Our regulators are too close to those they should be regulating – and this is a problem March 1, 2023 Political parties of all colours have been lauding our regulators as "world class". Unfortunately, our regulatory bodies actually have a quite problematic record of failures, writes Paul Ormerod
Kop of living crisis: Soaring bills hit Liverpool’s bottom line February 28, 2023 It seems that even the world’s richest football clubs are not immune to the cost of living crisis after soaring bills put a dent in Liverpool’s profits. The Premier League club achieved record revenues of £594m last season but turned a pre-tax profit of just £7.5m following a steep rise in matchday overheads. The return [...]
Ocado not for you: Three reasons why online grocer’s results may not be as bad as they seem February 28, 2023 Ocado’s crown as the online food retailer which keeps the middle classes stocked in organic essentials has been threatening to slip for a while now. As one of the companies which sits at the ‘higher-end’ of the online supermarket price point the rising cost of living, not to mention higher mortgage interest rates, was expected [...]
IFS: No room for tax cuts or spending rises at March budget despite Jeremy Hunt pocketing £60bn windfall February 28, 2023 There is no room for tax cuts or spending increases at the 15 March budget despite Jeremy Hunt being handed an around £60bn windfall from lower energy prices and interest rates, a top economic think tank has forecast today. The Chancellor will be held back from handing households and businesses a tax giveaway due to [...]
Primark owner Associated British Foods ‘dodging most economic bullets’ as outlook improves February 27, 2023 Primark owner Associated British Foods has upped its outlook for the full year after reporting a jump in sales at the budget fashion chain as consumer spending held up better than expected. The group said sales at the retailer, which has 419 stores, are set to rise by 16 per cent at actual exchange rates [...]
Meatless Farm wants to drive down prices to win cash-strapped customers February 27, 2023 Morten Toft Bech, the Dutch founder of plant-based company Meatless Farm, launched his company in an effort to save the planet. “Animal protein is unsustainable,” claims Bech, comparing it to driving an old car full of polluting fuel. The public has been made aware of this argument for years, with numerous documentaries warning about how [...]
London to power UK economy away from recession and clinch best growth across the country February 27, 2023 London will power the UK economy out of recession and is poised to be the fastest growing area in the country over the coming years, new forecasts out today reveal. The capital’s economy is on track to expand 2.6 per cent each year between 2024 and 2026, pushing it to the top of the countrywide [...]
Recession fears chill UK investment as CBI urges Jeremy Hunt to rethink tax grab at March budget February 27, 2023 British businesses are poised to mothball investment due to uncertainty over whether the country is on course to tip into a recession and a looming tax grab, a new survey out today indicates. Fears of a slowdown in spending caused by families’ finances being squeezed by the cost of living crisis has knocked optimism among [...]
Week ahead: Bank of England speak to dominate agenda as investors look for clues on interest rate path February 26, 2023 Investors will be parsing over a string of speeches from top Bank of England rate setters this week for clues on whether the central bank is close to ending its aggressive campaign to tame inflation. Ben Broadbent, a deputy governor at the Bank, kicks off a busy week of central banker speech at Threadneedle Street’s [...]
Retailers demand scrapping of ‘£2bn’ waste strategy policy amid fears it will increase consumer costs February 24, 2023 The UK’s largest retailers are urging the government to scrap its waste strategy policy, or risk forcing prices up for consumers who are already facing a cost of living crisis. A draft letter obtained by Sky News, which it is understood will be sent to government officials next week, outlines industry concerns about the costs [...]