We will muddle through amid economic woes June 26, 2011 IT’S amazing how far we’ve come in a short period of time. Back in early February, financial markets were still pricing in the chances of a Bank of England rates rise in May. Now, with the release of minutes from June’s MPC meeting, a rate hike isn’t fully expected until July 2012. As a result, [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING June 22, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES BA CABIN CREW VOTE FOR PEACE DEAL British Airways cabin crew have voted overwhelmingly to accept a peace deal, ending 18 months of conflict in one of the most bitter recent industrial disputes. Unite said members voted 92 per cent in favour of what it described as an “honourable settlement’’, with eight per [...]
Ofgem demands UK energy market shake-up June 22, 2011 Ofgem has told the country’s biggest utilities it believes sweeping reforms are needed to the retail gas and electricity market to encourage competition at a time of rising energy prices. “We will pursue breaking up the stranglehold of the Big Six on the electricity market to encourage more firms, like new arrival the Co-op, to [...]
Banks and commodities fall as Greek debt crisis lingers June 20, 2011 BANKS and commodity stocksdragged Britain’s top index lower yesterday, as Greece’s lingering debt crisis looks likely to stall the FTSE’s progress near-term, analysts said. Investors reacted negatively after European finance ministers postponed a final decision on extending a further €12bn in emergency loans to Greece. The International Monetary Fund weighed in, saying it needed to [...]
Energy prices keep Eurozone inflation high June 16, 2011 HIGHER energy prices kept Eurozone annual inflation well above the European Central Bank’s target in May, data showed yesterday, strengthening the case for an expected ECB interest rate rise in July. Eurostat said consumer prices in the 17 countries using the euro were flat month-on-month in May and confirmed its earlier estimate of a 2.7 [...]
Inflation held up by steeper food prices June 14, 2011 INFLATION is widely expected to balloon past five per cent in the coming months, after rising food costs held the consumer price index to a two-and-a-half year high of 4.5 per cent in May. May’s steady rate on the CPI “represents just a temporary pause in an upward trend which could take inflation to 5.5 [...]
Sterling’s slump is costing us all dear June 12, 2011 WELCOME to price hike Britain. Wherever one looks, consumer goods and food are becoming dearer. Energy prices are rocketing. One fundamental reason for these increases is the collapse in the value of sterling since the recession, a development which has been insufficiently well understood by the UK’s political establishment. Sterling’s slump is a dramatic reversal [...]
Huhne: hurt energy firms June 12, 2011 CHRIS Huhne yesterday called on energy consumers to “hurt” their suppliers by finding a cheaper alternative rather than accept price hikes “lying down”. “Consumers don’t have to take price increases lying down,” the energy secretary said. “If an energy company hits you with a price increase, you can hit them back where it hurts – [...]
Scot Power hikes its gas bills by 19pc June 7, 2011 UTILITY firm Scottish Power will hike its domestic power and gas tariffs from 1 August in response to rising wholesale energy prices, it announced yesterday, becoming the first of the power companies set to raise household bills this summer. Gas bills for Scottish Power customers will increase by an average of 19 per cent, while [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING June 6, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES SPAIN TO SEEK REDRESS OVER E. COLI CLAIM Spain will demand “100 per cent” compensation for the damage suffered by its farmers over unfounded accusations that they were the source of the E. coli outbreak in Germany that has killed 22 people and made thousands sick. Rosa Aguilar, Spain’s environment and rural affairs [...]