NatWest chairman warns City will never return to pre-Covid state July 21, 2021 The chairman of one of the UK’s largest banks and former director of the London School of Economics has warned that the City will never return to its pre-Covid state. Sir Howard Davies, chairman of NatWest, said the days of thousands of workers flowing into the City for 8am – 6pm working days “are gone” [...]
Oil prices extend recovery to offset heavy losses July 21, 2021 Oil prices extended their recovery into Wednesday after absorbing heavy losses at the beginning of the week. Global benchmarks WTI and Brent Crude added 1.24 per cent and 1.34 per cent respectively. Read more: Oil prices plummet after Opec+ end deadlock The rise has helped offset falls resulting from a sharp selloff on Monday which [...]
Support enterprise to repair economy, urges IoD July 21, 2021 The UK government must support enterprise to stimulate economic growth after the Covid crisis recedes, according to the Institute of Directors. The IoD stressed that fresh policies are needed to increase entrepreneurial activity and help businesses realign their operations to fit within the post-Covid economy. Among the measures the IoD called for was a reduction [...]
Property transactions surge to record high in June July 21, 2021 UK monthly property transactions hit a record high in June as prospective homebuyers scrambled to complete purchases before the stamp duty holiday tapered at the end of the month, new figures released today show. HMRC said seasonally adjusted monthly transactions in June reached 198,240, the highest since records began. Read more: House prices surge 5.7 [...]
Covid: Government borrowing falls in June July 21, 2021 Government borrowing fell over the last month as the UK economy rapidly rebounds from the damage inflicted on it by Covid, new figures released today show. The government borrowed £22.8bn last month, the second-highest figure for June since records began, according to the Office for National Statistics. However, borrowing eased from May, down from £24.3bn [...]
Post-Brexit: M&S chairman sounds alarm on higher prices in Northern Ireland July 21, 2021 The chairman of Marks & Spencer has warned that consumers in Northern Ireland will have to contend with higher prices and fewer products if current post-Brexit customs rules come into force this year. Greater bureaucracy involved in goods entering Northern and the Republic of Ireland is “threatening” Marks & Spencer, Archie Norman said in a [...]
Covid: Economic scaring to restrict Sunak from announcing giveaways in spending review July 21, 2021 Long-standing damage inflicted on the UK economy by Covid and surging interest costs will restrict Rishi Sunak from announcing any giveaways in his upcoming spending review, according to new research published today. Forecasts published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Britain’s leading independent microeconomic research institute, show the chancellor has little room to manoeuvre due [...]
Haldane: Covid vaccine programme a model for successful innovation policy July 21, 2021 The former chief economist at the Bank of England has praised the UK’s Covid vaccination programme for being a model of successful innovation policy. In a foreword to a policy paper published by think tank Policy Exchange, Andy Haldane said the vaccine initiative “involved a clear mission, project management by Government… all underpinned by large-scale [...]
UK worker shortages mount as applicants tumble 24 per cent July 21, 2021 Worker shortages in the UK continues to intensify despite firms stepping up efforts to hire talent, according to new figures published today. Research by Broadbean Technology, the world’s largest network of job boards, shows job application in the UK fell 24 per cent between May and June of this year. However, vaccines were up 10 [...]
Downing Street does not deny govt mulls increasing national insurance contributions July 20, 2021 Downing Street has not denied that National Insurance contributions could be increased to fund a new social care plan, in a move that would break a Conservative manifesto pledge. Boris Johnson is reportedly considering plans to raise National Insurance payments by one percentage point for employers and employees to raise £10bn a year to help [...]