Tax raids trigger worst start to year on record for businesses April 25, 2026 Tax rises under Labour coupled with the war in Iran have triggered the worst start to the year for businesses on record. Fewer businesses were set up in the first three months of 2026 than in the same period of any year on record, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics. Just 78,655 [...]
‘Outlook uncertainty’: Interest rates to be left unchanged in crunch decision April 24, 2026 The Bank of England is set to leave interest rates unchanged at a highly-anticipated meeting on Thursday as investors are looking for further guidance on the impact of the Iran war on the UK economy. Markets have all but priced in a hold at the Monetary Policy Committee’s next meeting, which would leave interest rates [...]
Bank of England: Firms are bracing for price rises and job cuts April 24, 2026 Firms believe that employment will decline and inflation will hit four per cent in the next year, research by the Bank of England has shown, as tensions mount over spiralling wage and price growth over the next year. The Bank’s latest decision maker panel, a survey of business owners on price expectations, has fuelled concerns [...]
‘There’s a lot of risk out there’ – Bank of England warns of market ‘adjustment’ April 24, 2026 A top Bank of England official has warned that global markets could fall even further with current share prices not reflecting the economic risks at play. Sarah Breeden, the Bank’s deputy governor for financial stability, said: “There’s a lot of risk out there and yet asset prices are at all-time highs. “We expect there will [...]
Inflation fears push slump in demand for City offices April 24, 2026 Demand for office space in the Square Mile slid in the first quarter of the year as investors stalled decision making following the outbreak of war in Iran. Office property demand fell by 23 per cent year on year in the City of London and 14 per cent in the capital as a whole in the [...]
BRC chief: Red tape ‘weighs heavily’ on retailers April 23, 2026 Helen Dickinson, the boss of leading trade body the British Retail Consortium, believes red tape “weighs heavily” on retailers. She speaks to Felix Armstrong about food inflation, workers’ rights and her meeting with the Chancellor. Helen Dickinson was six weeks into her job as chief executive of the BRC when the horsemeat scandal landed on [...]
Economic optimism slumps to lowest level since records began April 22, 2026 Brits’ optimism in the state of the UK economy has fallen to the lowest level since records began in a fresh blow to Rachel Reeves, with the majority expecting the situation to get even worse. That’s according to new data from the latest Ipsos Economic Optimism Index (EOI), published the same day that the rate [...]
London house prices sink again as wealthiest areas hit April 22, 2026 House prices in London have fallen for the seventh consecutive month, as the capital’s luxury hot spots saw huge slumps in value. House prices dropped more than 12 per cent in Westminster – which includes in-demand areas like Mayfair and Knightsbridge – and 11 per cent in Kensington and Chelsea. The average house price in [...]
Hampden Bank Breaks Through £1bn of Deposits in 2025 April 22, 2026 UK private bank marked its 10th anniversary last year, whilst launching a new North and Midlands base in Manchester and relocating to new offices in Edinburgh and London
Barclays sweetens mortgage deals as interest rate decision takes focus April 22, 2026 Barclays has become the latest bank to wade into the flurry of mortgage rate cuts as lenders turn their attention to next week’s interest rates decision. The FTSE 100 giant cut rates across more than 20 mortgage products from Wednesday morning. It follows on from a slew of reductions from the likes of HSBC UK, [...]