The Bank of England’s trouble-free decision to cut interest rates August 6, 2025 The Bank of England has long suffered from the accusation of groupthink. Reforms have been mooted – and some have been implemented – but it has struggled to shake off the charge. Economists at the Cato Institute and the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) have, for example, pointed the blame at Threadneedle [...]
Zempler Bank grows profit on the back of high interest rates August 6, 2025 Zempler Bank has recorded its third consecutive year of profitability after a cheering jump in customer deposits and a strong performance in interest income. The UK fintech – formerly known as Cashplus – recorded a 58 per cent leap in pre-tax profit to £5.2m for the year ending March 31 2025. It comes as deposits [...]
We are governed by people who don’t know what they’re doing August 6, 2025 Almost 100,000 jobs in the hospitality sector have disappeared since the government unveiled its hike to employers’ National Insurance Contributions, and lowered the threshold at which it is paid. Employers have also had to contend with a rise in the minimum wage amid a storm of other headwinds including inflation, energy costs and generally weak [...]
What’s next for River Island as it enters ‘last chance saloon’? August 6, 2025 River Island will face its last chance to restructure its flagging finances this Thursday at the High Court, with the retailer set to fall into administration as early as September if the plan is not allowed. This follows months of uncertainty over the company’s future as customers increasingly turn away from middle-market, bricks-and-mortar stores. “River [...]
Rachel Reeves needs £50bn tax raid to stick to fiscal rules, economists warn August 6, 2025 The Treasury will need to raise more than £50bn in fresh taxes to stay within its fiscal rules, one of the UK’s most prestigious economic groups has warned, laying bare the scale of the pain that could be wrought on businesses by Rachel Reeves in the autumn. The government is set to miss its “stability [...]
Labour urged to come clean on exit tax August 5, 2025 Labour ministers have been urged to clarify whether the government will introduce an exit tax as Tax Policy Associates chief Dan Neidle warned rumours could be “damaging” for the UK economy. Chancellor Rachel Reeves looks poised to raise more than £20bn in taxes later this year amid a shortfall in the fiscal headroom left by [...]
UK economy sees fastest services orders slowdown since Liz Truss August 5, 2025 Hopes of a quick recovery to the UK economy are fading as orders in the services sector fell at the fastest rate since Liz Truss’ mini-budget in late 2022, fresh data has suggested. S&P Global’s latest composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed a fall from a score of 52 in June to 51.5, which remains [...]
Losses double at global recruiter despite sales passing £2bn August 5, 2025 Losses at a UK-headquartered global recruitment giant more doubled despite its revenue passing the $3bn (£2.2bn) mark during its latest financial year. Altrincham-headquartered NES Fircroft has posted a pre-tax loss of $67.7m for the 12 months to 31 October, 2024, according to new accounts filed with Companies House. The loss comes after the business also [...]
Swissport creates 900 UK jobs as profit almost quadruples August 5, 2025 Swissport created 900 UK jobs as its profit almost quadrupled during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. The Cheshire-headquartered UK arm of the aviation services giant has posted a pre-tax profit of £39.8m for 2024, up from the £10.5m it achieved in the prior 12 months. That previous figure was the first time [...]
Cut interest rates to four per cent, City AM Shadow MPC says August 5, 2025 Top economists have voted 8-1 for interest rates to be slashed by 25 basis points in City AM’s new Shadow Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). Amid high inflation and falling job numbers, the Bank of England is set to face a difficult finely balanced decision on Thursday on whether to cut interest rates from the current [...]