Banks raised savings rates to avoid ‘robust action’ from watchdog September 1, 2023 High street banks have been raising the rates on savings accounts after the City watchdog threatened to take action against firms.
Property sales down 16 per cent in July as reduced lending rates fails to stop hesitancy August 31, 2023 The number of property sales taking place in July was 16 per cent lower than it was in the same month last year, as reduced lending rates failed to allay prospective buyers' hesitancy.
FTSE 100 Close: London finishes in red on fears of stubborn inflation August 31, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 was subdued today on fears of stubborn inflation keeping investors quiet, finishing in the red after being on one of its longest winning streaks in months. The capital’s premier blue-chip index finished 7,452.87, 0.28 per cent down, after spending all day in the green. By 2.30 it was at 7,488.29, about 0.2 [...]
‘No room for complacency’ on inflation: Bank of England’s Pill hints at 15th straight interest rate hike August 31, 2023 The Bank of England’s chief economist warned that there was “no real room for complacency” in bringing inflation down back to target, suggesting more rate hikes are in the offing. Speaking at a research conference in South Africa, Huw Pill said “inflation remains too high, well above target, and there is no real room for [...]
London business confidence hits highest level since May last year August 31, 2023 Business confidence in London surged to its highest level since May last year, as firms around the country were increasingly optimistic about the UK economy. Business confidence in London rose 20 points during August to hit 52 per cent, according to the latest Lloyds Business Barometer. Some 56 per cent of firms were confident in [...]
Mortgage approvals sink in July as market continues to cool on rising rates August 30, 2023 The number of mortgage approvals fell sharply in July as the housing market continues to cool off the back of rising interest rates.
New borrowing slows as Bank of England’s rate hikes take effect August 30, 2023 Consumer borrowing increased at a slower rate than expected last month as the Bank of England’s interest rate hikes hit demand for new loans. Bank of England figures out this morning showed that the monthly increase in consumer credit was £1.2bn, £400m less than the £1.6bn increase seen in June. Although borrowing on credit cards [...]
13 amazing things to do in London in September that prove summer’s not over August 30, 2023 The days following the August long weekend can seem a little bleak, with the evenings drawing in and no more bank holidays until Christmas. But fear not: London has plenty to offer over the coming month. Here are a few of the top events and festivals to keep your spirits up. PUB IN THE PARK [...]
High street banks pull back from SME lending despite increasing demand August 30, 2023 Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are finding it increasingly difficult to access funding from high street banks, new data out today shows. According to data from fintech firm iwoca, 84 per cent of finance brokers said high street banks were increasingly reluctant to lend to SMEs. This was seven percentage points more than the quarter [...]
UK housing sales on track to sink to lowest level since 2012 August 30, 2023 The number of housing sales completed over 2023 is on track to sink to its lowest level since 2012, when Britain was still reeling from the financial crash, as higher borrowing costs continue to decimate the market. Sales are also set to be 21 per cent down on last year, according to new data from [...]