Letters: A new look at supply chains December 8, 2022 [Re: UK business fear supply chain chaos will ruin Christmas trading, December 5] In the last week, City AM has run several stories on the continuing chaos engulfing global supply chains and the industries this is affecting. The articles rightly identify problems such as key materials shortages, a shrinking labour market, and rising energy costs, [...]
Moonpig customers purchasing cheaper gifts and ‘hesitating’ due to Royal Mail strikes December 7, 2022 Shoppers hunting for birthday and anniversary presents are forking out for cheaper options and hesitating to send cards due to postie walk-outs, Moonpig’s boss has said. Ongoing disruption from Royal Mail strike days was “clearly not helpful” to the greetings cards business, CEO Nickyl Raithatha told CityA.M., as customers expected deliveries on specific days. Customers [...]
Sunak convinces US to double its gas exports to UK to slow sky-high energy bills December 7, 2022 Under fresh plans to clamp down on the rising cost of living across the UK, the government has convinced the Biden administration to double US gas exports to Britain. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged that the new partnership to boost energy security, efficiency and affordability will cut prices for Britons and ensure the UK’s national [...]
Two in five small theatres could close this Christmas following sales slump December 6, 2022 Two in five small theatres in the UK could face closure as energy costs soar and Christmas sales tank. According to a new study by GoDaddy and the Society of Independent Theatres, three quarters of independent theatres – those with fewer than 300 seats – say their ticket sales have still not returned to pre-Covid [...]
British farmers warn UK is ‘sleepwalking into crisis as food is under threat’ December 6, 2022 Britain’s union for farmers and growers has warned the UK is “sleepwalking” into a food supply crisis, Ahead of an emergency press conference later today, the National Farmers Union (NFU) said the Government needed to step in to assist primary producers under severe strain from soaring fuel, fertiliser and feed costs. Union president Minette Batters [...]
You Should Lay The Groundwork For Your 2023 Pay Rise Now December 5, 2022 There is no doubt it has been a tough year for many people. Inflation has skyrocketed, prices have risen across the board, with energy costs coming under particular scrutiny. Confirming the pressure many feel is the Bank of England’s just-released biannual household survey. The bank indicates that prices for consumers have increased by around 11% [...]
Investors lose interest in supply chain tech as pace of onshoring quickens December 5, 2022 Venture capital investment into supply chain focused technology has significantly slowed in the past few months, following a pandemic-era boom. Startups around the world injected $3.3bn (£2.6bn) to the industry in the third quarter, down more than 77 per cent in comparison with the same months a year ago, according to data research firm Pitchbook [...]
UK recession to officially begin this winter, City economists predict December 5, 2022 The UK’s recession will officially begin this winter and is likely to last for most of next year, a closely watched survey out today suggests. S&P Global and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s (CIPS) final purchasing managers’ index (PMI) measuring private sector activity in November was unchanged at 48.2, the lowest number since [...]
UK businesses fear supply chain chaos will ruin Christmas trading December 5, 2022 UK businesses are anxious that supply chain chaos and soaring costs that have punctuated this year will scupper the lucrative Christmas trading period, a new survey out late last night revealed. Nearly half of British firms are concerned about the rising cost of sourcing materials to produce products, making it the most common problem businesses [...]
Week ahead: Inflation expectations numbers top City’s agenda December 4, 2022 Investors this week will be eyeing fresh data revealing how long households think high inflation will stick around in the UK for clues on the size of the Bank of England’s next interest rate rise. Last week, London’s premier FTSE 100 index climbed nearly one per cent to 7,556.23 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE [...]