Truss and Hunt to oversee protracted recession, EY Item Club forecasts October 17, 2022 The UK is on course for a long recession that will last from this winter through to next summer, underscoring the tough challenge facing prime minister Liz Truss and her new chancellor Jeremy Hunt. Rising inflation compounded by higher interest rates will force the economy into reverse in the current quarter until the summer of [...]
Analysis: Truss can’t buck the markets October 14, 2022 Around eight minutes is how long prime minister Liz Truss today allocated to explain why she sacked her chancellor for implementing her tax cuts and signed off her second mini budget U-turn. She clarified neither. She answered four questions and committed to her “mission” to boost growth in the UK at a Downing Street press [...]
Liz Truss appoints Jeremy Hunt as chancellor after Kwarteng sacking October 14, 2022 Jeremy Hunt has been appointed as the new chancellor after prime minister Liz Truss sacked Kwasi Kwarteng today following weeks of market turmoil triggered by last month’s mini budget. Hunt is the fourth chancellor this year. According to bookmaker Betfair, Truss is now odds on to step down as prime minister. Kwarteng wrote to Liz [...]
UK borrowing costs tank as mini budget U-turn rumours gather pace October 14, 2022 UK borrowing costs fell sharply today driven by chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng and prime minister Liz Truss reportedly set to U-turn on more parts of their mini budget. The chancellor has today cut short his trip to the International Monetary Fund’s Washington meetings to hold emergency talks with Truss in London. Rumours of a second U-turn [...]
Truss mulls another tax cut U-turn after bruising day for PM October 14, 2022 Rumours that Liz Truss could U-turn on her tax cut plans intensified yesterday, with the Chancellor telling journalists “let’s see” when asked about the possibility of a change of course. Number 10 held crisis talks over whether to scrap more of the mini-budget as speculation over the Prime Minister’s future reached fever pitch in Westminster. Many [...]
London’s FTSE 100 bags gains as rate sensitive stocks kick higher October 13, 2022 London’s FTSE 100 notched gains yesterday driven by stocks exposed to interest rates receiving a boost from reports the government will roll back some of the mini-budget. The capital’s premier index jumped 0.35 per cent to 6,850.27 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK [...]
London’s FTSE 100 weighed down UK banks tumbling October 12, 2022 London’s FTSE 100 was marred by the UK’s largest listed lenders falling sharply today on fears over borrowers struggling to pay home loans. The capital’s premier index fell 0.86 per cent to 6,826.15 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, dropped 1.73 per [...]
Liz Truss: I ‘absolutely’ won’t cut UK public spending October 12, 2022 Liz Truss has said she “absolutely” will not cut government spending, despite expectations the chancellor is set to bring forward measures to balance the Budget this month. The Prime Minister told the House of Commons that “what we will make sure is over the medium-term the debt is falling” and that “we will do that, [...]
Bank of England warns of ‘severe risks’ to market stability and financial crisis debt levels October 12, 2022 The Bank of England’s emergency £65bn bond buying scheme – that its chief Andrew Bailey last night confirmed will end on Friday – has been fighting “severe risks” to UK financial stability, the central bank said today. Turmoil in UK gilt markets since the government’s mini budget threatened to trigger “an excessive and sudden tightening [...]
UK economy on recession cliff edge as GDP unexpectedly shrinks October 12, 2022 The UK is staring over a recession cliff edge, caused by soaring inflation and rising interest rates, that will be lengthened by turmoil in financial markets, official figures published today revealed. The economy unexpectedly shrank 0.3 per cent over the month to August, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Economists had expected gross [...]