UK seeking ‘strong trade relationship’ with US amid tariffs, Starmer says February 2, 2025 The UK will seek a “strong trading relationship” with the US, Sir Keir Starmer has said, as the threat of a trade war looms after Donald Trump announced new tariffs. The US president has introduced a 25% levy on goods coming from Mexico and Canada, and a 10% trade tax on Chinese goods, which will [...]
Warnings Trump tariffs on China and allies risk economic disruption February 1, 2025 New trade penalties against Canada, Mexico and China that US President Donald Trump plans to impose represent an aggressive early move against America’s three largest trading partners – but at the risk of higher inflation and possible disruptions to the global economy. In Trump’s view, the 25 per cent tariffs against the two North American [...]
Government implements alcohol tax reliefs but critics say it’s not enough January 31, 2025 The government has implemented two tax reliefs aimed at growing the UK’s alcohol sector, although critics have said they won’t be enough to offset other cost hikes this year. Labour will implement a draught relief increase, cutting 1p duty off draft pints, as well as small producer relief, which the government said will help small [...]
St James’s Place and Next help FTSE 100 to another all-time high January 31, 2025 The FTSE 100 has hit another all-time high this morning, with the index up five per cent since the start of 2025. London’s main index rose 0.46 per cent this morning before dropping back slightly, while the more domestically focused FTSE 250 jumped 0.53 per cent. “Given the volatility this week on Wall Street as [...]
US economy grows less than expected but households remain resilient January 30, 2025 Figures from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) showed that the world's largest economy grew at an annualised rate of 2.3 per cent in the final three months of the 2024.
ECB cuts interest rates for fifth time after growth underwhelms January 30, 2025 The decision to cut rates by 25 basis points was widely expected by investors, and means the benchmark interest rate stands at 2.75 per cent.
Five graphs the Bank of England will assess before interest rate decision January 30, 2025 The Bank of England's first interest rate decision of 2025 will take place next week, and investors widely expect rate-setters to reduce borrowing costs for a third time.
House prices ‘gathering steam’ before stamp duty changes January 30, 2025 The UK’s housing market got off to its strongest start in three years in 2025 as both demand and supply increased, according to new data. Buyer demand was up 13 per cent and 10 per cent more homes were on sale, with rising sales supporting UK house price inflation of two per cent year on [...]
Water bills to rise by an average of £123 January 30, 2025 Households can expect their annual water bill to rise by an average of £123 from April, more than the amount announced by the regulator last month, the sector’s industry body has said. According to Water UK, the average bill in England and Wales will jump from £480 to £603 in the year from 1 April, [...]
Show me my money! Four ways to get your finances in order before the new tax year January 30, 2025 The financial landscape is vast, and navigating it can be a headache, especially with a lot of change. However, with inflation still eating into savings, and a bigger tax burden on individuals looming for 2025, protecting your money and making sure it is working hard enough for you has gone from a nice-to-have, to a [...]