UK banks return to amassing default reserves amid inflation and mortgage crunch October 26, 2022 Barclays said profits had jumped six per cent in the third quarter of the year as it became the latest lender to see performance buoyed by rising interest rates.
Post-Brexit deal with New Zealand goes to Parliament despite ‘concerns’ over removing tariffs October 26, 2022 A post-Brexit deal between the UK and New Zealand will be “formally laid in Parliament” today despite concerns over its impact on UK producers. International trade minister Kemi Badenoch made the announcement in a letter to Angus MacNeil, the chair of the international trade committee. The deal was agreed in February by Bedanoch’s predecessor and [...]
25 per cent down: Heathrow boss warns ‘many years’ until pre-Covid flying levels reached October 26, 2022 It will take some time for Heathrow to go back to pre-pandemic levels, according to the airport’s boss John Holland-Kaye. The west London hub expects between 60 and 62 million people to pass through its gates this year, 25 per cent down on the 81 million posted in 2019. Heathrow also reported 18 million passengers [...]
Bloomsbury has ‘highest ever’ first-half profit and sales as books become ‘affordable treat’ October 26, 2022 Bloomsbury had its “highest ever first half sales and profits”, as books become an “affordable treat” during the cost of living crisis. The company’s profit was up 23 per cent on 2021 and almost 300 per cent on two years ago, as students return to schools and universities, while consumers turn to books in the [...]
It’s time to go back to basics and go about fixing our deficit before more tax cuts October 26, 2022 As inflation pushes prices further and further up, food has been getting more expensive for some time. But, as the cliche goes, there was never such a thing as a free lunch.
Global health at ‘the mercy of fossil fuels’, says report October 26, 2022 The world’s reliance on fossil fuels is compounding global risks to health following the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, said a new report last night. Risks include air quality, food and energy security, as Brits brace for a tough winter as oil and gas costs soar. The EU-funded Lancet Countdown, an annual report on climate [...]
Backing the central bank pivot is a risky bet October 25, 2022 It is easy to criticise central banks for heaping pain on households and businesses. But, this is exactly what they are supposed to do under current economic conditions. Inflation in the UK, US and eurozone has hit 10.1 per cent, 8.2 per cent and 9.9 per cent respectively, all historic highs. The Bank of England [...]
HSBC shares sink to bottom of FTSE 100 despite profits topping City forecasts October 25, 2022 HSBC’s profits slid over 40 per cent in the third quarter of the year as it was hit by rising loan losses and hefty charges relating to the sale of its French retail business.
Brits take 5* holidays as On The Beach bounces back from Covid in second-half of 2022 October 25, 2022 Travel retailer On The Beach reported its sales were up from pre-pandemic levels despite external shocks such as the war in Ukraine and economic turmoil. The medium and short haul specialists said its second-half sales were 25 per cent up on 2019 and 16 per cent up on the year as a whole. It also [...]
A blank cheque for two years of capped energy bills was a perverse kind of plan October 25, 2022 It was always perverse to ask the taxpayer to write a blank cheque for two years as part of the energy support package and ignore the huge potential gains in increasing our energy efficiency.