Retail sales volumes fell last month as the cost of living crunch eats into April’s gains June 24, 2022 Retail sales volumes fell by 0.5 per cent last month, according to the latest figures, as the cost of living crisis eats away at gains made in April. While the figures suggest current inflation levels and concerns over a recession have Brits’ pinching their purse strings, sales volumes were 2.6 per cent above pre-pandemic levels, [...]
Vacant homes in London increase by the thousands, fuelling squeezed supply June 24, 2022 Westminster has seen the number of vacant but owned homes jump by 48 per cent over the past year – the equivalent of nearly 2,500 homes – as property demand in London outpaces supply. London is the only region of England which has seen the number of vacant homes rise over the past year, according [...]
Rampant inflation swells UK debt interest bill and pushes up government borrowing June 23, 2022 Inflation is swelling the UK’s interest bill and forcing the government to borrow more money to pay investors, official figures released today revealed. The amount of money the government paid to holders of UK debt jumped just over 70 per cent over the last year, reaching £7.6bn in May, up from £4.5bn last year, according [...]
GSK to inject £1bn into new vaccines, as demerger leaves it with ‘less distractions’ June 23, 2022 GSK has announced it will inject £1bn into the research and development of infectious diseases over the next decade, just weeks after a major demerger. The British pharmaceutical giant will focus on diseases that disproportionately impact lower-income countries, in a move predicted by analysts since GSK split from its consumer healthcare division, now a separate [...]
Boohoo poaches Trainline CFO weeks after retailer saw first-ever sales drop June 23, 2022 Boohoo has poached Trainline’s former finance lead as its new chief financial officer (CFO), just weeks after the retailer posted its first-ever sales drop. It comes amid a turbulent period for fast fashion brands. Rival retailer Missguided collapsed in late May, after being hammered by spiralling supply chain costs. Shaun McCabe, who has sat on [...]
Rail strikes to halt commutes again as RMT union boss warns of more to come June 23, 2022 Rail strikes are set to hit London and the rest of the country again today, as union members picket outside an unusually quiet Euston Station. While Tube services are running, delays are expected to hang over from yesterday’s bout of industrial action. RMT union general secretary Mick Lynch, who joined picketers for the second of [...]
Moderna to open vaccine hub in the UK in £1bn investment June 22, 2022 Famed Covid-19 vaccine maker Moderna is set to open a vaccine research and manufacturing centre in the UK, the health secretary has unveiled today, in a £1bn investment. It will seat the UK in a prime position in the development of new vaccines and therapeutics for a range of respiratory diseases, including Covid-19, as well [...]
Government mulled use of national security laws to force Arm London listing June 22, 2022 Ministers mulled the use of national security laws to push Japanese investment giant Softbank into floating chip manufacturer Arm into a London listing, according to reports.
Developing old industrial land to unlock over £460bn worth of new housing, research finds June 22, 2022 Developing brownfield sites, industrial land which is now empty, could unlock more than £460bn worth of new housing, according to new research. The government is already looking to develop these spaces, as part of its Levelling Up scheme, which will form part of its pledge to build 300,000 new homes each year to keep up [...]
House prices continue to grow month by month, hitting an average £281,161 in April June 22, 2022 The average house price in the UK hit £281,161 last month, as the cost to own a home continues to climb month by month. House prices grew 1.1 per cent between March and April, according to the government’s latest figures, forming part of an average 12.4 per cent annual increase in price. While onlookers have [...]