Construction projects in London dipped but developer optimism remained November 28, 2024 Construction projects in London dipped this year, but positive signals like lower interest rates and easing construction cost inflation have boosted optimism amongst developers. The number of construction projects started between April and September this year fell by 12 per cent, with refurbishments down 57 per cent, according to the Deloitte London office crane survey. [...]
Forget Reeves’ CV – there’s a bigger transparency problem in monetary policy November 28, 2024 The real discussion shouldn’t be about whether Reeves deserves to call herself an “economist”. It should focus on the unchecked power of current central bank leaders, the far-reaching consequences of their decisions, and how we hold them to account, says Tim Focas The recent controversy over Rachel Reeves’ tenure as an economist at the Bank [...]
Why COP29 failed November 28, 2024 Few were impressed by a late-running conference hosted by a petrostate, but that doesn’t mean we should give up on climate action, says Fin McCarron COP29 has now been and gone. And it’s fair to say that nobody was impressed. This year’s global climate gathering was supposed to provide a brand new climate finance target [...]
Dunelm boss: A rise in the living wage is good for our company November 27, 2024 The boss of Dunelm has said that an above-inflation increase to the minimum wage will have a positive effect on the home furnishings giant, despite a flurry of retailers decrying the increased bill. Dunelm chief executive Nick Wilkinson said that the resulting increase in consumer confidence – due to higher disposable income – will ripple [...]
UK equities to lag US after Trump return – but FTSE 100 could beat Europe November 27, 2024 In the wake of Trump's victory, investors broadly agreed that the US stock market will continue to outshine peers for the foreseeable future.
Starmer refuses to rule out further tax rises or more borrowing November 27, 2024 Sir Keir Starmer has refused to rule out further tax rises or additional borrowing when challenged to repeat his Chancellor’s pledge not to “come back with more”. During Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Conservative opposition leader Kemi Badenoch asked Starmer about Rachel Reeves’ words. She said: “At the Confederation [...]
Bank of England rate-setter warns Trump’s tariffs will damage growth November 27, 2024 “Whether you are an economic historian, an economic theorist or a data-driven economist, the impact is clear in terms of its direction," she said.
Pets at Home: Shares crater after retailer predicts slow growth in ‘subdued market’ November 27, 2024 Animal care retailer Pets at Home described the market as subdued due to cautious consumers, and said it will grow more slowly than expected in the next six months – despite a big hit from the Budget. Shares fell more than 10 per cent in early trades, with the retailer’s share price now down nearly [...]
Tesco Clubcard and Sainbury’s Nectar schemes do help consumers, regulator says November 27, 2024 A year-long probe into UK supermarkets’ pricing practices has found “very little” evidence that shoppers are being treated unfairly with loyalty programmes such as the Tesco Clubcard scheme and Sainsbury’s Nectar points. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) probe, which has been ongoing since November last year, investigated whether supermarket loyalty schemes cause inflation by faking the [...]
It’s not as easy to count the number of ‘working people’ as you might think November 27, 2024 How many people are employed in the UK today? This is not just a question in a pub quiz for boffins. It is one with important practical implications. Changes in the number of people employed is a key piece of information which the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee takes into account when setting interest [...]