UK retail sales rise slightly in November amid concern over golden quarter December 20, 2024 The latest ONS data showed retail sales jumped 0.2 per cent last month, following a 0.7 per cent fall in October.
Government borrowing plummets thanks to rising tax take December 20, 2024 Government borrowing dropped to £11.4bn in November, £3.4bn lower than last year, as higher tax receipts and lower debt interest gave the government a much needed boost. With the lowest November borrowing in three years, the current budget deficit, or amount of borrowing to fund day-to-day public sector activities, also dropped by more than a [...]
Lord Peter Mandelson expected to be named next ambassador to US December 20, 2024 Labour grandee Lord Peter Mandelson is expected to be the next UK ambassador to the US. Lord Mandelson, who served in the cabinets of Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, is poised to be the UK’s next top diplomat in Washington, in a political appointment as President-elect Donald Trump returns to office. The tenure of [...]
New HS2 chief can’t be sorry for £100m bat shed December 19, 2024 Mark Wild said construction of the structure in Buckinghamshire was the "most appropriate" way to "comply with the law."
Bank of England may be forced to prioritise growth in 2025 December 19, 2024 Despite inflation continuing to be a headache for the Bank of England, leading it to hold interest rates today, the central bank may end up being forced to make more cuts than it would like in 2025 to salvage the UK economy. While today’s decision from Andrew Bailey’s Monetary Policy Committee to hold rates had [...]
Sales skyrocket at London Waterloo after biggest ever Wetherspoons opens December 19, 2024 Sales at London Waterloo shops have soared to the top of a leader-board of Britain’s busiest train stations, following the opening of the UK’s largest ever railway station Wetherspoons. The London hub reported the most quarterly sales growth of any of the 19 stations Network Rail runs in the UK, up 47 per cent year-on-year, [...]
Bank of England holds interest rates and downgrades growth forecasts December 19, 2024 The Bank of England held interest rates at 4.75 per cent today, while downgrading economic forecasts for the UK towards stagnant growth. Only six members of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee voted to keep interest rates steady, less than had been expected, as three voted to cut rates by 0.25 per cent citing fears over [...]
US markets tumble as Fed signals fewer interest rate cuts in 2025 December 19, 2024 US markets plunged last night after the Federal Reserve signalled that it would take a more cautious path to interest rate cuts next year. Following the Fed’s announcement, the Dow Jones fell 2.6 per cent, the S&P 500 fell three per cent, and the Nasdaq fell 3.6 per cent. This was the biggest decline in [...]
Outsourcing giant Serco: Shares spike as business pipeline “at its best for a decade” December 19, 2024 British outsourcing giant Serco has said that its pipeline of business opportunities is at its strongest in over a decade thanks to a boost from North American defence contracts. Shares subsequently spiked more this seven per cent in early trades. The FTSE 250 firm told markets this morning that underlying operating profit was £270m in 2024, [...]
Household water bills to rise by an average £31 a year from April December 19, 2024 Household water bills in England and Wales will increase by an average £31 a year over the next five years, regulator Ofwat has announced.
