Number of million-pound house sales on the rise November 5, 2016 The number of homes sold for £1m or more has jumped by 12 per cent this year – and nearly two thirds of them are bough in London. According to a report from Lloyds Bank, the sales of homes above £1m increased from 5,946 in the first half of 2015 to 6,684 during the first [...]
Sterling’s hit a one month high against the dollar November 4, 2016 Sterling hit a one-month high against the dollar, today propelled by yesterday's ruling that only Parliament could start the process of leaving the EU. It was up as much as 1.6 per cent against the dollar at $1.2492 in afternoon trading in London, and up two per cent to €1.1263 against the euro. Mark Carney also helped [...]
The “whole country should be grateful” that Mark Carney’s staying until 2019, says Bank of England’s deputy governor November 4, 2016 The Bank of England's deputy governor Dr Ben Broadbent has said "the whole country should be grateful" that Mark Carney's staying in place for the next few years. A weekend of speculation over the Bank of England governor's future was brought to a halt by Carney earlier this week when he said he'd be staying in [...]
Oil boss needs buyers to Shell out for assets November 4, 2016 A brave face. That's the best way to describe this week's trading updates from Britain's two oil behemoths. It’s now a familiar visage for BP's Bob Dudley and Shell's Ben van Beurden. Oil prices continue to hover stubbornly below $50-a-barrel, raising justifiable concerns about the companies’ ability to cover their dividends without substantial further cuts [...]
The Bank of England’s response to the uncomfortable dilemma of stagflation will be a key test of its credibility November 3, 2016 The Bank of England faces an uncomfortable time over the next couple of years, if its latest forecasts turn out to be broadly correct. The latest projections in the Bank’s Inflation Report published yesterday show that inflation will be pushed up by the fall in the pound and is likely to remain above the 2 per [...]
Mark Carney predicts more uncertainty on economy following Article 50 ruling November 3, 2016 Bank of England governor Mark Carney has described today’s Article 50 ruling as another example of uncertainty around Brexit which is affecting the economy. The Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) today held interest rates at 0.25 per cent as it revealed ramped-up inflation and near-term growth forecasts. Read more: Bank holds interest rates as inflation and [...]
Bank of England keeps interest rates flat – but says there are limits to how much above-target inflation can be tolerated November 3, 2016 The Bank of England kept interest rates flat as it revealed ramped-up forecasts on inflation and growth today. But the the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), which met yesterday and voted unanimously to keep rates at 0.25 per cent, has indicated “there are limits to the extent to which above-target inflation can be tolerated”. The increased [...]
Government vows to appeal after High Court rules Article 50 cannot be triggered without Parliamentary vote November 3, 2016 The government has vowed to appeal after a High Court judge ruled the Brexit process cannot be started until Parliament has given its backing. The ruling, handed out today, means Theresa May cannot trigger Article 50 without approval from MPs. A spokesman said the government was "disappointed" by the judgement. "The country voted to leave [...]
Carney expected to leave rates on hold on Bank’s Super Thursday November 3, 2016 The Bank of England is widely expected to leave interest rates on hold when it meets later today. Better-than-expected economic growth data in the third quarter – seen as a sign of resilience following the UK’s vote to quit the European Union – could mean Bank of England governor Mark Carney paints a rosier picture [...]
Money supply growth suggests we’re still too pessimistic about the British economy November 2, 2016 The latest broad money supply M4x figures from the Bank of England (up to the end of September this year) paint a picture of an economy getting stronger, not weaker. To understand why, we need a short digression into economic theory. Broad money supply growth provides an insight into the outlook for nominal GDP growth [...]