Reeves has dodged a bullet but she’s surrounded by landmines January 16, 2025 After all the excitement of a ministerial resignation, it’s time to check in on the government’s growth agenda. After all, the fate of individual politicians is of no significance when viewed against the major economic challenges facing the government, and the country. Talking to City CEOs, particularly those in the pension and investment sectors, it’s [...]
US inflation rises slightly but core prices weaker than expected January 15, 2025 US inflation rose at a slightly weaker pace than expected last month, but it is unlikely to be enough to prompt the Federal Reserve into cutting interest rates in the near future. The latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the headline rate picked up to 2.9 per cent in December, up [...]
Business confidence plunges to lowest level since Liz Truss’s mini-budget January 15, 2025 Rachel Reeves’s tax hikes have pushed business confidence to its lowest level since the wake of Liz Truss’s calamitous mini-Budget, as firms fret over a surge in costs and slowdown in the domestic economy, a closely watched survey has suggested. Concerns over a looming tax bill and a slump in sales caused business confidence to [...]
Reeves is in a fiscal trap and spending cuts are the only way out January 14, 2025 Rachel Reeves’ Budget created a vicious circle whereby higher taxes increased borrowing costs, squeezing the public purse and further and tempting the Chancellor into further tax rises to meet fiscal targets. There is another way, says Darwin Friend Rachel Reeves is trapped in a vicious fiscal circle of her own making. Her high-tax budget, billed [...]
Games Workshop: Warhammer maker’s stock dips amid cost pressures January 14, 2025 FTSE 100 giant Games Workshop’s stock price dipped three per cent today after warning that rising costs could have a growing impact on its business. In the Warhammer maker’s half-yearly report, it revealed that profit before tax at the firm jumped by a third, from £95.2m in the first half of last year to £126.8m. [...]
Ocado shares surge after online grocer reports record-breaking year January 14, 2025 Ocado Retail’s sales boomed in the weeks leading up to Christmas, vastly outperforming the broader market with double-digit revenue and customer growth. In a trading update issued today, the company, a 50:50 joint venture between Ocado and Marks and Spencer, reported revenue growth of 17.5 per cent in the 13 weeks to 1 December. Ocado [...]
EG Group: From a Bury service station to a $13bn IPO January 14, 2025 EG Group is set to end 24 years as a private company with a $13bn float on the New York Stock Exchange, according to reports. Co-founder of EG Group and current non-executive, Zuber Issa, told the Sunday Times that “the road map is starting now” on an IPO, with the float expected to complete this [...]
Why the London Stock Exchange is no longer a home for the legal sector January 14, 2025 A scandal broke out at one of the only remaining listed legal groups last week. It is time to say the London Stock Exchange is not the place for the legal sector
Don’t lose faith on UK interest rate cuts just yet January 14, 2025 What should we make of the outlook for inflation ahead of Wednesday's figures?
‘Nothing off the table’: Public spending cuts to be ‘ruthless’, cabinet warned January 13, 2025 Public spending cuts are set to be “ruthless”, the Treasury has reportedly warned cabinet ministers. Departments will have to make “difficult” decisions on their budget priorities, according to an internal letter from No11 about the spending review, the Telegraph reported. While the Prime Minister’s official spokesman confirmed “there’s nothing off the table when it comes [...]