Bank of England makes £3.8bn profit from Liz Truss mini budget bond sales January 12, 2023 The Bank of England has trousered £3.8bn in profits from ditching bonds it hoovered up to stem financial chaos caused by Liz Truss’s calamitous mini-budget, the central bank told City A.M. The Bank announced today it has ditched all the £19.3bn of gilts purchased last autumn to stabilise the UK debt market. Governor Andrew Bailey [...]
As US inflation eases off 40-year high, Fed likely to ease off on back-to-back jumbo rate hikes January 12, 2023 US inflation is at its lowest level in 15 months, fuelling speculation the Federal Reserve will step back from further jumbo interest rate hikes in 2023, Official figures out today show the rate of price increases in the world’s largest economy fell to 6.5 per cent in December, down from 7.1 per cent in November, [...]
Bank of England to hike interest rates to lower peak but still to financial crisis high January 12, 2023 The Bank of England will lift interest rates to a much lower peak than expected just a matter of months ago, but is still set to send them to their steepest level since the financial crisis, City traders suspect. Markets reckon borrowing costs will peak at below 4.5 per cent, meaning investors think the Bank [...]
London holding off UK recession but businesses sweat over inflation January 12, 2023 London appears to be withstanding the UK’s wider economic decline, with businesses hiring at a record pace and expecting their finances to fatten up over the coming year, a new survey out today reveals. The capital’s jobs market is running at red hot levels, according to the London Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s (LCCI) latest [...]
FCA says more than 750,000 at risk of mortgage default as interest rates rise January 11, 2023 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has warned that more than 750,000 people are at risk of defaulting on their mortgage in the next two years. In a letter sent to the Treasury Select Committee on December 14, the regulator said that at the end of June 2022, there were nearly 200,000 regulated mortgages in payment [...]
Global cost-of-living crisis risks ‘dire consequences’ for planet as firms ditch climate concerns January 11, 2023 The global cost-of-living crisis threatens to railroad efforts to combat climate change, “potentially leading to dire planetary and societal consequences,” the World Economic Forum (WEF) warned today. Soaring energy and food prices are forcing governments and private businesses to turn to cheaper, often dirtier resources to produce goods and services. As a result, “the risks [...]
FTSE 100 close: JD Sports springs London flagship index to 2018 high January 11, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 index leapt to its highest level since 2018 in afternoon exchanges in the City today after a series of strong retailer earnings signalled the UK consumer is holding up well amid the cost of living crunch. The FTSE 100 index climbed 0.99 per cent to 7,770 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE [...]
Barratt: Rising mortgage costs could hit its profits as house prices slide January 11, 2023 Barratt Developments said the outlook for 2023 was ‘uncertain’ as rising mortgage costs force residential property sales down. The FTSE 100 listed house builder said demand for its homes in 2023 looks “uncertain” due to prospective home buyers shunning big ticket purchases amid a cost of living and mortgage affordability squeeze. Mortgage costs have been [...]
Long-awaited report delivers damning verdict on LME nickel chaos January 10, 2023 The LME failed to police large positions on the nickel market and did not have sufficient volatility controls, according to a new report.
City banks’ risk management systems criticised by Bank of England January 10, 2023 The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) today criticised City banks’ approach to risk management despite “regular messaging” on the issue. In a letter sent to bank executives in the City, the Bank of England’s regulatory arm set out its priorities for the New Year. Top of the list for regulators was financial resilience, in particular “deficiencies [...]