Britain’s tech sector ‘massively punches above its weight’ March 4, 2026 The UK’s tech sector continues to generate capital, attract global investment and talent, yet the domestic narrative often points to a country in retreat. “We have a huge narrative issue”, Russ Shaw, founder of Global Tech Advocates and London Tech Advocates, told City AM. “We’re the third largest tech ecosystem in the world. We have [...]
Reeves says ‘everything is fine’ as economy burns March 4, 2026 Having stripped the ‘fiscal’ element from the fiscal event, we were left with simply an event. But was it even that? It could have been called an occasion, but even that might have been stretching it. What we actually got was a Spring Statement that amounted to little more than a Labour party conference speech. [...]
Reeves’ Spring Statement gave us little to be cheery about March 4, 2026 Rachel Reeves put on a brave face when she stood up at the dispatch box yesterday afternoon to unveil her Spring Statement. And although we were subjected to the usual staccato delivery, the Chancellor’s performance was more confident than usual. But a cursory glance at the latest Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) projections show there [...]
Reeves to meet North Sea oil bosses amid inflation ‘uncertainty’ March 3, 2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has revealed she will meet North Sea oil and gas bosses on Wednesday in London, with a market price surge putting the UK economy’s path towards lower inflation in jeopardy. Reeves told MPs during her Spring Statement that she would meet energy bosses from companies operating off Scotland as the government looks [...]
Reeves’ Spring Statement was yet another missed opportunity March 3, 2026 Rachel Reeves wanted this Spring Statement to be a non-event. In that she succeeded, says Julian Jessop The Chancellor’s Spring Statement sent a signal of “steady as she goes”. Unfortunately, what was really needed is a change of course. There was plenty of party political knockabout, but no major policy announcements and nothing to lift [...]
Construction recovery remains fragile amid high costs March 3, 2026 The construction sector is recovering but its growth remains fragile as developers contend with high wages, planning delays and labour shortages. The industry will grow over the next year due to major infrastructure projects but confidence in the housebuilding and commercial sectors remains shaken, according to a report by construction firm McBains shared exclusively with [...]
Spring Statement: Reeves defends Labour’s agenda as growth forecast slashed March 3, 2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has defended Labour’s high tax and expenditure policies as new economic forecasts provided a bleaker outlook on growth and unemployment this year. In a statement to the House of Commons, Reeves said updated forecasts by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) showed her decisions as Chancellor were “starting to pay off”. Her [...]
Borrowing costs spike as Middle East conflict rages March 3, 2026 The cost of UK government borrowing spiked on Tuesday morning, while the pound plummeted as markets continued to digest the impacts of the intensifying conflict in the Middle East. The yield on the 10-year Gilt jumped 0.15 percentage points to 4.46 per cent while 2-year Gilt yields, which closely track interest rate expectations, spiked 0.16 [...]
Shop price inflation eases in relief for cash-strapped Brits March 3, 2026 Shop price inflation slowed in February, as retailers introduced a raft of promotions to ease the cash burden on struggling shoppers. The price of goods in UK shops grew at a rate of 1.1 per cent in February year on year, down from the 1.5 per cent rate of inflation seen in January, according to [...]
UK gas prices spike over 90 per cent amid US-Iran war March 3, 2026 Gas prices in the UK have nearly doubled as the war between US and Iran ramped up since the weekend. The price of UK wholesale gas prices – which reflect the costs energy suppliers pay to producers for natural gas before selling to household and businesses – has rocketed by 93 per cent in just [...]