Yield on fresh UK government debt hits highest level since 2007 July 5, 2023 The amount of interest the UK government has to pay investors buying its newly minted debt has hit its highest level since the financial crisis. Britain’s Debt Management Office (DMO) – the body tasked with issuing bonds – today sold a tranche of gilts to traders with a yield just shy of 5.7 per cent, [...]
FTSE 100 close: Wilting Chinese recovery keeps London mining giants lower July 5, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 sagged today, dragged lower by industrial firms tumbling in response to signs that China’s economic recovery is running out of steam. The capital’s premier index shed 1.03 per cent to close at 7,442.11 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, [...]
Inflation falling rapidly but not enough to avert 14th straight Bank of England rate rise, experts warn July 5, 2023 Inflation is still hanging around in the UK economy due to businesses continuing to pass on higher wage bills, although there are signs price pressures have turned a corner, a closely watched survey out today reveals. A reduction in energy and transport bills caused by international gas markets and supply chains repairing from a series [...]
Brits spend more than two hours a day watching TV and nearly three hours on personal care July 4, 2023 Brits watch on average more than two hours of television daily, accounting for most of their time off, and spend nearly three hours on personal care a day, official calculations out today reveal. According to Office for National Statistics (ONS) analysis, UK families are spending less time in front of the idiot box compared to [...]
FTSE 100 close: London index muted amid Wall Street shut down for 4th July as Wizz Air soars July 4, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 was muted on a quiet trading day globally due to Wall Street being shut for US Independence Day. The capital’s premier index edged 0.10 per cent lower to 7,519.73 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, added 0.14 per cent [...]
UK now only rich country where inflation is rising despite Bank of England interest rate hikes July 4, 2023 Britain is now the only rich country where inflation is rising, signalling the Bank of England’s series of interest rate rises have been less effective than its peers’, new data out today shows. Inflation across the Group of Seven (G7) nations fell to 4.6 per cent in May, down from 5.4 per cent in April, [...]
Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt urged to raise investment to unlock £150bn economic boost July 4, 2023 Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt should ramp up government investment spending to unlock a £149bn boost to the UK economy, an influential think tank has urged today. Spending on quality capital projects like expanding renewable energy infrastructure and improving transport networks could “pay for itself” by yielding tens of billions of pounds in growth and [...]
Much like the UK economy, pound sterling suffers from a certainty deficit July 4, 2023 Barrelling around in the piping of the UK economy so far this year has been a sustained pound sterling rally. Britain’s currency in 2023 has been one of the best performers in the rich world. It is up nearly five per cent against the US dollar at $1.26, a far cry from the record low [...]
FTSE 100 close: London index’s downbeat run extends into second half of 2023 July 3, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 kicked off the second half of the year in subdued style today, despite a rally among Britain’s largest banks and industrial giants. The capital’s premier index was up for most of the day, before eventually closing marginally lower, down 0.06 per cent to 7,527.27 points. The domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which [...]
UK factories slip further into recession on cooling overseas spending July 3, 2023 Britain’s factories have plunged further into recession territory, driven by domestic and foreign buyers reining in spending amid intense economic uncertainty, a closely watched survey out today shows. S&P Global and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s (CIPS) purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for the UK’s manufacturing industry slipped to 46.5 in June from 47.1 [...]