Soaring energy bills to drag on UK economy, new forecasts reveal March 28, 2022 Swelling energy bills are set to drag on the UK economy this year by sending a chill through household spending, reveals new research published today. Household energy bills will almost double in October even after rebates are handed out, according to new forecasts published by the EY Item Club today. The downbeat assessment adds to [...]
Week ahead: City eyes fresh borrowing figures for signs of spending slowdown March 27, 2022 Investors will be keeping a close eye on fresh economic data this week for further signs of the cost of living crunch hitting spending. A flurry of downbeat economic announcements and data last week did not derail the capital’s premier FTSE 100 index, which added over one per cent to reach 7,483.35 points by the [...]
21m German retirees in line for hefty pension increase this year thanks to higher wages and inflation March 26, 2022 German retirees will get a hefty pension increase this year, largely as a result of higher wages in Europe’s biggest economy as inflation climbs sharply, the government said. The German labour ministry said pensions will increase by 5.35% in the former West Germany on July 1 and by 6.12% in the formerly communist east. There [...]
Bitcoin FOMO is about to go off the scale March 25, 2022 Stand by for Bitcoin FOMO, says Nigel Green as BTC is about to mine towards the remaining 10 per cent of total supply.
Ready to replace Boris: ‘Anxious’ Rishi Sunak fails three times to rule out Tory leadership run March 25, 2022 Chancellor Rishi Sunak failed three times to rule out that he could launch a leadership bid in the future. Speaking to Beth Rigby Interviews on Sky News, the Chancellor was asked whether he would go for the top job if the opportunity arises. He was read a quote from Boris Johnson, who said in 2013 [...]
Sunak wants to be a low-tax Tory but instead he’s following the US and picking winners March 25, 2022 When Frank Sinatra first uttered the words “the best is yet to come”, the UK’s fiscal strategy probably couldn’t have been further from his mind. But the words ring true after a spring statement that did little to make life any easier for those of us who make a living trying to read the Chancellor’s [...]
‘Wall of worry’ knocks UK consumer confidence March 25, 2022 “A wall of worry” made up of a 30-year high inflation rate, the Russia-Ukraine war and looming tax hikes is plaguing UK households, reveals a closely watched survey released today. Brits’ optimism dropped five points to minus 31 this month marking the fourth month in a row consumer confidence has fallen, according to research firm [...]
Top firms mull pension hikes to keep pace with inflation March 24, 2022 FTSE 100 firms are mulling discretionary pension hikes as soaring inflation threatens to outpace the rate of annual growth in payouts, according to a top pensions consultant.
The City View: More Spring Statement analysis, and The Macallan’s Master Whisky Maker distills her craft March 24, 2022 Today Andy Silvester chats to Economics and Markets reporter Jack Barnett — they look back on yesterday’s Spring Statement; go through dire IFS figures; and discuss lack of growth in the UK economy. Andy also takes us through the business news: P&O are in even more hot water; and the CEO of convenience store operator [...]
Spring statement: Record fall in living standards under current parliament March 24, 2022 UK living standards will fall quicker over the course of this parliament than any other since records began, reveals fresh analysis released in the wake of chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spring statement. The typical non-retired household is forecasted to be two per cent worse off by the time of the next election in 2024, according to [...]