Bitcoin flat again as investors wary of next Russia move February 17, 2022 Bitcoin is down slightly this morning, falling 0.5 per cent to $43,761 while Ethereum has also dropped back somewhat, dipping 1.45 per cent.
Conflict of interest claims: While looking for Brexit opportunities, Jacob Rees-Mogg holds stake in $8bn emerging market investment fund February 17, 2022 Experts have pointed out that Jacob Rees-Mogg holds a substantial stake in a multi-billion investment fund specialised in emerging markets, while at the same time he is now tasked with finding ‘Brexit opportunities’ in those same countries. Rees-Mogg is a major shareholder in Somerset Capital, an investment firm he co-founded and focuses on investment projects [...]
Johnson’s ‘restrictive’ immigration rules will not drive high wage economy, says think tank February 17, 2022 Prime minister Boris Johnson’s plan to impose “restrictive” immigration rules to drive a ‘high wage’ economy post-Brexit will fail, a leading think tank has warned today. The Resolution Foundation, in collaboration with the London School of Economics, expect the government’s policy to restrict work-related immigration to those with higher-wage jobs will force sectors such as [...]
Three in four UK exporters say Brexit trade deal is stopping growth February 17, 2022 Just under three in four British exporters believe the UK-EU post-Brexit trade deal is not helping them increase sales, according to a new survey from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). The survey found 71 per cent of businesses disagreed with the statement that Boris Johnson’s trade deal was “enabling their business to grow or [...]
Post-Brexit immigration ‘unlikely to move the dial on big-picture economic outcomes’ or wages February 17, 2022 A shortage of migrant workers alone is “unlikely” to increase wages in the longer term and the UK’s post-Brexit immigration system “will do little to change the UK’s economic trajectory”, according to the Resolution Foundation. The think tank said its research shows immigration has changed the size and shape of the UK’s workforce in recent decades, [...]
Andrew Bailey fell asleep on inflation and now it is workers who will face the flames February 17, 2022 Is there a comfortable chaise longue in the office of Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England? I think we should be told. Because it has become apparent that the Bank has been asleep on the job. In the year to December 2021, consumer prices rose by 5.4 per cent. We have to go [...]
Brexit shaves off record £20bn from UK exports in one year alone with imports from EU also dropping February 16, 2022 UK exports to EU countries shrunk by a record £20bn in just 20 months, according to new figures. Sales to the EU dropped more significantly in 2021 than exports to any other country in the world, the ONS data shows, as UK to EU exports nosedived 12 per cent between January and December of last [...]
UK and Australia sign new defence and security agreement February 16, 2022 The UK and Australia have signed a new defence, security and trade agreement as a part of the government’s efforts to strengthen its foothold in the Indo-Pacific. Boris Johnson and Scott Morrison spoke at 8.30pm this evening to formalise the pact, which will see the UK agree to spend £25m for “regional projects [in the [...]
Housebuilders facing extra £3.2bn in construction costs this year as prices spiral February 16, 2022 UK housebuilders could face paying the hefty extra sum of £3.2bn per year as new-build construction costs are set to skyrocket. The average cost of construction for a new-build property is set to rise almost £18,000 per unit, research from property debt adviser Sirius Property Finance has revealed. Construction costs across the industry could total [...]
Bitcoin continues good run as stock markets pick up February 16, 2022 The crypto markets look stable again this morning, with Bitcoin continuing to hold above $44k and Ethereum above $3,100.