GWR engineers join rail workers and strike on 1 October September 27, 2022 Around 350 engineers will join colleagues working at Great Western Railways (GWR) as well as across the network and strike on 1 October over salaries. The union Unite said that, despite a current inflation rate of 9.9 per cent, GWR engineers were not offered a pay increase. Disruption will affect the operator’s depots and stations [...]
Virgin Atlantic boss calls on Govt to make ‘difficult decisions’ and bring pound up September 27, 2022 Virgin Atlantic’s boss Shai Weiss has called on Prime Minister Liz Truss to make “difficult decisions” and bring the pound’s value up. “The message to the government is pretty clear in my mind,” he told journalists on Tuesday morning. “Prime Minister Liz Truss has taken difficult decisions upon entering the role. “Maybe you need to [...]
Hedge funds reap rewards after bets against bonds September 27, 2022 A crop of hedge funds have been reaping bumper profits from a plummeting pound this week after wagering against government bonds and sterling ahead of Kwasi Kwarteng’s tax cutting ‘mini-budget’ on Friday.
Sterling crash: Plenty of blame to go round but much of it falls on the Bank September 27, 2022 The British economy has been through a lot in recent years but a full-scale currency crisis still wins points for novelty. But for all the sound and fury of yesterday’s market movements and the so-called sterling crash, the panic is overdone. Much of the blame for yesterday’s excitement lies, rightly, with the government. This newspaper [...]
Card Factory benefits from pandemic recovery as consumers return to high street September 27, 2022 Greetings and gift specialists Card Factory had bumper revenue and profits in the first half of the year, as it looks to weather choppy economic waters ahead. Card Factory made £198m in the first six months of the year, up almost 70 per cent on the same period last year, while its earnings before tex [...]
Mortgage lenders withdraw some products after mini-budget market turmoil September 27, 2022 By PA Banks and building societies are withdrawing some of their mortgages from sale after the Government’s mini-budget on Friday sparked massive market turmoil. Three lenders have so far withdrawn some of their products amid the uncertainty. Virgin Money said: “Given market conditions we have temporarily withdrawn Virgin Money mortgage products for new business customers. [...]
If we don’t fix London’s housing, families will get stuck in temporary accommodation September 27, 2022 This coming winter will be hard for millions of Londoners, with energy costs and inflation hitting almost everyone. But it will be harder still for the thousands of families stuck in temporary accommodation who don’t have a permanent home. The numbers affected are staggering – 59 per cent of all English households in temporary accommodation [...]
Exclusive: Entertainment and media firms hold nerve against economic instability September 27, 2022 UK entertainment and media firms are holding their nerve against a backdrop of economic turmoil, opting for digital investment over cuts. While there is short-term uncertainty in the market, confidence and growth can be seen in the long-term direction of the entertainment and media (E&M) industry, according to a new report from PwC. The big [...]
London’s FTSE 100 squeezes out gain as house builders tumble September 26, 2022 London’s FTSE 100 squeezed out a small gain today despite investors ditching house builders in response to the Bank of England signalling it will hike interest rates sharply. The capital’s premier index edged 0.03 per cent higher to below the 7,020.95 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250, which is more aligned with the health [...]
Pound slides after Bank of England bats away emergency rate hike pressure September 26, 2022 Sterling collapsed to an all time low this morning as investor confidence evaporated in the wake of the government’s plans to slash taxes and ramp up borrowing in a ‘mini-budget’ last week.