FTSE 100 live: London markets make small gains with retailers in focus as sterling stays strong April 14, 2023 Markets opened marginally higher on Friday with a mixed performance from retailers while the pound continued to strengthen as investors increasingly expect the Fed to start cutting rates across the pond. The FTSE 100 opened 0.20 per cent higher at 7,859.58, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health [...]
Childcare: Two in five mothers say high costs are still keeping them out of the workplace April 14, 2023 Two in five mothers feel prohibited from returning to work due to the high cost of childcare, even with Jeremy Hunt’s expanded childcare offering, a new survey of 2,000 mothers has revealed. “Nursery and childminder costs can swallow a huge chunk of new parents’ earnings, and with the current cost of living crisis squeezing every [...]
Unemployment must be higher to keep a lid on inflation, Bank of England’s Huw Pill claims April 13, 2023 A greater proportion of the UK population than before the recent series of economic shocks may need to be unemployed in order to keep a lid on inflation, the Bank of England’s chief economist has claimed today. Huw Pill, who succeeded Andy Haldane as the Bank’s top wonk, was speaking at an event hosted by [...]
Labour poll lead narrows as key local elections approach April 13, 2023 Labour’s poll lead has narrowed to just 14 points up on the Conservatives – with just three weeks to go until voters cast their ballots in local elections. Pollsters at think tank More in Common (MiC) found the Conservatives were on 30 per cent with Labour on 44 per cent, the narrowest lead recorded by [...]
Approving Rosebank oil and gas field ‘a huge mistake’, government told April 13, 2023 Climate groups have urged the government not to approve the Rosebank project, one of the largest undeveloped fields in the North Sea.
UK economy stalls in February but is just about on track to dodge recession in early 2023 April 13, 2023 Britain is just about on track to dodge a recession in the first half of this year, defying gloomy predictions from experts heading into 2023 that the economy would suffer the largest slump in recent memory, figures out today show. Gross domestic product (GDP) – which measures the value of all goods and services produced [...]
Tesco hit by inflation and supermarket war with Aldi and Lidl as profit down almost seven per cent April 13, 2023 Tesco, Britain’s biggest supermarket, was hit hard by consumers tightening their belts during the cost of living crisis, as it reported its operating profit was down almost seven per cent on last year. The London-listed chain said its profit was £2,6bn for the year to the end of February which was down 6.9 per cent [...]
Supermarket price wars: Tesco slashes price of milk for first time in three years to rival Lidl and Aldi April 13, 2023 Tesco has slashed the price of milk for the first time in three years and locked the price of over 1,000 products, in the latest move by the UK’s biggest grocer to rival discounter supermarkets. As shoppers are forced to ‘shop around’ for the best-value options, Tesco has reduced the price of a pint of [...]
Labour poll lead narrows to record low in ‘blue wall’ Tory seats April 12, 2023 The Labour Party’s poll lead in a key set of ‘blue wall’ seats in southern England has narrowed to a record low, new polling data has revealed. Sir Keir Starmer’s party is leading the Conservatives by just two per cent among affluent Tory shire constituencies – a joint record low and a six point drop [...]
Air fryers and coffee machines send white goods retailer’s shares soaring April 12, 2023 Shares in Marks Electrical soared over seven per cent this morning after the online white goods retailer posted a 21.5 per cent rise in revenues. Despite an ongoing cost of living crisis, consumers splashing out smaller electrical appliances such as air fryers helped hike revenues up to £97.8m compared to £80.5m the prior year. In [...]