Home transactions up with market for pricey properties booming compared to pre-Covid levels March 22, 2022 Property transactions hit 96,250 last month, with big spenders buying more than before the pandemic. Transactions were up 15 per cent in February, compared to 83,450 in January, according to HMRC’s latest data on home transactions. Total sales for the first two months of the year stand at 179,900, some 18 per cent lower than [...]
Food industry: Government must act to tackle cost of living crisis as prices spike March 22, 2022 A food industry leader has called on the government to intervene to ease supply chain pressures on food firms as a cost of living crisis looms. Food and Drink Federation boss Karen Betts has urged ministers to act to help millions of households as they face rising food and energy prices this spring. Measures urged [...]
A ‘policy light’ spending review must still grapple with cost of living woes March 22, 2022 Chancellor Rishi Sunak wants onlookers to pay little attention to Wednesday’s spring statement. Policy-light has been the line from the Treasury. Very few have been tempted into believing the Chancellor will sit on his hands and Sunak’s announcements tomorrow are set to finally reveal his true preference for the level of state intervention in the [...]
Exclusive: Seraphim Space posts UK Finance chairman to board March 22, 2022 Seraphim Space has lured in a new City veteran, City A.M. can reveal today, as the chairman of UK Finance steps onto the space capital firm’s board as a senior advisor. Bob Wigley, formerly chairman of Merrill Lynch – now Bank of America – for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, will maintain his role [...]
Business secretary to unveil neurodiversity business forum for greater support March 21, 2022 Business and banking heavyweights including Unilever and the Bank of England have launched a new forum for neurodivergent people in business. The Neurodiversity in Business (NiB) forum is set to support the neurodivergent community in the workplace, taking into account the strengths and differences of “brain-wiring”. Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng will unveil the new body [...]
Financial regulators shine spotlight on crypto amid Ukraine conflict March 21, 2022 Global financial regulators have confirmed they are closely monitoring the role of crypto assets amid the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Letters: Weaning off Covid-19 cash March 21, 2022 [Re: Small business lending tumbles amid strong economic rebound, March 14] UK Finance data shows strong economic recovery from the pandemic led to borrowing among small businesses falling off a cliff last year. However, we observed a 58 per cent year-on-year increase in SMEs seeking finance in January 2022, demonstrating a rebound in activity and [...]
Extra 125,000 workers will pay National Insurance in ‘stealth tax’ hike March 20, 2022 An extra 125,000 people will have to pay National Insurance under Rishi Sunak’s current tax plans, new research has revealed. Research compiled by the Liberal Democrats, using figures from the House of Commons library, suggest that employees face an extra £1.1bn hit through a “stealth tax” if Sunak does not increase the current threshold by [...]
Soaring inflation is UK’s main financial concern March 20, 2022 Soaring inflation is the top financial concern for UK adults, in both the long and short term, according to new research from M&G Wealth. A quarter (25 per cent) of UK adults cited soaring inflation as their main financial concern over the coming year, according to a survey of 2,000 people. A further 18 per [...]
Bitcoin shows signs of maturing as world economies look likely to worsen further March 18, 2022 Jason Deane digs through an avalanche of news narratives to decipher what's affecting the price of Bitcoin this week.