Bank of England lifts interest rates to fresh 15 year high in smaller than feared 14th straight hike August 3, 2023 The Bank of England today hiked the UK’s official interest rate for the 14th time in a row but by a lower degree than some had feared. Members of the nine-strong monetary policy committee (MPC) voted 6-3 in favour of a 25 basis point rise, smaller than the 50 basis point lift some in the [...]
Are central banks to blame for the inflation crisis? August 1, 2023 As we enter what looks like the final leg of central banks’ interest rate rising journeys, it’s as good a time as ever to trace why they have been jolted into action after over a decade of ultra loose policy and whether their response to the inflation crisis has been effective. Coming out of the [...]
Marshalls to cut 250 jobs as housebuilding slump takes toll July 31, 2023 Building products supplier Marshalls is axing around another 250 jobs and closing a factory in Scotland after sales dived due to a housing market slowdown. The group said the cuts come as part of plans to save £9 million a year, which will see it shut a factory in Carluke in South Lanarkshire, while also [...]
TSB Bank profits up 45 per cent on rising rates as impairment charges soar too July 27, 2023 TSB Bank’s profits were lifted by rising interest rates, but the bank flagged challenges ahead as impairment charges soared by 54 per cent on last year. In the first half of the year pretax profit climbed 45 per cent to £147.9m, up from £102.9m in the same period last year. The lender noted this was [...]
Foxtons profit jumps despite ‘challenging’ sales market July 27, 2023 Foxtons reported a jump in profit for the first half of the year, but warned that the wider sales market “continues to remain challenging”. The estate agency posted £6.1m in pre-tax profit, up from £4.3m year on year. Foxtons said that overall revenue for the period was up nine per cent to £70.9m as “strong [...]
HSBC set to reduce fixed-rate deals as hopes rise that mortgage rates will start to fall July 25, 2023 HSBC became the first high street bank to announce they will be reducing rates on a swathe of their fixed-rate products, sparking hope that mortgage rates might begin to fall. Mortgage rates have spiralled in recent months as inflation has remained stubbornly above the Bank of England’s target. Traders are now betting that the Bank [...]
Summer deals help bump retail sales as growth falls at slowest rate in a year July 21, 2023 Retail sales grew by 0.7 per cent in June 2023 with increases across all the main sectors, as warmer weather and a greater selection increased consumer spending. During the month, non-food stores sales volumes rose slightly by 1.0 per cent in June 2023, following a fall of 0.5 per cent in May 2023, according to [...]
Inflation tumbles faster than expected to its lowest level in over a year at 7.9 per cent July 19, 2023 Inflation has slimmed to its lowest level in over a year and is falling faster than expected, raising the chances of the Bank of England hiking interest rates at a slower pace next month, official figures out today reveal. The rate of price growth fell to 7.9 per cent in June, down from 8.7 per [...]
UK house price growth slows to 1.9 per cent in May July 19, 2023 The average price of a UK house cost £286,000 in May, according to new government data, with the figure being £6,0000 up on 12 months ago – but £7,000 below its September peak. Average UK house prices increased by 1.9 per cent in the 12 months to May 2023, down from a revised 3.2 per [...]
Bank of England interest rate hikes trigger record £2.1 trillion UK wealth collapse, report claims July 17, 2023 The Bank of England has engineered the largest contraction in UK household wealth on record by jacking up interest rates in response to scorching inflation, a new report out today has claimed. Asset values have collapsed by £2.1 trillion since early 2021, mainly driven by a sharp fall in bond prices in response to UK [...]