UK economy to shrink, but avoid recession for now May 23, 2022 A combination of a weak March handover and the Queen’s Jubilee in June is set to see the UK economy contract in the second quarter. An easing of coronavirus restrictions resulted in the UK economy growing 0.8% over the first quarter. But this respectable outturn masked a deterioration in the monthly profile. After a 0.7% [...]
ECB’s Lagarde butters up markets for first rate hike in over a decade May 23, 2022 The European Central Bank (ECB) will hike interest rates for the first time in over a decade in July, its chief signalled today. President Christine Lagarde in a blog post on the central bank’s website said the committee of rate setters will take borrowing costs out of negative territory by September. The ECB has trailed [...]
Traders increasingly short ‘awfully cheap’ Pound as inflation and cost-of-living crisis drive UK towards hard recession May 23, 2022 Traders are increasingly taking short positions against the Pound Sterling as the economic outlook for Britain deteriorates. Institutional investors, asset managers and other key players in the US, the world’s largest financial market, currently hold more than 128,000 short positions against the Pound, compared to just 32,000 long positions, according to the most recent figures [...]
Which?: Food prices climb a fifth in just two years May 21, 2022 Prices for some of the UK’s most loved grocery items have soared over the last two years, a new study has revealed. Supermarkets have hiked the price of 265 lines by more than a fifth, with Tesco raising the price of household favourtie Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut 21.4 per cent and Sainsbury’s lifting Warburtons’ four-seeded thin [...]
Pound on course for best week since Christmas 2020 May 21, 2022 The pound was on course for its best week against the dollar since December 2020 driven by investors betting on the Bank of England having to keep raising interest rates to get on top of a historic inflation crunch. Markets are baking in a fifth successive rate hike at the Bank’s next meeting in June [...]
Wall Street tips into bear market territory on recession fears May 21, 2022 Intensifying concerns about the health of the global economy has tipped Wall Street into bear market territory. The US’s top index, the S&P 500, at one point yesterday lost two per cent, ratcheting up its losses since its peak in January to more than 20 per cent, breaching the threshold for a bear market. The [...]
‘Unsubstantiated, shrill, partisan, self-serving, apocalyptic warnings ALWAYS wrong’, says HSBC official on climate change impact May 20, 2022 A top HSBC banker has claimed global authorities are overplaying the impact of climate change, saying “unsubstantiated, shrill, partisan, self-serving, apocalyptic warnings are ALWAYS wrong”. The banking giant’s head of responsible investing, Stuart Kirk, made his controversial claim during a presentation on a slide during a London conference yesterday. HSBC said his views did not [...]
How carbon offsets can help achieve net-zero carbon emissions. May 20, 2022 Alan Simpson CA explains the use of carbon offsets as a means of achieving net zero carbon emission Carbon offsetting is an activity that compensates for, or balances out, greenhouse gas emissions generated by an organisation through its activities and operations. These offsets (or carbon credits) are expressed in tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2). Each [...]
Bank of England hints further interest rates are coming soon to bring down highest inflation in four decades May 20, 2022 As the British economy is hit by high levels of inflation, the Bank of England’s chief economist said today interest rates might need to rise further in the near future. Huw Pill said the 9 per cent inflation rate – the highest in 40 years – is a “very uncomfortable situation” for decision-makers at the [...]
City Moves: Who’s switching jobs in the Square Mile? May 20, 2022 City A.M.’s Millie Turner provides a roundup of the most important hires and job moves across the City, every morning. Email citymoves@cityam.com to be featured. BNP Paribas Real Estate BNP Paribas Real Estate (BNPPRE) has bolstered its West End Agency team with a new director. Katrina Love previously spent 11 years in Colliers’ central London office team. The Colliers veteran, who had [...]