Budget 2015 summary: Analysts, economists and think tanks give their verdict on Osborne March 18, 2015 George Osborne delivered a Budget stacked with facts, figures and policies intended to ward off Labour's cost of living offensive and get the electorate on side before May the reactions are already flooding in. Here is a sampling of analysts' reactions to the final set-piece event of the coalition government. BNP Paribas' Dominic Bryant gives [...]
The Conservatives have outlived their usefulness: It’s time for a southern party March 16, 2015 Us southerners are over-taxed, says Kelvin MacKenzie. We must fight back I FEEL gloomy about the outcome of the General Election. If you could choose your enemy in politics, I presume David Cameron would pick Ed Miliband ahead of anybody else on the Labour benches with the possible exception of that portly prat Tom Watson. [...]
General Election 2015: The Conservatives have outlived their usefulness – it’s time for a Southern Party March 15, 2015 I feel gloomy about the outcome of the General Election. If you could choose your enemy in politics, I presume David Cameron would pick Ed Miliband ahead of anybody else on the Labour benches with the possible exception of that portly prat Tom Watson. But I look at the issue from the other end [...]
London leads national house price growth March 12, 2015 London and the south east are leading national house price growth despite slowing substantially, new figures show today. Average UK house prices were 6.8 per cent higher in February than they were in the same month last year, according to figures released by property services firm LSL today. If London and the south east are [...]
Scant supply of homes pushes prices higher March 5, 2015 RISING incomes, stamp duty changes and a supply shortage are putting upward pressure on house prices, new figures show. The average house price rose 8.3 per cent in February compared to February 2014, according to data released yesterday by mortgage lender Halifax. It marks a slight slowdown in growth from the 8.5 per cent year-on-year [...]
HSBC “not protected” from criminal investigation by DoJ money laundering deal, says prospective attorney general Loretta Lynch February 11, 2015 HSBC could face prosecution by the US's Department of Justice, as it comes under renewed pressure over the actions of its Swiss subsidiary. Loretta Lynch, Barack Obama's nominee for attorney general, was part of a team that secured nearly $2bn (£1.3bn) from HSBC over charges that it refused to prevent money laundering by drug [...]
When a currency ceiling’s broken January 15, 2015 The Swiss policy U-turn spooked markets – Chris Papadopoullos explains the change WHAT is an exchange rate cap? Foreign currencies can be bought or sold and have a price just like any other good such as a loaf of bread or a newspaper. The exchange rate can be thought of as the price of one [...]
UK house prices: Mild respite for home buyers as market cools January 8, 2015 House price growth continued to slow in December, but still remained at elevated levels. The climb in house prices was 7.8 per cent year-on-year in December, figures released yesterday by Halifax revealed. It marks a cooling from the peak of the recent boom that, according to Halifax’s figures, saw prices rise 10.2 per cent year-on-year [...]
The other FCA concern: Why its new rules for bankers would hurt the UK economy December 8, 2014 IT’LL be a busy week for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Yesterday, the regulator announced a new strategic approach for the organisation, with key personnel changes and a “sharper focus” on the challenges ahead. A review by Clifford Chance partner Simon Davis into the FCA’s handling of an insurance probe earlier this year is also [...]
Home loan rates set to drop more as HSBC introduces record low mortgage of 0.99pc November 19, 2014 Mortgage rates are poised to break new records and edge even further down. HSBC recently made headlines by introducing a record low mortgage rate of 0.99 per cent, with economists from the bank predicting policy rates would stay at their all-time lows of 0.5 per cent until at least 2016. It looks unlikely to end [...]