How much will the UK economy grow in 2025? December 31, 2024 At the beginning of the year, most forecasters expected that the UK would suffer another year of stagnation.
FTSE 100 records best performance since 2021 December 31, 2024 The FTSE 100 returned just 5.8 per cent in 2024, despite a last-minute selloff in the final weeks of December. Despite hopes of a ‘Santa rally’ in December, the FTSE fell 1.7 per cent in the month. However, this will be its best year since 2021. That year, the blue-chip index returned 14.3 per cent, [...]
How fast will the Bank of England cut interest rates in 2025? December 31, 2024 The pace at which the Bank of England cuts interest rates in 2025 will be a major focus for financial markets in 2025, just like it was in 2024.
Investment bosses back UK stocks in 2025 and fret over Trump December 31, 2024 The chief investment officers of some of the UK’s largest asset managers have said they expect UK stocks to outperform global equities in 2025. However, they’ve also warned that trade wars represent the biggest threat to investors in 2025, as US President Donald Trump’s election threatens to heighten global supply chain issues. According to data from [...]
The purposeful CEO is dead: Long live the ‘corporate diplomat’ December 31, 2024 The era of green-centric grandstanding by CEOs might be over – welcome to the age of corporate diplomacy, writes Ali Lyon It had never been more essential, Blackrock’s Larry Fink wrote in the 2022 edition of his widely-read annual letter to CEOs, for bosses “to have a clear purpose”. “Putting your company’s purpose at the [...]
Hiring frenzy at London law firms as ‘apex predator’ disrupts market December 30, 2024 Partners at London law firms are switching companies at record pace as a surge of investment by American rivals ramps up competition for talent. According to data provided by legal recruiter, Edwards Gibson, there were 546 partner moves recorded over 2024. This figure is up seven from 510 moves in 2023, and up 14 per [...]
Finance bosses optimistic about Labour plans to cut red tape December 30, 2024 A KPMG survey found seven in 10 financial services bosses think the policies will help attract foreign investment into the sector.
Small businesses gear up for growth despite Budget pressures December 29, 2024 Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are gearing up for expansion in 2025 despite fears about the state of the economy. In a survey of over 2,000 SMEs conducted directly after Labour’s Autumn Budget, 81 per cent said they were confident their business would grow next year, with confidence among those employing more than 50 [...]
Why the gold price will continue to rally in 2025 December 28, 2024 The untrammelled ascent of bitcoin has occupied the attention of many market watchers of late, with Donald Trump’s election to the White House sending the cryptocurrency – and others like it – on an eye-watering tear. Bitcoin has risen nearly 50 per cent since November 3 – the eve of the US election – while [...]
Drop in Boxing Day footfall ‘signals return to declining pre-covid levels’ December 27, 2024 The slump in the number of people heading to the shops during Boxing Day sales signals a return to declining pre-pandemic levels, an analyst has said. Boxing Day shopper footfall was down 7.6 per cent from last year across all UK retail destinations up until 8pm, MRI Software’s OnLocation Footfall Index found. However, this year’s [...]