Get rid of ‘mongrels and wasters’ by paying government advisors more November 15, 2024 Sue Gray’s salary as chief of staff attracted controversy for all the wrong reasons: it was too low, not too high. Across government, we should be prepared to pay serious money for serious talent, says Patrick King Staffing appointments by the new government have led to cries of cronyism, with hand-wringing about civil service politicisation. [...]
Which FTSE 100 companies are most exposed to Donald Trump? November 14, 2024 The FTSE 100 has dropped by more than one per cent following the election of Donald Trump as US president, hitting a three-month low earlier this week. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 has been soaring, leading to a clear divergence between the two indexes. While not all of the poor performance of the FTSE 100 can [...]
UK M&A set for ‘sustained increase’ after Budget and Trump victory November 14, 2024 British M&A activity is expected to ramp up going into 2025, City advisers have said, as dealmakers feel more certainty following the Budget and US presidential election.
Sterling hits lowest level since July as Trump victory dents the pound November 14, 2024 "The FX market tends to concentrate on one theme at a time, and right now that is dollar dominance," Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB said.
Higher bills fuel revenue surge at FTSE 100 United Utilities November 14, 2024 The increase, which was largely due to more expensive consumer bills, helped underlying operating profit jump 24 per cent to £335.7m.
Founders warn of hiring freeze ahead of national insurance hike November 14, 2024 A majority of founders are warning they will have to implement a hiring freeze ahead of the employers’ National Insurance Contributions (NICs) increase set to come into effect this spring. The warning signs follow Rachel Reeves’ announcement in the Budget last month of a 1.2 per cent increase to employers’ NICs, taking the total to [...]
Trump’s victory: Why Americans chose the man who impoverished them November 14, 2024 US voters chose to elect a President who made them materially poorer not richer. Sam Fowles investigates why.
Retailers warn of ‘inevitable’ job losses and price rises after budget tax hikes November 13, 2024 Retail bosses warned that they will be forced to hike prices and cut jobs due to the government’s tax hikes, as the sector braces for a substantial increase in employment costs. In a draft letter to the Chancellor, coordinated by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), retail bosses warned that job losses were “inevitable” and higher [...]
US inflation picks up as Fed considers pace of interest rate cuts November 13, 2024 US inflation increased on the back of stubborn housing costs, new figures show, strengthening the case for a gradual approach to cutting interest rates. The consumer price index increased to 2.6 per cent in October, according to figures from the Bureau of Labour Statistics, up from 2.4 per cent the month before but in line [...]
Do luxury products have a pricing problem? November 13, 2024 At some point, luxury brands all face the same question: How do you price a good at a level that implies desirability and exclusivity without making it completely exclusionary? The vast majority of luxury brands rely on the aspirational consumer just as much as the super-wealthy. McKinsey has estimated that around half of the luxury [...]