PMI: Signs of supply chain restoration emerge in Europe January 3, 2022 Signs that the supply chain crisis that has plagued economies across the world is easing are emerging in Europe, reveals a closely watched survey released today. The amount of time it takes manufacturers in the Eurozone to get their hands on materials rose at the slowest pace since February last year, according to IHS Markit’s [...]
AIM ropes in best year for fundraising in over a decade January 3, 2022 London’s junior stock market roped in its best year for fundraising in nearly a decade and a half this year, reveal new figures released today. Money raised on AIM in 2021 topped £9.4bn, the highest value since 2007, according to the London Stock Exchange. Some 64 companies floated on the junior market, its most active [...]
SME crisis: Late payment of invoices and spiralling costs threaten survival of more than 400,000 small businesses January 3, 2022 Paying invoices too late is threating the survival of hundreds of thousands of small firms, a businesses group warned this morning. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) fears that late payments, high inflation and mounting administration for firms that trade internationally could see numbers shrink if something is not done about these issues. Of the [...]
MPs and peers urge Boris Johnson to scrap taxes on energy bills to reduce cost of living crisis January 2, 2022 Twenty Tory MPs and peers have called for the Prime Minister to scrap VAT and environmental levies on energy bills to ease the cost of living crisis.
Government tells workplaces to plan for 25 per cent absence rates amid soaring Covid-19 cases January 2, 2022 Downing Street has asked ministers to develop robust contingency plans for workplace absences amid soaring Covid-19 cases.
Omicron curbs and roaring inflation could tip economies into double dip recessions, warns World Bank top economist December 29, 2021 A return to strict restrictions on daily life to curb the spread of Omicron and roaring inflation could plunge the world’s leading economies into double dip recessions, according to the World Bank’s chief economist. Speaking to The Telegraph, Carmen Reinhart, the organisation’s top economist, said the emergence of the new strain of coronavirus and historically [...]
UK deal making scales to 14-year high as PE firms scramble to deploy dry powder December 29, 2021 Private equity firms scrambling to deploy a wave of dry powder amassed before the Covid-19 crisis has lifted UK takeovers to their highest level in 14 years, reveal new figures released today. The overall value of deals involving UK companies jumped 10 per cent to $630.8bn this year, the highest print since 2007, according to [...]
Hospitality venues ‘pretty full’ minister says, defending current level of government support December 28, 2021 A government minister has suggested the hospitality sector does not require additional financial aid as restaurants appear “pretty full”. The hospitality industry has called for help including VAT and business rates relief following waves of cancellations this month as fears over the Omicron Covid variant grew. Ministers have also urged the public to be cautious [...]
2021’s lighter political moments: From Michael Gove’s dance moves and Britain’s chief mouser to the hunt for Irn-Bru December 26, 2021 From the rags-to-riches tale of Britain’s chief mouser to a hunt for Irn-Bru at COP26, even in the midst of a global pandemic there have been some lighter moments in politics during this long and challenging year. ‘Church warden overslept’ On May 6, local elections were held across England, Scotland and Wales but some voters [...]
UK to remain one of the top six global economies post-Covid, says CEBR report December 26, 2021 The UK will stay as one of the top six global economies for the next fifteen years, according to a new forecast published by the CEBR.