FTSE 100 close: London markets rise strongly after June inflation comes in lower than expected July 19, 2023 London markets breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday after inflation finally came in lower than expected. The bluechip FTSE 100 closed 1.8 per cent higher at 7,588.20 while the midcap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the domestic economy, ended 3.8 per cent higher at 19,322.52. Investors were buoyed [...]
Pay growth stays at three decade high but inflation still stripping away wages July 19, 2023 Pay growth is running at its fastest pace in over three decades and has remained unchanged for the second quarter in a row, in a sign the Bank of England may have to back a bigger interest rate hike again next month. New figures out today from XpertHR reveal wages leapt six per cent in [...]
Restaurateurs reeling as no shows cost sector £90 per missing head July 19, 2023 Restaurateurs are reeling as punters not showing up for dinner costs businesses £90 per head, a new study has shown, leading many to consider throwing in the towel for good. A rising number of diners cancelling at the last minute, or just not turning up, over the last year has led to almost a fifth [...]
FTSE 100 close: Ocado drags London index into black as markets brace for inflation data July 18, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 squeezed out gains today that have pushed it back into the black in 2023, propped up by shares in online grocer Ocado soaring after a decent set of results. The capital’s premier index jumped 0.64 per cent to 7,453.68 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with [...]
Ultra-high food prices here to stay as Russia exits Black Sea grain deal with Ukraine July 17, 2023 Soaring food costs may not fall as quickly as markets had hoped, retail and pub industries have warned amid a Russian supply squeeze.
UK inflation to fall to lowest level since March 2022 but Bank of England still tipped to hike interest rates July 17, 2023 UK inflation is on course to drop to its lowest level in over a year, but lingering underlying price pressures will heap expectation on the Bank of England to keep on hiking interest rates, new figures out this week are tipped to show. The rate of price growth in Britain is expected to have dropped [...]
New data: Cost-cutting and restructuring helps keep restaurant industry alive July 17, 2023 Bank of England interest rate rises could threaten the UK restaurant sector’s return to profitability, according to national accountancy group, UHY Hacker Young. The group say the percentage of UK restaurant companies turning a profit has more than doubled from 35 per cent to 78 per cent in the past year, but recent rate increases could [...]
Explainer: A scoresheet on Rishi’s five pledges July 14, 2023 With Parliament’s summer recess approaching, it is usually a good time to draw some conclusions on the current political situation. For the prime minister, it doesn’t look good. Rishi Sunak started the year outlining his five pledges for 2023: halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce the national debt, cut NHS waiting lists and stop the [...]
Pound surges to strongest level since April last year as traders bet on further rate hikes July 14, 2023 The pound has surged to its strongest position in over a year over the past week as traders bet the Bank of England will have to hike rates further and faster than global counterparts. Since the beginning of the month, the pound has risen from below $1.27 to trade at over $1.31. The last time [...]
Poundland sales continue to surge as bargain hunters seek out best deals July 13, 2023 Poundland has once again been bolstered by a surge in shoppers seeking out value goods, with its parent company Pepco reporting a 12.5 per cent surge in revenues in the third quarter. Pepco Group said it reached revenues of €1.37bn (£1.17bn) as the group opened 141 new store openings during the third quarter across its [...]