Factory gate inflation hits three-year high October 7, 2011 The price of goods leaving UK factories rose to a three-year high of 6.3 per cent raising doubts over the Bank of England’s belief that consumer inflation will slow next year. The factory gate figure was largely driven by fuel and food inflation, according to the Office for National Statistics, but the core figure without [...]
Inflation hits a three-year high in OECD October 4, 2011 PRICES rose at their highest level since October 2008 in the twelve months to August, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) revealed yesterday. Consumer price index (CPI) inflation accelerated to 3.2 per cent over the year across the 34 member countries, up from 3.1 per cent in the year to July. Energy and [...]
Things will only get worse for Labour until they discuss voters’ inflation concerns September 29, 2011 AS LABOUR gathered in Liverpool for its party conference this week, one of their top priorities was to fashion a message on the dominant issue in British politics today: the economy. They failed. FISCAL FAILURE On the fiscal side, the shadow chancellor Ed Balls, unveiled an economic recovery package that seemed like it had been [...]
Brazilian inflation up again September 20, 2011 Consumer prices rose more than expected in Brazil in the month to mid-September. The benchmark price index rose 0.53 per cent, the national statistics agency said yesterday, led by rising food prices. That was faster than the 0.27 per cent rise in August. Analysts warned that the uptick in prices underscored the riskiness of the [...]
We need a new capitalist revolution: A young writer presents his provocative manifesto for free markets September 19, 2011 MORE people have climbed out of poverty in the past 50 years than did so in the 500 years before that. Life expectancies across the world have doubled in the last one hundred years. The global poverty rate has fallen from 25 per cent in 2005 to 12 per cent today. By 2015, it will [...]
US retail growth grinds to halt in August after slow summer September 14, 2011 HURRICANE Irene and low confidence made retail and food sales stagnate last month, according to figures released yesterday by the US Census Bureau. Advanced estimates indicate overall sales did not grow at all during August, compared to monthly growth of 0.3 per cent and 0.2 per cent in July and June respectively. Sales of vehicles [...]
Factory input costs fall but prices stay high September 9, 2011 Prices for manufactured UK goods stuck at a record high in August despite a fall in the costs of raw materials as fuel costs dipped, official data shows. Factory gate inflation stayed at July’s upwardly revised reading of 6.1 per cent, the highest annual rate since October 2008. Analysts had forecast a 5.9 percent increase. [...]
Why buying property is no panacea September 8, 2011 ANYBODY interested in the housing market and in trying to preserve their wealth in these uncertain times should take a look at a fascinating new book. Safe as Houses: a Historical Analysis of Property Prices is full of useful facts – and a stark reminder that investing in residential property isn’t as sure a bet [...]
Wm Morrison sales up on record customer numbers September 8, 2011 Supermarket chain Wm Morrisons has shrugged off the retail sector gloom to post an almost nine per cent rise in its pre-tax profits in the first half as a record number of shoppers visited its stores. Morrisons attracted 11.5m customers on average each week, adding 2.2 per cent to its like for like sales excluding [...]
Greene King cautious as pub food boosts its sales September 6, 2011 BRITISH pubs and brewery group Greene King said higher demand for pub food helped it partly offset the impact of cost inflation and lower consumer morale in the 18 weeks to 4 September, and reported a rise in like-for-like sales. “The trading outlook remains uncertain as UK consumers are having to cope with rising costs, [...]