Reeves to invest billions in a new housing bank for UK builders June 17, 2025 The government has announced plans to create a new national housing bank to encourage private investment and boost housebuilders. It says the bank, which will provide £16bn of new public investment, will unlock over £53bn of private investment over the next decade and help to build hundreds of thousands of homes. The £16bn investment includes £10.5bn [...]
Thwaites ‘extremely nervous’ Rachel Reeves will raise taxes in Autumn Budget June 17, 2025 Beer brewer Thwaites is “extremely nervous” about the possibility of Chancellor Rachel Reeves raising taxes further in her Autumn Budget. The Lancashire-headquartered group, which also owns pubs and hotels, added its industry is “under tremendous pressure” from Reeves’ first Autumn Budget due to the increases in the National Minimum Wage and the employer’s National Insurance [...]
Why the Bank of England will hold interest rates June 17, 2025 At every other meeting, the Bank of England publishes its monetary policy report alongside its interest rate decision. Each lengthy report includes fresh details on revisions to central forecasts, which are poured over with glee by economists and investors.. But this Thursday’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting will offer few statistical goodies. Officials will meet [...]
Further job cuts needed to cope with tax raid, businesses warn June 17, 2025 Businesses across Britain are planning another round of job cuts to deal with the pain of Rachel Reeves’ national insurance raid, laying bare the scale of the financial pressure wrought by the government’s £20bn tax hike after it came into effect in April. As many as one in three businesses said they were planning to [...]
Inflation set to ease slightly before interest rates decision June 16, 2025 UK inflation is set to ease slightly to 3.3 per cent in May, according to a poll of economists, in a final set of data to be seen by Bank of England officials before they come to an interest rates decision on Thursday. A slightly lower rate of inflation would enthuse investors, who currently predict [...]
Barclays and Natwest shares jump as conflict sparks inflation fears June 16, 2025 Shares in the FTSE 100’s top banks were rising on Monday as the intensifying conflict in the Middle East triggered inflation fears. Barclays and Natwest were up nearly two per cent and Lloyds over one per cent during early trading as oil prices crept up another one per cent to $74.90 a barrel. This follows [...]
Costain shares jump after Peel Hunt, Panmure raise target price June 16, 2025 Shares in Costain jumped as much as 10 per cent in early London trade after raised price targets from analysts at both Peel Hunt and Panmure Liberum. The London-listed construction company’s target price was upgraded to 150p from 135p by Peel Hunt and to 170p from 150p by Panmure Liberum. The firm unveiled a £10m [...]
FTSE 100 shrugs off Israel-Iran strikes June 16, 2025 The FTSE 100 was unmoved by simmering tensions in Israel and Iran, despite reports that the UK was scrambling to send fighter jets, and conflict in the Middle East was on the brink of a significant escalation with US involvement. The UK’s leading index was up 0.2 per cent after the first hour of trading, [...]
Bank of England expected to hold rates at 4.25 per cent June 15, 2025 The Bank of England is expected to hold interest rates at 4.25 per cent after inflation jumped in April and policymakers remain “nimble” to the evolving economic backdrop. Most economists think the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will opt to keep rates on hold when it meets on Thursday. The MPC has voted to cut [...]
Will lower stress tests for mortgages fuel a first-time buyer boom? June 13, 2025 Easier access to mortgages might replace the stamp duty holiday as fuel for the starter homes market, with prices forecast to soar if affordability improves. The average price paid by a first-time buyer grew by 2.1 per cent in the first quarter and by 7.1 per cent year on year, according to government data. While [...]