Metro Bank shares soar as lender returns to profit November 2, 2022 Metro Bank’s shares soared this morning, after the London-listed lender announced it had returned to profit in September. Investors piled into the stock, lifting shares a little over 10 per cent to 80.1p a piece. “I am really pleased to see the business return to profit in September on both an underlying and statutory basis,” [...]
Homeware retailers ‘draw short straw’ in economic crunch as Made.com nears collapse October 31, 2022 Homeware retailers are facing a turbulent 2023 as mounting operational costs and hesitant consumer sentiment piles the pressure on the sector. It comes as Made.com was still teetering on the brink of collapse on Monday after customers have pulled back from spending on pricier items like furniture. Last week, the ailing sofa seller said it [...]
Soaring interest rates could spark five per cent London house price fall October 31, 2022 Soaring interest rates and a tough cost of living crisis could send London house prices on a downward spiral, new research published today warns. Home prices in the capital are on course to shed five per cent next year, driven by sellers dropping prices to attract buyers hit by an affordability crunch, according to property [...]
Government eyes bank surcharge U-turn despite Lloyds profits tumbling October 27, 2022 Britain’s biggest mortgage lender, Lloyds Bank, has set aside hundreds of millions of pounds in preparation for a surge in loan defaults caused by the rising cost of living and higher interest rates squeezing household budgets. The lender today said it had banked £668m over the three months to September to absorb souring loans, primarily [...]
Backing the central bank pivot is a risky bet October 25, 2022 It is easy to criticise central banks for heaping pain on households and businesses. But, this is exactly what they are supposed to do under current economic conditions. Inflation in the UK, US and eurozone has hit 10.1 per cent, 8.2 per cent and 9.9 per cent respectively, all historic highs. The Bank of England [...]
The UK now has a crypto-friendly Prime Minister in Rishi Sunak October 24, 2022 Despite the economic gloom, crypto investors are going to be cheered by the arrival of Sunak at Number 10, says Nigel Green.
Analysis: This shapeshifting inflation surge ain’t over yet October 19, 2022 Today’s inflation figures may have caused a few chairs to be flung at walls in the Bank of England. Prices are up 10.1 per cent over the year to September, above the City’s expectations and up from August. They were in line with the Bank’s forecasts though, a genuine rarity. Remember, the central bank has [...]
London’s FTSE 100 bags gains as rate sensitive stocks kick higher October 13, 2022 London’s FTSE 100 notched gains yesterday driven by stocks exposed to interest rates receiving a boost from reports the government will roll back some of the mini-budget. The capital’s premier index jumped 0.35 per cent to 6,850.27 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK [...]
UK economy on recession cliff edge as GDP unexpectedly shrinks October 12, 2022 The UK is staring over a recession cliff edge, caused by soaring inflation and rising interest rates, that will be lengthened by turmoil in financial markets, official figures published today revealed. The economy unexpectedly shrank 0.3 per cent over the month to August, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Economists had expected gross [...]
Housebuilder Barratt warns volatility is clouding outlook October 12, 2022 Housebuilder Barratt Developments warned that economic volatility was clouding the picture for the year ahead today but doubled down on profit targets for the remainder of the year.