Bank of England lays out another round of changes to Solvency II to free up capital September 28, 2023 The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has set out another round of reforms to the Solvency II regime in an attempt to unlock a wave of investment in the UK economy. The UK government set out its plans for a post-Brexit overhaul of the EU’s Solvency II rules in November last year, with a view to [...]
Wage growth slows faster than expected and unemployment picks up slightly March 12, 2024 Developments in the labour market are crucial for assessing whether inflation is under control, enabling the Bank to ease the cost of borrowing.
UK’s audit watchdog calls on top accounting firms to boost measures against exam cheating December 21, 2022 The UK’s accounting watchdog has called on Britain’s seven largest auditors to improve the measures they have in place to prevent cheating on exams, following a series of international cheating scandals involving the world’s biggest audit firms. In a letter seen by City A.M., the UK’s Financial Reporting Council (FRC) called on the country’s top [...]
Recession fears see Brits stock up on own-brand kitchen staples April 3, 2023 THE COST of living crisis is beginning to be felt in the pockets of ordinary punters – with more than one in three turning towards own brand products to keep the kitchen cupboard stocked. New research from KPMG suggests more than half of UK consumers have reduced ‘non-essential’ spending amid recession fears, with eating out top of [...]
Retail: Insolvencies expected to ‘uptick’ as market consolidates amid Superdry and Ted Baker trouble February 12, 2024 Less than two months into 2024 and six UK retailers have already gone bust, with a further two warning they may fall into trouble, as experts warn the market will “continue to see an uptick in insolvencies”. According to figures from Centre of Retail Research, over 400 job roles have been impacted by retailers shutting [...]
Carillion: Five years on, MPs and industry leaders demand audit reform to ensure scandal is not repeated January 18, 2023 On the fifth anniversary of the collapse of outsourcer Carillion, MPs and audit sector leaders have united in calling on the UK government to push forwards with plans to overhaul the country’s audit sector. MPs said a shake-up of the country’s accounting industry is needed imminently to ensure that audit failures, such as the one [...]
London businesses shelve hiring plans amid UK recession uncertainty March 8, 2023 London businesses are the most reluctant to take on new staff in the UK due to uncertainty over whether the country will eventually tip into recession, a closely watched survey out today reveals. The capital’s firms are trimming intentions to expand their workforce due to concerns over a looming drop in consumer spending amid the [...]
UK retail sales pick up as summer finally heats up August 6, 2024 Retail sales returned to growth in July after the long-awaited summer boost for retail finally arrived along with the warmer weather. Total retail sales increased by 0.5 per cent year on year in July, up from the three-month average growth rate of 0.3 per cent, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor [...]
UK jobs market finally flashes cool down signals as hiring slows October 7, 2022 The UK jobs market is finally flashing slowdown signals after running hot for months after the worst of the Covid-19 crisis, a closely watched survey published today reveals. Firms are moderating hiring campaigns in response to concerns over the UK’s weakening economy and a shortage of workers. Britain is on course for a recession as [...]
Firms reluctant to recruit permanent staff, research suggests October 11, 2023 Uncertainty over the economic outlook as well as rising costs are continuing to affect staff recruitment, new research suggests.