Gilts: Investors aren’t scared of UK’s ballooning deficit – yet March 13, 2024 Surging demand for UK gilts comes even as the Treasury announced plans in the Spring Budget to borrow more than ever from the private sector.
Mercia’s venture capital trusts raise £60m as investors bulk up exposure to private businesses March 13, 2024 Mercia Asset Management has raised £60m for three of its venture capital trusts focused on the North of England.
Why the Bank of England will keep interest rates on hold despite lower inflation March 13, 2024 The latest clutch of data is unlikely to change the Bank of England's thinking ahead of its decision on interest rates next week.
Metro Bank swings to first annual profit since 2018 while slashing 1,000 jobs March 13, 2024 Metro Bank has swung to its first annual profit since 2018 after the branch-focused lender was rescued from potential collapse by a major refinancing package and embarked on a restructuring set to involve 1,000 job cuts.
UK economy takes first steps out of recession as growth returns in January March 13, 2024 The figures will raise hopes that the UK is already moving out of the shallow recession it fell into in the second half of last year.
A trade deal with Texas: The UK can learn from the Lone Star State March 13, 2024 There are three ways to look at the trade “co-operation” agreement which will be signed today between the UK and the great state of Texas. The first is as a largely pointless press release, a damning indictment of pre-Brexit promises of an all-singing, all-dancing trade deal with the entire United States, not just a particularly [...]
UK economy nearly a third smaller thanks to ‘catastrophically bad’ productivity slowdown March 12, 2024 Since the financial crisis, productivity growth in the UK has slowed significantly from its pre-2008 trend and has fallen behind international peers.
Mortgage arrears surge 50 per cent to seven-year high as Brits squeezed by higher rates March 12, 2024 The proportion of UK mortgages in arrears rose to its highest level since 2016 at the end of 2023, according to data from the Bank of England, as borrowers are squeezed by high interest rates and household costs.
Bank of England’s fears of a tight labour market will remain despite growing slack March 12, 2024 Although almost every measure suggested a softer labour market than expected, the downside surprises were small and show a labour market that is still tight in historical terms.
Wage growth slows faster than expected and unemployment picks up slightly March 12, 2024 Developments in the labour market are crucial for assessing whether inflation is under control, enabling the Bank to ease the cost of borrowing.