Pound sterling rises to highest level this year as markets digest ‘mind-blowing’ tariff plans February 14, 2025 Sterling was trading at $1.26 on Friday afternoon, up 0.3 per cent on the day and its highest level so far in 2025.
What do falling interest rates mean for my finances? February 14, 2025 The Bank of England trimmed interest rates to 4.5 percent in February, the first of what could be multiple cuts this year aimed at kickstarting the UK’s weak economic growth. This raises questions about what loosening monetary policy could mean for savers’ finances. The BoE now expects GDP growth “to be notably weaker in the near [...]
Barclays beats expectations after Tesco Bank takeover February 13, 2025 Barclays surpassed analyst expectations in its annual results report on Thursday, after a strong year for its investment banking arm and day one benefits of its Tesco Bank takeover. The FTSE 100 bank reported a pretax profit of £1.7bn in the fourth quarter, ahead of the £1.62bn expected by analysts. For 2024 as a whole, the [...]
BoE’s Greene backs ‘cautious’ interest rate cuts despite ‘uncomfortable’ growth performance February 12, 2025 A rate-setter at the Bank of England backed a “cautious” approach to cutting interest rates despite the “uncomfortable” recent performance of the economy. “The macroeconomic news over recent months has been uncomfortable,” Megan Greene, an external member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) said. “GDP has roughly flatlined since Spring of last year and expectations [...]
Pound sterling slumps after US inflation beats expectations February 12, 2025 Figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that US inflation came in at 3.0 per cent in January, up from 2.9 per cent and ahead of economists' expectations.
Birkenstock predicts further UK sales success after latest surge February 12, 2025 Birkenstock has forecast its UK sales will take another huge step forward during its current financial year thanks to growing demand. The footwear brand has revealed its sales have so far been “above initial expectations” in its year which will finish at the end of September. The continued rise in its UK revenue has been [...]
Bank of England needs to ‘cut through the noise’, rate-setter says February 11, 2025 In a speech delivered in Leeds, Mann explained that the persistence of "embedded inflationary behaviours" had diminished due to growing weakness in the economy.
Bellway: Housebuilder in recovery as share price ‘at odds’ with performance February 11, 2025 Housebuilder Bellway reported strong growth in home completions over the last six months, which analysts have said could be a sign the wider homebuilding sector is set for a recovery. The company reported an 11.9 per cent uptick in housing completions in the six months ended 31 January, with more than 4,500 properties completed with [...]
Dear Gen Z, put down the mini golf clubs and get to the pub February 11, 2025 Gen Z, our pubs are depending on you - so stop playing mini golf and get to your local, writes Katie Perrior in today's Notebook.
The end of stamp duty relief isn’t the only cost going up for first-time buyers February 11, 2025 First-time buyers (FTBs) are facing higher costs across the board as they grapple with not only high stamp duty fees, but a low stock of affordable houses, more stringent lending requirements and higher upfront costs. First and foremost, stamp duty relief is set to end on March 31, which has driven a significant boost in [...]