Firms slash jobs and hike prices as Reeves’ Budget fallout continues January 24, 2025 UK businesses hiked prices and cut staff in January, a new survey shows, as firms continued to struggle in the wake of October’s Budget. The latest ‘flash’ purchasing managers’ index (PMI), which reflects business activity in the private sector, showed employment levels decreasing for the fourth month in a row. “Many firms suggested that the [...]
Severn Trent hikes dividend despite balance sheet concerns January 24, 2025 Severn Trent, one of the UK’s biggest water companies, has announced plans to hike its full-year dividend despite coming under fire for allegedly inflating its balance sheet using an accounting trick. The utility was accused by BBC Panorama last month of claiming a £1.68bn investment in its accounts which in reality had no value to [...]
If the Chancellor wants growth she must restore business confidence January 24, 2025 Confidence is fundamental to how businesses choose to invest and grow and at the moment it’s poor. If the Chancellor wants to turn this around she must listen to the City, says Sir Michael Snyder With the UK economy in the spotlight amid rising bond yields, high national debt, concerns over inflation and rising taxes, [...]
Trump tells businesses to make products in the US or pay the price January 23, 2025 Donald Trump has told businesses they should make their products in the US, or face paying tariffs, while speaking at Davos. President Trump addressed the World Economic Forum at the Swiss ski resort this afternoon, and used his speech to emphasise his message to business. It comes after he threatened to double tax rates for [...]
Bank of England policymaker: ‘Dragons of market discipline are alive and well’ January 23, 2025 "There have been spikes in yields in a number of individual countries in recent years, including the UK, that indicate the dragons of market discipline are alive and well," she said.
Report reveals ‘staggering’ costs of economic fragmentation January 23, 2025 The hit would largely come through lower trade, reduced capital flows and lost economic efficiencies.
Weak UK sales pull Primark down despite international growth January 23, 2025 Lower sales in the UK and Ireland pulled Primark’s performance down in the last quarter of 2024 despite double-digit growth in countries like Spain, Portugal and the US. Primark’s parent company ABF Foods told markets this morning that sales in the UK and Ireland, which account for approximately 45 per cent of its market, declined [...]
UK economy: Consumers catch ‘January blues’ as confidence slumps January 23, 2025 Confidence in the health of the economy fell to its lowest level since the BRC started collecting data on the topic in March 2024.
Could the Bank of England push the UK into recession? January 23, 2025 As the Bank of England scrambles to unwind the disastrous effects of quantitative easing, the hidden costs of this policy are becoming clear, says Damian Pudner Quantitative easing (QE) has long been the Bank of England’s monetary policy nuclear option. Launched in 2009 to save a collapsing financial system, it was supercharged during the pandemic, [...]
Further tax rises ‘a good bet’ after Chancellor’s borrowing blow January 22, 2025 Borrowing in the month of December was at its third highest level since monthly records began back in 1997, excluding only the pandemic and 2009.