Prices fall as retailers ramp up discounting to entice shoppers September 2, 2020 Shop prices fell in August as retailers continued to offer discounts in a bid to entice shoppers back onto high streets. Prices fell 1.6 per cent last month, compared to a drop of 1.3 per cent in July, driven by a decline in non-food prices which were down 3.4 per cent. Retailers have slashed prices [...]
FTSE 100 and US stocks soar on coronavirus treatment hopes August 24, 2020 The FTSE 100 jumped and US stocks hit fresh highs after the US authorised a new coronavirus treatment, lifting the mood among global investors. London’s blue-chip index rose 1.7 per cent to close at 6,104 points. The FTSE 250 index of mid-cap firms rose 0.6 per cent. Read more: Asian stocks climb after Wall Street [...]
US stocks open higher as Wall Street eyes more records August 19, 2020 Wall Street opened higher on Wednesday and looks to be heading for another day of new all-time records. The S&P 500 closed at an all-time high yesterday after recovering all of the losses suffered during the coronavirus crash and was up once again on Wednesday morning by a further 0.28 per cent to 3,399 points. [...]
UK inflation unexpectedly rises on oil prices and clothes shopping August 19, 2020 UK inflation jumped unexpectedly to one per cent in July from 0.6 per cent in June amid a surge in global energy prices and increased retail activity, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has said. The consumer price index inflation reading was the highest since March and markedly higher than the 0.6 per cent analysts [...]
BRC: Retailers ease discounting in July as lockdown relaxed July 29, 2020 British retailers discounted their goods less in July than the month before, after consumer demand picked up in many sectors as coronavirus lockdown restrictions eased, data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed today. Average shop prices in July were 1.3 per cent lower than a year before, compared with 1.6 per cent lower in [...]
Markets live: FTSE 100 up but US stocks down amid stimulus hopes July 28, 2020 The FTSE 100 rose but US stocks fell as coronavirus cases climbed around the world and Republicans and Democrats prepared to debate a new stimulus package amid new vaccine trials The UK’s main stock index was 0.3 per cent higher in afternoon trading at 6,120 points after briefly slipping into the red. The FTSE 250 [...]
Brits spend £40bn on items to boost mood in lockdown July 23, 2020 Brits have spent £40.6bn on dispensable items during lockdown in a bid to keep themselves entertained while at home. Consumers spent an average of £771.34 each during lockdown, as retailers launched new products to capitalise on the demand for at-home experiences. Londoners spent the most during lockdown, amounting to 2812.26 per person followed by parents [...]
UK unemployment: 650,000 Brits lose jobs in lockdown July 16, 2020 Around 650,000 people lost their jobs between March and June, official figures showed today, as the UK labour market “weakened markedly” during lockdown. Job losses led to a 0.3 per cent drop in total pay in May compared to a year earlier, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. That is a 1.3 per cent [...]
UK inflation beats expectations but stays well below Bank target July 15, 2020 UK inflation increased for the first time this year in June as non-essential shops reopened from coronavirus lockdown, official figures have shown, although it was still well below the Bank of England’s target. UK inflation as measured by the consumer price index came in at 0.6 per cent in June, the Office for National Statistics [...]
Eurozone inflation defies expectations with rise as economies re-open June 30, 2020 Eurozone inflation rose in June after hitting a four-year low in May as economies across the bloc began to re-open following lockdowns. Consumer prices in the bloc rose 0.3 per cent in June month-on-month, defying economists’ expectations that they would remain flat as the negative impact of low energy prices decreased. The European Union’s statistics [...]