Construction momentum fades amid fragile consumer confidence January 7, 2025 Construction activity in the UK economy fell to a six-month low in December, a new survey shows, with momentum slowing across the sector. Housebuilding activity slipped deeper into contraction, according to S&P’s construction purchasing managers’ index (PMI), while growth in commercial and civil engineering work slowed compared to the month before. This meant that the [...]
Buying a house? Pay in cash for a £28k discount January 7, 2025 Buying a house is the largest purchase most of us will make in a lifetime – but it may be cheaper for some than others. Cash buyers now pay £28,000 less on average for a home than those relying on a mortgage, and the ‘cash discount’ has risen by 12.4 per cent in just two [...]
Porsche 911 Carrera 2025 review: Sensible sports car still sparkles January 7, 2025 For 40 years, the entry-level Porsche 911 has been called ‘Carrera’. Back in 1984, a 911 3.2 Carrera developed 231hp, accelerated to 62mph in 5.6 seconds and cost £31,950. For comparison, the new 911 Carrera driven here serves up 394hp, blasts to 62mph in 3.9 seconds and has a list price of £99,800. According to [...]
UK house prices climb at fastest rate since 2021 – but fears over Budget impact mount January 7, 2025 According to Halifax, UK house prices rose 3.3 per cent across 2024 as a whole, with the majority of the house price growth coming in the second half of the year.
How will the UK economy perform in 2025? January 7, 2025 The economy has shown few signs of life since June and business surveys since October's Budget have painted an incredibly bleak picture of the year ahead.
UK firms shed jobs at fastest rate in three years amid payroll hikes January 6, 2025 Weak demand and higher payroll costs have led to the steepest decline in service sector jobs since January 2021, according to a new survey. Nearly a quarter of survey respondents reported a fall in workforce levels, while 12 per cent signalled a rise, data from the S&P Global UK Services PMI showed. “Service providers widely [...]
UK economy to stage ‘welcome recovery’ thanks to consumer rebound January 6, 2025 The firm forecast that GDP will increase by 1.7 per cent over 2025, double the 0.8 per cent expansion anticipated for 2024.
Sport sponsorship: Best deals, who’s investing and 2025 growth January 5, 2025 As 2025 kicks off, the sports sponsorship landscape is brimming with opportunity. New trends are emerging and the environment is ripe for seasoned sponsors to make bold investments promoting new brand offerings. With Premier League clubs preparing for life after gambling sponsors and athlete-driven media platforms gaining traction, the industry is undergoing a transformation that [...]
FTSE 100 to outperform S&P 500 in 2025 says Wall Street January 3, 2025 Equity analysts have predicted that the FTSE 100 will have a record year in 2025, helped by lower interest rates and higher oil prices. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, Wall Street analysts believe the UK’s flagship blue-chip index will jump 15 per cent in 2025, its best year since 2009. In 2024, the index [...]
Mortgage approvals fall faster than expected in wake of Budget January 3, 2025 65,700 mortgages were approved in November, down from 68,300 in October and comfortably below economists' expectations.