London businesses crimped by cost of living spending slowdown July 12, 2022 London’s businesses are being crimped by Brits cutting spending in response to the cost of living squeeze, reveals a survey released today. Some one in four of the capital’s firms have suffered income hits over the last three months, up from a fifth in the first quarter of this year, according to the London Chamber [...]
Rail union bosses who called for biggest train strike in 25 years take home £280,000 in pay and perks July 12, 2022 With the transport unions having voted on the ‘biggest rail strike in 25 years’, it has been revealed that two Aslef trade union bosses had a combined total remuneration of £281,601 in 2021. Aslef’s general secretary, Mick Whelan, took home £151,371 in total remuneration in 2021. While Aslef’s Assistant General Secretary, Simon Weller, received £130,230 in the same year, the TaxPayers’ Alliance said [...]
Retail sales tumble to a rate ‘not seen since depths of pandemic’ amid cost of living crisis July 12, 2022 Retail sales volumes are plunging by a rate not seen since the darkest days of Covid lockdowns, as industry voices have warned businesses will struggle amid historic inflation. Total sales dropped by one per cent in June, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG retail sales monitor for the five weeks to 2 [...]
UK to get new PM on 5 September as Tory leader votes start Wednesday July 11, 2022 The UK will get its 78th Prime Minister on 5 September, with the Conservative MPs to begin the process of electing a new party leader on Wednesday. Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, this evening announced MPs would have their first vote Wednesday and a second on Thursday. A number [...]
Railway ticket office and platform staff vote to back strike action at Southeastern and Network Rail July 11, 2022 Ticket office and railway platform staff working for Southeastern and Network Rail have voted in favour of industrial action, in ballots by the TSSA union. According to the union, which announced the ballot’s result today, 73.9 per cent of Southeastern members balloted voted in favour of walking out while 85.1 per cent said yes to [...]
UK windfall tax reprieve helps FTSE 100 pare back morning losses July 11, 2022 Recession fears initially gripped London markets today, but traders perked up during the afternoon session to leave the capital’s main index unchanged. The FTSE 100 was largely flat, closing at 7,196.59 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, fell 0.4 per cent to [...]
The era of steady growth and inflation is over, BlackRock warns July 11, 2022 The world’s biggest asset manager BlackRock said today the era of steady growth and inflation was over as it revealed it had slashed its exposure to developed market equities and was bracing for extended period inflation and volatility.
Train drivers at eight railway firms vote in favour of industrial action July 11, 2022 Train drivers will join the wave of industrial action that has brought the country to a standstill as members of the union Aslef at eight operators have voted in favour of industrial action. No dates have been announced yet, but if it were to go ahead, the industrial action will hit services on Chiltern, GWR, LNER, [...]
Investors strap themselves to real estate debt, pouring £590m into BNP Paribas fund July 11, 2022 Investors have poured more than €700m (£592m) into BNP Paribas’ second senior commercial real estate debt fund. The French asset management giant sailed passed its €500m (£423m) target, with investors keen to strap themselves to sturdy funds with a record of navigating financial crises, such as the pandemic. The second fund has snagged more than [...]
Will the recent slide in the Volatility Index continue? July 11, 2022 With earnings season kicking off this week amid the backdrop of US inflation, consumer confidence and industrial production data, where next for the VIX? Volatility Index (VIX) outlook The Volatility Index (VIX) is again coming off its relatively high 30+ reading as it has done every month year-to-date, except in April, but is another spike higher around [...]