points. The ECB announced today it will [...]
ECB to rein in Covid stimulus measures but promises to maintain support September 9, 2021 The European Central Bank announced today it will start reining in the wave of stimulus measures it unleashed in response to the Covid crisis, becoming the first of the world’s big three central banks to do so. The ECB said the Eurozone economy’s rapid economic recovery from the Covid crisis has engineered favourable financing conditions, [...]
Perfect storm of glitches constrains UK economy September 9, 2021 Severe shortages of raw materials, constrained labour supply and persistently high furlough rates are putting the UK economy in a vice, according to new official figures released today. The Office for National Statistic’s latest business insights survey shows almost one in three hospitality firms are finding it harder to recruit workers compared to normal times. [...]
Number of workers on furlough tumbles to lowest level since start of pandemic September 9, 2021 The number of workers on furlough has tumbled to its lowest since the onset of the Covid crisis, according to official figures published today. Data from the Treasury shows there were 1.6m people on furlough at the end of July, down 340,000 from almost two million in the previous month. However, the rate at which [...]
City watchdog launches crackdown on inactive firms September 9, 2021 The City watchdog has launched new powers that will allow it to crackdown on inactive financial services firms quicker, it announced today. A sweeping set of reforms will allow the Financial Conduct Authority to cut the amount of time it needs to wait to revoke regulated firms’ permission to carry out regulated activities. The measures [...]
Worker shortages persist as pool of candidates shrinks at record pace September 9, 2021 The number of workers ready to start a new job plummeted at its fastest pace on record last month, indicating the severe worker shortages that have put the UK economy in a vice are likely to persist, according to fresh figures published today. Research by accountancy firm KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation shows [...]
London markets dragged down by tax hikes as City mulls impact on portfolios September 8, 2021 The wave of tax hikes launched by prime minister Boris Johnson weighed on London markets today as investors mulled the implications of higher dividend taxes on their portfolios. The capital’s premier index dropped 0.75 per cent to close at 7,095.53 points, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 slid 1.03 per cent to 23,848.89 points. Markets were [...]
Bailey warns worker shortages could produce sticky inflation September 8, 2021 The governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, has signalled he is pessimistic about the current worker shortages crippling the UK economy ending soon. Giving evidence to the Treasury Committee, Bailey said the main problem in the economy is now “getting jobs filled.” Responding to questions on whether inflation will persist for longer than [...]
Shortage of credit for SMEs preventing UK from ‘levelling up’ September 8, 2021 A critical shortage of lending to Britain’s small businesses is preventing the UK from “levelling up”, according to a report published by a group of cross-party MPs today. The All-Party Parliamentary Group has warned that a lack of trust between banks and businesses has choked the supply of credit to SMEs in the UK. Theodora [...]