UK consumer confidence starting to rise as lockdown ends July 3, 2020 UK consumer confidence is slowly beginning to pick up as lockdown restrictions ease, a new survey has found. According to Growth from Knowledge’s fourth flash report, consumer confidence increased three points over the last two weeks to -27. The small rise comes after the index fell to its lowest ever levels of -36 last month. [...]
Consumer confidence hovers near record low during coronavirus crisis June 5, 2020 Consumer confidence continued to teeter on the brink of hitting record lows during the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Consumer confidence dipped two points to minus 36, just three points above the record low of minus 39 reported in July 2018, as house prices fell and unemployment rose. However, GfK’s major purchase index rose six points, showing [...]
FTSE 100 rises as retail sector prepares to reopen May 26, 2020 The UK’s FTSE 100 closed higher after investors welcomed Boris Johnson’s plans for the phased reopening of the retail sector. London’s blue-chip index closed 1.28 per cent at 6,069 points, as the retail sector prepared to re-open in mid-June. In the Downing Street briefing last night, the Prime Minister said there will be a formal [...]
Consumer confidence ‘battered and bruised’ by coronavirus crisis May 22, 2020 Consumer confidence has been “battered and bruised” by the coronavirus crisis, new research has found as optimism remained low despite the easing of lockdown restrictions. The latest data showed that confidence was at minus 34 as consumers were concerned about the economic impact of the pandemic, with unemployment claims rising amid warnings of a recession. [...]
UK lockdown: Consumer confidence remains ‘severely depressed’ May 8, 2020 Consumer confidence in the UK’s lockdown economy remained “severely depressed” at the end of April, although research indicated there could be some pent up consumer demand when restrictions lift. GfK’s consumer confidence index was at minus 33 at the end of April, a one-point increase on the previous score. However, consumer confidence has plummeted 20 [...]
Consumer confidence teeters on brink of record low during coronavirus lockdown April 24, 2020 Consumer confidence plummeted at the beginning of April but held steady for the rest of the month as the UK adjusted to life under lockdown. The latest research showed that consumer confidence stayed at minus 34 points throughout the month, just five points above the record low reported in July 2008. The measure for the [...]
Growing European Coronavirus fears April 3, 2020 Sterling and the Euro – a story of two halves. The pound had another resilient week, strengthening by an average of 1.9% against the other major currencies. This is despite the downgrade of Britain’s credit rating by Fitch. The pound’s strength can be attributed to the US Federal Reserve announcing billions of liquidity to stabilise [...]
Coronavirus: UK business confidence falls to lowest level since October March 31, 2020 Overall UK business confidence fell to its lowest level since October amid the coronavirus crisis, reflecting a drop in both trading prospects and economic optimism. The Lloyds Bank Business Barometer shows a 17 percentage point drop to six per cent last month. Economic optimism dropped from 23 per cent, its highest level for 17 months, [...]
UK services firms and consumers grow cheerier despite coronavirus February 28, 2020 Optimism in the UK services sector rose at its fastest pace in almost five years in the three months to February, a survey has shown, in the latest sign that the removal of some political uncertainty has cheered businesses. A separate survey today showed that UK consumers also became more optimistic in February, with rising [...]
General election result calms consumer confidence ‘jitters’ January 31, 2020 UK consumer confidence jumped this month, signalling the end of a “jittery mood” as sentiment strengthens following the general election result. Research published this morning showed that sentiment improved by two points to minus nine in January, driven by increased confidence in both individual finances and the general economic situation over the next year. January [...]