The end of cheap oil: Have prices troughed? September 22, 2015 Having fallen by more than 50 per cent since last summer to under $50 per barrel, Opec has said that it expects oil prices to rise to $80 per barrel by the end of the decade. The oil cartel, which decides on the collective production policy of countries like Saudi Arabia and the Gulf [...]
Energy costs fall to dampen rises over Eurozone September 16, 2015 A STEEP drop in energy prices held down prices in the Eurozone in August, according to figures released yesterday by Eurostat, with officials dropping further hints that stimulus measures could be beefed up if necessary. Energy prices fell 7.2 per cent in July compared with the same month last year, dampening overall annual inflation which [...]
As the UK inflation rate falls back to zero per cent, does this reinforce the case for keeping interest rates low? September 15, 2015 Ruth Miller, UK economist at Capital Economics, says Yes We probably haven’t seen the back of negative inflation in the UK. Petrol prices have fallen further this month. The British Gas price cut will show up in September’s figures. Meanwhile, the strength of sterling should continue to put downward pressure on import prices. Admittedly, the [...]
Red tape drives up costs for small businesses ahead of inflation September 15, 2015 The cost for small businesses of complying with regulations is soaring ahead of inflation, despite improvements in the economy and pledges by the government to cut red tape, a leading business group has warned. The Forum of Private Business, which represents thousands of small businesses across the UK, said that 86 per cent of members [...]
UK business facing £98.6bn fraud bill September 15, 2015 UK BUSINESSES are losing an estimated £98.6billion annually to fraud, according to a report undertaken by the University of Portsmouth’s Centre for Counter Fraud Studies, and accountancy fi rm PKF Littlejohn. Professor Mark Button, co-author of The Financial Cost Of Fraud 2015 report and director of the Centre for Counter Fraud Studies, says: “The key [...]
Gains beat pain for Costain with record orders August 20, 2015 ENGINEERING consultancy Costain yesterday reported growth in both revenue and profits for the first half of the year, citing growth in infrastructure as the main reason behind the increase. Half-year revenue was £601.5m, up from the previous total of £504m, while profit had risen by 42 per cent to £10m. The company, which is currently [...]
High yield stands out as last pocket of return as bond markets make losses this year August 19, 2015 Nearly all bond sectors are in the red this year. With losses across the sector, high yield is standing out as the last area of decent return, according to experts. BOND MARKET LOSSES Four out of six Investment Association bond sectors have made losses in sterling terms this year, including global and emerging market [...]
Light at the end of the North Sea oil pipeline: Oil firms have all taken a hit by the decline in global crude prices. But has it hit rock bottom? August 19, 2015 The affect of fraught conditions in oil markets on North Sea companies was revealed yesterday as John Wood Group and Cairn Energy announced their half-year results. Wood Group revealed it has axed around 5,000 jobs in response to the decline in crude oil prices, with 1,000 of them coming from North Sea operations. The company’s [...]
Don’t fear low inflation: It’s great news for consumers while it lasts August 18, 2015 The latest retail figures in the UK showed good growth. Things are also looking up in the US and in much of the euro area. The world economy has settled into a period of steady growth with very little inflation in the major economies. Indeed, just yesterday, official figures revealed that consumer price index inflation [...]
UK inflation: Pound hits seven-week high as inflation unexpectedly hits 0.1 per cent in July August 18, 2015 The pound hit a seven-week high against the greenback this morning as investors cheered a better-than-expected inflation figure. Official data showed the consumer price index rose 0.1 per cent in the year to July, from zero a month earlier, beating economists' expectations for no change. Nevertheless inflation still remains well below the Bank of England's target [...]