UK inflation leaps to 10.4 per cent smashing Bank of England and City forecasts March 22, 2023 UK inflation has surpassed forecasts and stayed in the double digits, in a sign the Bank of England will need to keep hiking interest rates to tame prices, official figures out today reveal. The rate of price increases jumped to 10.4 per cent in February, up from 10.1 per cent in January, according to the [...]
Negative rising costs March 22, 2023 With inflation, plus a recession looming, businesses are experiencing record levels of employee financial stress, as well as a demand for higher salaries, quiet quitting and the aftermath of the Great Resignation. More and more employees are turning to their employers for financial wellbeing support — which is where nudge comes in. Combining behavioural psychology [...]
The Notebook: Neil Wilson on Credit Suisse, interest rates and Ayn Rand March 22, 2023 How did you go bankrupt?” Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” Hemingway’s wisecrack could be the epitaph for Credit Suisse, whose ignominious end caps a series of disasters at the Swiss bank, eventually bringing it to the brink on Sunday. UBS has probably done rather well, picking up CS for cents on the dollar, even if it will take [...]
Pubs are go: Britain’s oldest brewer Shepherd Neame shrugs off strikes and inflation in eight per cent revenue rise March 22, 2023 Britain’s oldest brewer Shepherd Neame has said consumer spending in the wake of the costs of living crisis has “remained strong” as the group posts strong revenues for the 26 weeks to December 2022. The listed pubs group, which operates around London and the South East, posted revenues of £85.3m up 8.4 per cent from [...]
Milk, meat and fruit worst affected as supermarket groceries DOUBLED in cost over last year, Which? says March 22, 2023 The cost of some everyday groceries has more than doubled over the last year, consumer brand Which? has found. The company analysed inflation on more than 25,000 food and drink products at eight major supermarkets – Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose. Which? looked at the average price of the products in the three [...]
Cost of UK energy imports more than doubles as North Sea body urges government to back British oil and gas March 22, 2023 The UK’s energy import bill more than double last year, amid an increasing reliance on overseas supplies, revealed Offshore Energies UK.
Trafigura and Vitol could step up trade in Russian oil, CEOs admit March 22, 2023 Global energy traders Trafigura and Vitol are considering whether to resume more trade in Russia's oil, their CEOs said yesterday.
Nearly every sector of UK economy powers away from feared recession March 22, 2023 Nearly every sector of the UK economy is powering away from a recession that was much-tipped at the turn of the year, a new survey out today shows. Some 11 of the 14 sectors monitored by Lloyds Bank are producing more than they did a month ago, the highest number in nearly a year. The [...]
Mini budget continues to wreak havoc on the UK housing market as annual sales dive 18 per cent March 21, 2023 UK property transactions fell four per cent in February as the fall out from last September’s mini budget continued to drive down the UK’s housing market. Sales of residential property fell 18 per cent during the year with just 76,920 transaction across the UK, as buyers were forced to deal with higher borrowing costs as [...]
Analysis: Is it the end of the Winter of Discontent? March 21, 2023 The weather is (just) getting warmer, pay talks have paused strikes, but it might just be a break in the wave of strikes.