Small businesses suffer unprecedented cost assault in sign of more economic woe April 25, 2022 Swelling costs are eating away at small businesses’ margins in a sign that a key engine of the UK’s recovery is beginning to stall, reveals fresh research published today. Nearly nine in 10 small businesses have experienced an uptick in their operating costs, squeezing their room to combat what is expected to be a weaker [...]
Rishi Sunak to host major City figures at £10,000-a-table Tory fundraiser April 24, 2022 Rishi Sunak will host City heavyweights at a £10,000-a-table Tory fundraiser next week as he tries to court new major donors for the party. Investment banker and Conservative party treasurer Malik Karim has organised the event, which will see the chancellor as guest of honour. Sky News reports that the event will be held at [...]
Spac boom falters as regulators ramp up scrutiny April 24, 2022 A global boom in so-called blank-cheque firms has faltered in the first quarter of 2022 as investors grow sceptical of the vehicles and regulators prepare to clampdown on fanciful financial forecasting.
London-listed retailers plummet on expected spending cool down April 24, 2022 An expected slowdown in consumer spending in response to the cost of living crunch hobbling household finances has whacked London-listed retail stocks. The bucket of top retail shares in the City, known as the FTSE 350 retail, has fallen 21 per cent in the year so far, making the sector one of the worst performers [...]
Britain’s biggest banks in higher interest rate profit boost as earnings season kicks off April 24, 2022 Profits at Britain’s biggest high street lenders have been boosted by the Bank of England hiking interest rates to tame historic high inflation. That’s according to top City analysts who are forecasting the UK’s largest banks to have reaped the rewards of being able to charge borrowers more for loans. A higher interest rate environment [...]
Insolvencies more than double as rampant inflation and rising interest rates hit firms April 22, 2022 Company insolvencies more than doubled last month as soaring inflation and rising borrowing costs pushed firms over the edge.
Inflation is on a collision course with world economies… while Bitcoin looks steady April 22, 2022 Bitcoin remains in what has become its favourite trading range of around $40k where it has been for, well, pretty much all of 2022.
Poundland owner Pepco pledges to ‘protect prices’ as discounter names new CEO April 22, 2022 Poundland owner Pepco has vowed to “protect prices” as customers feel the pinch of rising bills. The Warsaw-listed retailer posted a 17.6 per cent rise in first-half revenue, sales were buoyed by new store openings. Customers would be protected from increases to prices by the retailer renegotiating terms with key suppliers and stock efficiency programmes, [...]
Sky high inflation: Consumer confidence crashes as Brits worry about big purchases April 22, 2022 Consumer confidence has crashed this month, nearing a historic low in GrowthforKnowledge (GfK)’s index. The data company’s Consumer Confidence Index decreased seven points to -38 in April, as Brits worried about rising inflation. All measures, which look at how Brits feel about their personal situation and general economic situation, as well as major purchases, were [...]
Cost of living crunch looms as retail sales continue to fall April 22, 2022 The UK’s cost of living crisis is increasingly showing signs in consumer spending habits, with retail sales volumes continuing their descent, according to the latest figures. Sale volumes shrank by 1.4 per cent in March 2022, following a fall of 0.5 per cent dip in February. However, sales volumes were 2.2 per cent above their [...]