Starmer’s value for money office might be a waste of money, MPs warn January 20, 2025 Keir Starmer’s new value for money office might be a waste of money, an influential group of MPs have warned in a sceptical report. The newly-established Office for Value for Money (OVfM), which Labour pledged to set up ahead of the election, is supposed to improve government competitiveness and crackdown on waste. But concerns have [...]
What will Trump’s first 100 days mean for markets? January 20, 2025 Amid concern about tariffs, markets appear to be hedging their bets, but there’s plenty to suggest that Trump’s first moves in office could fall short of the worst expectations, says Michael Hewson A lot of the recent turmoil in markets appears to be being blamed on concerns that Donald Trump, inaugurated as President today, could [...]
Government ‘prepared for all scenarios’ says minister as Trump tariffs loom January 19, 2025 The Government “has prepared for all scenarios”, a Cabinet minister has said, as questions about President-elect Donald Trump’s tariffs loom large ahead of the inauguration on Monday. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones said “we need to see what the Trump administration do” but also that Mr Trump is “well known for wanting to [...]
The UK is at risk of missing out on the crypto revolution January 19, 2025 Crypto is not a curiosity or a fad, it’s set to transform financial services – and as with any true innovation we must be prepared to experiment and sometimes fail, says Lord Ranger The soaring office towers of Canary Wharf stand as testimony to Britain’s golden era of smart regulation and financial ingenuity, cementing London’s [...]
Train drivers seek to put ‘dent’ in cost of living in pay talks January 18, 2025 Train drivers in England will look to “put a dent” in the cost of living over the past few years when they negotiate their next pay settlement, according to the head of their union. Mick Whelan, general secretary of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (Aslef), told the i Paper any proposed rise [...]
IMF upgrades UK growth outlook after sluggish year January 17, 2025 UK economic growth is set to accelerate this year after it missed forecasts in 2024, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said. The global economic body slightly upgraded its growth projection for the UK in a fresh update of its influential World Economic Outlook report. The IMF said UK gross domestic product (GDP) is on [...]
What is driving the FTSE 100 surge? January 17, 2025 The FTSE 100 has hit a new all-time high today, with the index within touching distance of 8,500 for the first time. Since the start of the week, London’s main index has grown almost three per cent, outperforming the Nasdaq, the S&P 500, and the Dow Jones. The strong performance from the FTSE 100 came [...]
‘Here for the long haul’: Reeves defends her position after market turmoil January 17, 2025 Rachel Reeves has insisted she is “here for the long haul” as she defended her position as Chancellor in the wake of bond market turmoil and rising government borrowing costs. The UK’s Chancellor has faced criticism for embarking on a trip to China last weekend while government borrowing costs surged and the value of the [...]
Elon Musk wants to ban WFH for millions in the US government January 17, 2025 Elon Musk may terminate remote work for millions of federal employees, as he steps into his new role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E). The tech titan and outspoken Trump supporter outlined plans to announce a mandatory return to office policy to reduce the size of the US government workforce and cut [...]
UK retail sales plunged in December as Budget fallout spread January 17, 2025 UK retail sales dropped during December, despite expectations of a Christmas bounce as consumers pulled back on spending. In a worrying sign for the economy, retail sales fell 0.3 per cent in December. Analysts had pencilled in growth of 0.4 per cent. November’s retail sales growth was also revised down by the Office for National [...]