‘A breath of fresh air’ vs ‘more to do’: What City grandees have to say about Sunak April 17, 2023 As Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer doesn’t tire of reminding voters: expertise beyond politics can be invaluable. For the current resident behind that most famous front door, it’s so far proved an advantage. Liz Truss’ accountancy background may not have aided her short-lived leadership bout, but – for the City’s boardrooms at least – her [...]
UK inflation poised to slip out of the double digits for first time since last summer April 16, 2023 UK inflation is poised to slip out of the double digits for the first time since last summer in what could be the beginning of the cost of living crisis gradually releasing its grip on families over the rest of the year. Official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Wednesday are expected [...]
Coalition of 15 investors with total assets of £2.4trn plead with firms to protect lowest-paid workers April 14, 2023 A coalition of investors are demanding that businesses take “decisive action” to protect their lowest paid workers during the cost of living crisis. The coalition, which includes 15 investors with a combined £2.4trn in assets under management, argued that the lowest-paid workers are “disproportionately impacted by the rising cost of living.” Companies should ensure that [...]
Supermarket wars: Lidl and Aldi play catch up with Tesco in slashing price of milk April 14, 2023 Aldi and Lidl have followed rival supermarkets Sainsbury’s and Tesco in slashing the price of milk. The budget retailers announced on Friday that they are cutting the price of their four-pint own brand bottles by 10p from £1.65 to £1.55. The change follows a similar announcement by supermarket Sainsbury’s on Thursday, with Tesco being the [...]
Explainer: Tesco needs more than cheap milk to keep loyalty in the supermarket price war with Aldi and Lidl April 14, 2023 Tesco has had a rocky week. In the midst of a cost of living crisis, remaining loyal to businesses is tough, as the nation has been forced to favour being frugal over buying name brand goods. This revelation rang all too true for Tesco on Thursday, as Britain’s biggest supermarket reported its operating profit was [...]
FTSE 100 live: London markets make small gains with retailers in focus as sterling stays strong April 14, 2023 Markets opened marginally higher on Friday with a mixed performance from retailers while the pound continued to strengthen as investors increasingly expect the Fed to start cutting rates across the pond. The FTSE 100 opened 0.20 per cent higher at 7,859.58, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health [...]
Childcare: Two in five mothers say high costs are still keeping them out of the workplace April 14, 2023 Two in five mothers feel prohibited from returning to work due to the high cost of childcare, even with Jeremy Hunt’s expanded childcare offering, a new survey of 2,000 mothers has revealed. “Nursery and childminder costs can swallow a huge chunk of new parents’ earnings, and with the current cost of living crisis squeezing every [...]
Unemployment must be higher to keep a lid on inflation, Bank of England’s Huw Pill claims April 13, 2023 A greater proportion of the UK population than before the recent series of economic shocks may need to be unemployed in order to keep a lid on inflation, the Bank of England’s chief economist has claimed today. Huw Pill, who succeeded Andy Haldane as the Bank’s top wonk, was speaking at an event hosted by [...]
Labour poll lead narrows as key local elections approach April 13, 2023 Labour’s poll lead has narrowed to just 14 points up on the Conservatives – with just three weeks to go until voters cast their ballots in local elections. Pollsters at think tank More in Common (MiC) found the Conservatives were on 30 per cent with Labour on 44 per cent, the narrowest lead recorded by [...]
Approving Rosebank oil and gas field ‘a huge mistake’, government told April 13, 2023 Climate groups have urged the government not to approve the Rosebank project, one of the largest undeveloped fields in the North Sea.