Firms slash jobs and hike prices as Reeves’ Budget fallout continues January 24, 2025 UK businesses hiked prices and cut staff in January, a new survey shows, as firms continued to struggle in the wake of October’s Budget. The latest ‘flash’ purchasing managers’ index (PMI), which reflects business activity in the private sector, showed employment levels decreasing for the fourth month in a row. “Many firms suggested that the [...]
UK economy: Consumers catch ‘January blues’ as confidence slumps January 23, 2025 Confidence in the health of the economy fell to its lowest level since the BRC started collecting data on the topic in March 2024.
The government is on a charm offensive in Davos, but businesses are sceptical January 23, 2025 UK business confidence is set to decline compared to 2024, with more than half of all UK executives expecting business risks to increase in the year ahead, says Heather Blundell Chancellor Rachel Reeves has attended the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos this week with a clear mission – to convince global CEOs and [...]
Davos: Reeves defends fiscal rules and says Heathrow expansion is ‘pro-growth’ January 22, 2025 Rachel Reeves has insisted the UK would continue to meet her “fiscal rules”, describing them as the “bedrock” of the stability she aims to restore to the economy and public finances. The Chancellor spoke at a Bloomberg event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector [...]
Spending review: No new cash unless departments cut by five per cent January 21, 2025 Government departments won’t receive any cash for new projects unless they meet the Treasury’s requirement of a five per cent spending cut, Darren Jones has said. The chief secretary to the Treasury spoke at the Institute for Government (IfG) think tank’s conference on Tuesday about the need for a “reckoning” with state spending. Jones wrote [...]
UK economy: Only three sectors report growth as Reeves’ woes deepen January 20, 2025 The number of sectors seeing higher output in December was at its lowest level since September 2023.
UK consulting sector to grow for next two years as AI’s impact expands January 20, 2025 The British consulting sector is expected to grow by single-digit growth in the next 12 months, with a near 9 per cent increase predicted for 2026 with eyes on AI
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]