European stocks post biggest fall since 2018 while FTSE 100 ends year in green December 30, 2022 European stocks have notched their worst annual performance in four years driven by investors sweating over soaring inflation, rising interest rates and the prospect of a tough recession in the bloc. The pan-European Stoxx 600, an aggregate of Europe’s top indexes, finished 2022 down nearly 13 per cent, its biggest annual decline since a drop [...]
Inflation surge reshapes Brits’ spending, but so does end of Covid-19 curbs December 30, 2022 Inflation reaching a 41-year high. Interest rates back to 2008 levels. Mortgage costs up substantially. It’s been a tough year for the Great British consumer. Income growth has failed to keep pace with what was a 11.1 per cent cost of living peak, meaning households have been forced to cut back to protect their finances. [...]
Tony Blair: Vladimir Putin should have got seat at international ‘top table’ December 30, 2022 Tony Blair argued that Vladimir Putin should be given a seat at the international “top table” despite deep misgivings among officials about the new Russian president, according to newly released official files. Papers released to the National Archives in Kew, west London, show Mr Blair, as prime minister, believed the former KGB man was at [...]
Strikes: Ministers will not be ‘held to ransom’ by unions, says Wallace December 29, 2022 The government will not be “held to ransom” by striking public sector workers, defence secretary Ben Wallace has said. As the wave of industrial action showed no sign of abating, Mr Wallace insisted there was “no magic wand” to produce the money for above-inflation pay awards. His warning came after new TUC general secretary Paul [...]
Goldman Sachs poised to slash headcount next month December 29, 2022 The chief of Goldman Sachs has warned staff he will slash the bank’s headcount by around eight per cent next month in a bid to bolster profits in the face of recession next year.
S&P 500 set for worst year since 2008 as US stocks slide again December 29, 2022 A broad slide for stocks added to Wall Street’s recent losses on Wednesday, as investors count down to the end of the worst year for the S&P 500 since 2008. The S&P 500 fell 1.2 per cent , with technology, energy and industrial stocks among the biggest weights on the benchmark index. The tech-heavy Nasdaq [...]
Best of political opinion in 2022 December 28, 2022 The best opinion and analysis of the high drama in Westminster in 2022.
From strikes to Avanti West Coast: Here the top five things to look out for in rail next year December 28, 2022 Railway has taken centre stage in the UK public discourse as the tug of war between unions and train operators over the past six months has led to unthinkable misery to millions of people and businesses. Rail minister Huw Merriman said last month the walkouts had cost the UK economy £500m, while hospitality and retail [...]
Best of 2022: How George the Poet is changing the national conversation December 26, 2022 It seems almost unbelievable that Harry and Megan’s wedding – global audience: 1.9 billion – was opened by… a podcaster. But George Mpanga, better known as George the Poet, is no ordinary podcaster; he’s a musician and a thinker, pushing the boundaries of the medium so far he’s created a genre all of his own. [...]
Best of 2022: Michael Doughty on quitting football to found ethical brand Hylo Athletics December 26, 2022 In this interview first published in October 2022, former Premier League footballer Michael Doughty explains why he walked away from the game to set up sustainable sportswear brand Hylo Athletics. The longer that Michael Doughty’s playing career went on, the harder he found it to ignore the effects of climate change. “I saw way more [...]