Ibstock: Housebuilding is recovering, but rebuilding supply chains will take time October 17, 2024 Building supplies company Ibstock has said that it has seen early indications of a positive trend in the UK’s housing market, but a full recovery in end markets won’t happen soon. It said that it saw new-build residential activity improving, but that it “expect[s] this to take time to feed through into sustainably stronger demand [...]
Rentokil returns to growth after activist investor scuffle October 17, 2024 Pest-control company Rentokil has reported an uptick in revenue as it grapples with the after-effects of a profit warning and activist investor backlash. The firm told markets this morning that revenue grew by 3.6 per cent year on year in the three months to 30 September, from £1.39bn to £1.44bn. Shares in the company rose [...]
St James’s Place: More inflows for UK’s biggest wealth manager October 17, 2024 St James’s Place recorded net inflows of £890m over the three months to 30 September, continuing the strong pace of inflows that Britain’s biggest wealth manager has enjoyed over 2024. The company’s retention rate stayed at 94.6 per cent, though the wealth manager has yet to finish axing its controversial exit fees. Gross inflows were [...]
‘Broken’ inheritance tax ripe for reform at Budget, think tank says October 17, 2024 The government must reform the UK’s “broken inheritance tax system”, a respected think tank has urged, after fresh research found uncapped exemptions in the current framework means a quarter of estates worth over £10m pay a rate of just nine per cent. The Centre for Analysis of Taxation (CenTax) paper, published on Thursday, revealed the [...]
Capital gains hike would not damage entrepreneurship, IPPR argues October 17, 2024 Rates of capital gains tax differ depending on the asset but are well below income tax rates, largely in an attempt to encourage innovation and risk-taking.
Is Gen Z really a risk to businesses? October 17, 2024 A lazy, entitled and narcissistic generation, more interested in TikTok than hard work. The stereotypes about Gen Z have, apparently, become so pervasive that managing a young workforce is now considered the biggest business threat by CEOs. Just 38 per cent of executives are “very confident” in tackling demands for better pay and benefits from [...]
Here’s how Reeves could use the Budget to incentivise investment October 17, 2024 As well as balancing the books, Rachel Reeves should use the Budget to help businesses recapture their joie de vivre, says Claire Blackburn The new government’s first Autumn Budget on 30 October is arguably the most anticipated fiscal event in recent memory. Balancing the books will be a top priority and the £22bn hole in [...]
How Poland and Vietnam escaped poverty October 17, 2024 In a new book, Rainer Zitelmann examines how Poland and Vietnam escaped the ravages of the Cold War to become some of the world’s fastest growing economies – and argues that poverty isn’t inevitable, it’s a policy choice says Kristian Niemietz Case studies in recent economic history typically deal with unambiguous success stories, or unambiguous [...]
Concern for British high street as sector set for four-fold tax rise in April October 16, 2024 The double effect of inflation-linked tax bumps, as well as the end of business rate relief for consumer-facing firms, will lead to a four-fold tax increase for high street businesses next April, industry bodies have warned. Industry leaders across the board have been increasingly vocal about the need for reform to business rate taxes, and have [...]
UK fintech stars warn capital gains tax hike could force them to relocate October 16, 2024 Prominent UK fintech founders have warned the new government that hiking capital gains tax risks forcing them out of the country, with nearly half already mulling relocation.