The Russia–Ukraine war and other geopolitical risks April 5, 2022 The war in Ukraine is dominating the headlines. For now. But the conflict’s indirect reverberations will ripple far beyond the borders of its combatants and their allies. Indeed, they could give rise to new and varied geopolitical risks throughout the world. The war’s potential effect on the global grain supply and food inflation is especially [...]
Inflation heats up as UK firms launch record price rises April 5, 2022 The cost of living squeeze that is already threatening to cool growth is tightening, driven by UK businesses lifting prices at the fastest pace on record to cope with a cost storm, a closely watched survey released today reveals. A combination of soaring staff costs, swelling energy bills and higher raw material prices has coaxed [...]
Ukraine war is dramatically dialling up risk of global recession April 5, 2022 The war in Ukraine has dramatically dialled up the risk of a global recession, according to leading economist. The conflict has thrown a ‘massive monkey wrench’ into what was a gradually improving post-pandemic picture, Ira Kalish, chief global economist at Deloitte told delegates at the World Retail Congress in Rome. And it could have damaging, [...]
Supermarket till sales down four per cent last month as online shopping and cost of living hit hard April 5, 2022 Supermarket till sales continue to feel the impact of online buying brought about by the pandemic, with a four per cent fall last month. A new study indicates that online sales also fell almost 20 per cent from last year, as the cost of living crisis continues to change consumer habits. The report by NielsenIQ [...]
What does the current volatility mean for energy transition investing? April 5, 2022 The driving forces behind the energy transition remain as strong as ever and the current market volatility has only enhanced these trends. There is a lot going on in the financial markets right now. Meaningful inflation has returned for the first time in decades. Supply chains everywhere continue to be disrupted. Geopolitical and social tensions [...]
March car production falls to lowest in 24 years as markets feel supply chain squeeze April 5, 2022 The UK’s automotive production in March fell to the lowest since 1998 as markets continued to feel the supply chain squeeze. According to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), new car registrations fell by 14.3 per cent to 243,479 units while overall the first quarter of 2021 reported a 1.9 per [...]
Letters: Housing, interrupted April 5, 2022 [Re: House price growth hits highest level since 2004 with record average of £265.3k, March 31] New figures released by the Nationwide house price index defy premature predictions of slowing prices in early 2022. An increase in average house prices of 20 per cent in the last two years is a shocking figure which coincides [...]
Morrisons’ new owners green light plans to sell £500m worth of property April 5, 2022 Morrisons’ new owners have rubber stamped plans to sell a £500m property portfolio including manufacturing and distribution facilities. According to Sky News, the supermarket is preparing to appoint advisers to oversee the disposal of certain sites across the country. It comes just months after New York’s Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) took over the grocer [...]
Inflation is pushing prices up – but anticompetitive cartels could be too April 5, 2022 Tough times prompt more crime. It is a truism which, as usual, contains a measure of fact. Prices have been rising for months and a spike in fuel costs worldwide has created a perfect storm for cartel activity and prompted an unprecedented reaction from the world’s leading competition agencies. One major concern is companies taking [...]
Double-digit footfall boost for London and South East as shops fear cost of living crunch will deter customers April 5, 2022 Retail footfall saw a double-digit boost last month in London and the South East, thanks to a bout of sunshine. London and the south East saw a 11.3 per cent rise in footfall to retail destinations in March. This represented footfall down 22 per cent on pre-pandemic levels. Across the UK, footfall was up 9.9 [...]