Could the Prime Minister’s fledgling Brexit plan end this paralysing uncertainty? October 4, 2019 “Unrealistic and damaging proposals”, or a “genuine attempt to bridge the chasm”? That was the debate raging in parliament yesterday, as the Prime Minister briefed MPs on his new plan for a Brexit deal. The reaction to Boris Johnson’s innovative attempt to break the Brexit deadlock has been mixed. Labour and the Liberal Democrats have [...]
Four reasons to fear Labour’s plan to part-nationalise BT November 15, 2019 British businesses today poured scorn on Labour’s plans to provide Brits with free broadband and part-nationalise BT, slamming the policy as a major setback for the UK’s digital economy. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has set out plans to nationalise BT’s full-fibre arm, Openreach, along with other divisions, funding it by taxing multinational tech giants. Read [...]
Why the Bank of England will buck the trend and hold interest rates September 18, 2019 The US Federal Reserve and European Central Bank (ECB) both slashed interest rates at their last meetings, citing trade wars and stubborn inflation respectively. With the UK economy in contraction – it shrank 0.2 per cent in the second quarter – and inflation falling in August, there is a case for the Bank of England [...]
Eurozone economic sentiment dips as UK confidence grows March 28, 2019 Economic sentiment in the European Union and the eurozone fell this month, while confidence in the UK jumped 1.6 points. Sentiment in the euro area dropped by 0.7 points to 105.5 and in the EU sentiment fell by 0.4 points to 105, according to the European Commission’s latest business and consumer survey. Read more: Draghi [...]
UK unemployment fall pushes earnings growth to 11-year high September 10, 2019 The number of Britons without a job fell in the three months to July to a 45-year low, official figures have shown today, helping total earnings growth hit a decade high. Read more: Hiring intentions climb at financial services firms as Brexit nears UK unemployment was estimated at 3.8 per cent in the period May [...]
Why your ethical fund may not be so ethical after all October 9, 2019 The launch of an ethical investment fund used to be a far rarer occasion than it is today. Around 21 ethical funds have been launched in the UK already this year, according to exclusive figures given to City A.M. by research house FE. Compare this to 2014, when just seven ethical funds were launched all [...]
Ted Baker shares crash as retailer swings to £23m loss October 3, 2019 Ted Baker’s share price crashed 25 per cent as markets opened today, following a disastrous set of results that saw it swing to a loss and warn on its full-year results. Investors sold out of the embattled fashion retailer to take shares down almost 28 per cent as it booked a £23m half-year loss for [...]
Irn-Bru owner AG Barr’s share price rises despite plummeting profits September 24, 2019 Irn-Bru maker AG Barr’s share price rose in early trading as it clung onto its full-year outlook despite posting a huge drop in first half profit. Read more: Irn-Bru maker AG Barr’s share price crashes after profit warning The figures Revenue fell 10.5 per cent year on year to £122.5m for the six months to [...]
UK households’ financial optimism hits six-month high July 22, 2019 UK households have struck an optimistic note on their future finances for the second month in a row, to mark a six-month high in their outlook. Financial health expectations moved up a gear in July after households recorded their first positive outlook since the start of 2019 in June. Read more: UK households turn positive [...]
Mothercare share price slumps as retailer warns on profits July 26, 2019 Mothercare today warned that profits will not grow this year as “fragile” consumer confidence and political uncertainty hurt the retailer. Shares fell sharply on the news, down 8.9 per cent to just 18p, as investors sold out of the struggling high street store. Read more: Mothercare in talks to spin off struggling UK stores The [...]