‘Recession increasingly likely’ as business output drops sharply under weight of higher interest rates September 22, 2023 A steep downturn in services saw economic activity contract at its fastest pace since the financial crisis – outside of the pandemic – raising the chances of a recession, a closely watched survey suggested. S&P Global’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for the UK economy came in at 46.8 – far below the 50 reading which [...]
Jeremy Hunt: Tax cuts ‘virtually impossible’ until economy improves September 22, 2023 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has shot down suggestions of tax cuts after a string of economic updates this week, saying they’re “virtually impossible” until there’s more improvement. Speaking on LBC this morning, the chancellor responded to suggestions that falling inflation and rates being held yesterday, may give headroom to ease the burden on cash-strapped Brits this [...]
Consumer confidence continues to rise amid cost-of-living woes September 22, 2023 Consumer confidence is continuing to rise against a backdrop of falling inflation – but many households are continuing to struggle with cost-of-living pressures, according to a survey. GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index increased four points in September, but remains at a subdued minus 21. Expectations for the UK’s wider economy over the next 12 months [...]
Retail sales show signs of recovery after summer washout September 22, 2023 Retail sales volumes rose by 0.4 per cent in August 2023, partially recovering from a fall of 1.1 per cent in July 2023, new government figures show. Non-food stores sales volumes grew by 0.6 per cent in August 2023, following a fall of 1.2 per cent in July 2023 when unseasonable rainy weather drove shoppers [...]
Wall Street: US stocks plunge on fears that interest rates will stay high September 22, 2023 Wall Street fell sharply in an ugly day for stocks worldwide on expectations that US interest rates will stay high well into next year. The S&P 500 lost 1.6 per cent for its worst day since March. That followed a drop of 0.9 per cent from Wednesday after the Federal Reserve indicated it may cut [...]
Lettuce remember: One year on from Liz Truss’ disastrous mini-budget September 22, 2023 One year on from the mini-budget, City A.M. takes a look at the fallout and asks whether Truss still has the ability to influence the Conservative Party going forward.
Why investors are sounding the alarm on Sunak’s climate U-turn September 21, 2023 Rishi Sunak’s move to ditch a host of key climate policies will have a chilling effect on the flow of cash into the country as the US presses ahead with sweeping green subsidies, top investors have warned.
Bank of England: Have interest rates hit their peak? September 21, 2023 Economists think rates are at their peak after the Bank of England decided to leave rates unchanged for the first time in nearly two years.
Bank of England leaves interest rates on hold after August inflation surprise September 21, 2023 The Bank of England hiked interest rates by 25 basis points.
Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust weighs up asset sales amid turmoil September 21, 2023 Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust is considering offloading a number of assets to generate cash amid challenging conditions.