Exclusive: UK business loans written off by banks almost double to £356m as insolvencies quadruple May 16, 2022 The value of UK business loans written off by banks nearly doubled in the last quarter of 2021, rising 87% from £190m in the third quarter to £356m in the fourth quarter. Debt advisors told City A.M. this afternoon that write offs of loans have been subdued throughout the Covid crisis but are now rising [...]
Enough is enough: Employers are running out of steam on ability to hike pay or make well-paid job offers May 16, 2022 Close to half of UK employers report having vacancies that are hard-to-fill, and almost two thirds anticipate problems filling vacancies in the next six months. The most common response made in the past six months by employers with hard-to-fill vacancies has been to increase pay, according to new research from CIPD, the professional body for [...]
Diesel prices climb to record levels as cost-of-living crisis escalates May 16, 2022 Diesel prices have soared to record levels, piling pressure on motorists amid spiralling inflation and a deepening cost of living crisis.
Russia-Ukraine war generates new headwinds for European economy May 16, 2022 Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is generating fresh headwinds that will choke the European economy, reveal official forecasts published today. Surging energy prices caused by concerns over supply security following Moscow sending troops into Ukraine are set to strain households and businesses on the Continent. High input prices are likely to weigh on production, while elevated [...]
Minister criticised for saying people should ‘work more hours or move to a better paid job’ to cope with cost of living crisis May 16, 2022 The government’s safeguarding minister has come in for sharp criticism after saying people struggling with the cost of living crisis should “work more hours” or get a “better paid job.” Rachel Maclean said there were way households could “protect themselves” from rising inflation and pressures on their budgets, while appearing on Sky News this morning. [...]
1 Minute Market Rundown – 16th May 2022 May 16, 2022 Trade the ExtremesUSD on the Rise AgainCrypto Unable to Sustain a RallyDeleveraging Continues Whilst Friday the 13th is unlucky for some it wasn’t the case for equity bulls. Last week had seen markets get battered, especially crypto, as it seemed no one had a positive outlook on the economy. We have been saying for a [...]
Ofgem proposes price cap shake-up which could see energy bills rise four times a year May 16, 2022 Energy users could see their household bills fall faster, with Ofgem one step closer to a major revamp of the consumer price cap.
Greggs opens 49 new shops after sales of chicken goujons soar May 16, 2022 Sausage roll seller Greggs has seen shares dip after admitting city sales still lag behind the rest of its sites. Although the bakery chain said it had had a “good” start to 2022 on Monday, shares were down some 2.8 per cent in the afternoon. The firm has been reshaping its portfolio of stores to [...]
Bank of England independence must remain no matter the political weather May 16, 2022 When Gordon Brown summoned then-governor of the Bank of England Eddie George to his office at the Treasury in 1997, the man in charge at Threadneedle Street was accompanied by a young civil servant – one Andrew Bailey. At that meeting, George – and presumably Bailey – were surprised to be told that the newly [...]
Exclusive: Ukraine war puts major dent in derivative margin costs May 15, 2022 The war in Ukraine has caused huge increases in margin across derivatives markets, with firms having to find new sources of financing or reducing their positions in order to meet the collateral requirements from brokers, The margin rate for Brent Crude futures on Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) now stands at over $10,00 per lot. With the [...]