FTSE 100 today: London markets brace for cautious start amid weak global cues, BoE policy decision holds key February 1, 2024 Asian markets mimic Wall Street's decline while oil prices rise amid Middle East tensions. Investors await the Bank of England policy decision and focus on upcoming earnings reports from Apple, Amazon, and Meta.
Fed leaves interest rates at 22-year high but pushes back on rate cuts January 31, 2024 The decision means the federal funds rate will remain at a 22-year high, standing in a range of 5.25 to 5.50 per cent.
Santander UK rides out interest rate peak but expects further mortgage weakness January 31, 2024 High street lender Santander UK has reported a jump in annual profits as it rode out the end of an interest rate spike, while weakness continued in the mortgage market.
House prices: Recovery speeds up as more than half of Brits now tap up parents to get on the ladder January 31, 2024 House prices rose 0.7 per cent in January as cooling mortgage rates are continuing to help repair the market, a new report from Nationwide said.
Private investors bail out of UK gilts after mini-budget chaos January 31, 2024 Ownership of UK government bonds (gilts) by private investors have fallen to their lowest level since 1996, dropping 44 per cent in less than three years, according to data from the Office of National Statistics. After peaking in December 2012, ownership of private gilts has been in terminal decline since September 2021. Now, only £3bn [...]
Moving markets: Five things shaping the FTSE 100 today January 31, 2024 Asia markets mirror Wall Street's decline; most AI stocks, including Microsoft, Alphabet, and AMD, tumble; China's January factory activity contracts; attention shifts to Fed and BOE policy meetings.
UK insolvencies skyrocket to 30-year high in ‘striking’ reminder of ‘onerous’ environment January 30, 2024 The number of company insolvencies has soared to its highest level since 1993, as voluntary liquidations reached the most since records began in 1960. The Office for National Statistics revealed today that throughout 2023, there were over 25,000 company insolvencies, with every category of insolvency rising compared to the year before. Mark Ford, partner in [...]
Mortgage approvals hit six month high in fresh boost for house buyers January 30, 2024 Mortgage approvals rose again last month and climbed to the highest level in six months, in the latest signal that lower borrowing costs are helping aid recovery in the property market. New figures from the Bank of England show the number of buyers receiving a green light grew from 49,300 in November to 50,500 in [...]
UK economy: Consumer borrowing dropped last month in latest recession warning January 30, 2024 Consumer borrowing dropped sharply in December in the latest sign that the UK economy probably slipped into recession at the end of last year.
Mark Carney backed climate tech company raises £11m in series A January 30, 2024 Climate tech company Cultivo has raised $14m (£11m) in a series A funding round co-led by Massmutual Ventures and Octopus Energy Generation.