Pound hits highest level against US dollar in over a year as traders bet Bank of England will outmuscle Fed June 14, 2023 Pound sterling today climbed to its highest level against the US dollar in over a year, driven upwards by investors betting that the Bank of England will surpass the Federal Reserve in its interest rate rise cycle to bring down inflation. Britain’s currency jumped around 0.7 per cent today to nearly $1.27, taking it to [...]
Pyrex maker files for US bankruptcy after inflation and high rates batter sales June 14, 2023 The maker of Pyrex and Instant Pot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as dwindling sales and high inflation have battered the business. Instant Brands, which is US owned, is said to have much as $1bn (£790m) in liabilities. Instant Brand, which trades in John Lewis and Argos for upwards of £180, was impacted by [...]
US inflation slips to lowest level in two years and to more than half of UK rate June 13, 2023 Inflation in the US has fallen to its lowest level in two years, setting Britain even further out as suffering the toughest price pressures in the developed world, official figures out today show. Prices rose four per cent over the year to May, down from a rate of 4.9 per cent in the previous month, [...]
CMA hits out at Asda and Sainsbury’s for restricting competition June 13, 2023 Asda and Sainsbury’s broke anti-competition rules a combined total of 32 times between 2011 and 2019, the competition watchdog said this morning. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the ‘Big Four’ supermarkets broke the Groceries Market Investigation (Controlled Land) Order 2010, which was brought in to stop supermarkets imposing new restrictions that stop rivals [...]
Bread, beef, watermelon and salad dressing: Waitrose joins supermarket war cutting price of 200 products June 12, 2023 Waitrose has slashed the price of more than 200 products as part of a £100 million investment plan to lower customer bills. The supermarket has cut the cost of more than 100 products by at least 10 per cent , with everyday items such as bread and mince receiving some of the biggest reductions. The [...]
UK on course to dodge recession but ‘lacklustre’ growth will linger, KPMG says June 12, 2023 The UK will dodge a recession this year but a tight labour market and sticky inflation will choke off growth, according to the latest forecast from KPMG.
Tesco prepares its quarterly results as UK competition regulator circles supermarket June 11, 2023 Tesco is set to report its first quarter trading results on Friday as the UK’s competition regulator circles the country’s largest supermarket chain over concerns about its pricing strategies. Last week, it emerged that consumer goods champion Which? had reported Tesco to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over claims that it does not display [...]
Searches for pools up 438 per cent as millions of burgers and sausages to be sold for first BBQ weekend June 9, 2023 The sale of barbecue food, ice-cream and inflatable pools have skyrocketed, as Brits prepare for the first BBQ weekend of the summer. Supermarkets Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s have all reported huge spikes in the sale of meat, as millions will enjoy the hot weather and have the first barbecue of the summer. This comes after [...]
London workers are £50,000 worse since 2010 due to wage stagnation, Sadiq Khan report claims June 9, 2023 Workers in London are £50,000 worse off since 2010 due to “scandalous” poor wage growth over the past decade, according to a new report. An analysis from London Mayor Sadiq Khan suggested that workers in the capital have lost thousands of pounds every year as their salaries have failed to keep pace with inflation. In [...]
UK economy will ‘flatline’ as stubborn inflation and a tight jobs market drag on growth June 8, 2023 Britain remains on course to dodge a recession this year but growth will "flatline" as stubborn inflation and a tight jobs market continue to drag on the economy, according to the latest forecast from the British Chambers of Commerce.