Wood Group’s profit plummeted due to a “very challenging” oil and gas market February 21, 2017 Wood Group's shares have tumbled after it reported a 62 per cent fall in its 2016 profit as weak oil prices causing producers to cut spending. The figures Shares in the FTSE 250-listed oilfield services company plummeted as much as 11 per cent in morning trading when it revealed its profit for the year ended 31 December 2016 dropped 61.8 [...]
Britons spend £19,000 every year on bills February 17, 2017 British families spend almost three-quarters of an average wage on bills and accommodation, according to a new study. The average family in the UK spends £19,142.37 on the basics for a fully functioning home, including mortgages or rent, insurance, gas, and electricity, according to a study by Powershop UK. Utility bills on average comprised £520 [...]
These are the energy providers rolling customers onto higher tariffs at the end of the month – and the cheapest deals February 16, 2017 British households could be hit by an extra £256 added to their energy bills when several tariffs expire at the end of the month. On the 28 February, 27 fixed dual fuel tariffs are set to end from suppliers including Extra Energy, Npower, and EDF, meaning customers could be rolled onto their supplier's standard variable tariff, new research shows. Of those, 25 will increase rates [...]
Five-year high for US inflation in biggest jump in consumer prices since 2013 February 15, 2017 Consumer prices in the US jumped in January by the most since 2013 as higher oil prices continue to make their impact around the world. Prices increased by 0.6 per cent in January to push annual inflation to 2.5 per cent, higher than expected, according to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS). Rising petrol [...]
Big Oil is sleepwalking into crisis by underestimating the electric car revolution February 15, 2017 The “disruptive” label is overused. However, the unexpected pace of advancement in clean technology over the past decade has taken many established utility companies by surprise. And despite recent, largely reassuring results from the oil sector, Europe’s utilities provide a potentially prophetic glimpse into its future. In the German city of Hamm, the Westfalen D [...]
Boiler breakdowns cost the UK £787m in bills last year February 15, 2017 UK families were forced to pay out more than £787m in unexpected boiler repair bills last year. Nearly a fifth of households (18 per cent) faced at least one boiler breakdown in the last year, and the average cost of repairing it came to £270, according to energy price comparison website uSwitch. However, a quarter [...]
Inflation: How far will UK consumer prices rise this year? February 14, 2017 Inflation has already hit a 31-month high, but economists are almost universally predicted a steep rise in consumer prices over the coming year. The Bank of England (BoE) expects consumer prices to rise to 2.7 per cent by the end of this year, but other economists think that might be at the more conservative end [...]
Energy providers are coming up with new methods to move customers to cheaper deals February 14, 2017 As two-thirds of British consumers, or 67 per cent, are still paying for their energy provider's most expensive deal, a consumer group has urged firms to implement new policies. Consumer advice group Which has pushed British energy suppliers to outline new ways to engage customers ahead of Ofgem interventions. Today, it will today publish the responses of 14 companies. "With [...]
Inflation to hit 1.9 per cent for January as London businesses battle fastest cost rise since 2008 February 13, 2017 Consumer price inflation is expected to reach 1.9 per cent in January, taking it to its highest level since June 2014. It comes as businesses in the capital have faced the fastest rise in input costs for more than eight years during January. IHS Global Insight forecasts a third successive marked increase for the Consumer [...]
ScottishPower is hiking energy prices while British Gas says it will extend its price freeze February 10, 2017 Another Big Six energy provider is raising its prices – this time its ScottishPower. The utility firm said more than a million customers will be affected by the rises. Dual fuel prices will increase by an average of 7.8 per cent, electricity prices will jump 10.8 per cent and gas prices will raise 4.7 per cent. ScottishPower blamed [...]