Do today’s GDP figures really show improvement in the UK economy? April 12, 2024 Today's release of figures on the UK economy figures feels like a big deal, with people proclaiming the end of recession. Is that right?
Public money, tied to political decisions won’t save us from the climate challenge July 18, 2022 We are now just over 100 days from Cop27 in Sharm el-Sheikh. It only feels like yesterday that many of us in the Square Mile made the journey to Glasgow for Cop26, working hard to ensure that financial and professional services played its part in helping keep climate change goals within reach. Yet with just [...]
Retail sales: Shoppers feeling the love in lead up to Valentine’s Day not enough to protect sector from ‘volatile trading conditions’ March 7, 2023 Shoppers scrambling for gifts in the lead up to Valentine’s Day helped boost retail sales in February, however the sector has warned that it’s still facing “volatile trading conditions”. According to figures published by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), UK total retail sales increased by 5.2 per cent in February as consumers showed they were [...]
Brits hold back on buying sofas and fridges as cost of living climbs May 10, 2022 Brits have held back on buying big ticket items, such as furniture, as living costs spiral. Retail sales in the UK fell on a like-for-like basis by 1.7 per cent last month, compared to April 2021. Sales growth went into decline for the first time in 15 months as retailers face a balancing act between [...]
UK borrows more than expected ahead of Autumn Statement as tax cuts mooted November 21, 2023 The government borrowed more than expected in October, providing a “timely reminder” about the state of the UK’s fiscal position ahead of the Autumn Statement. According to figures from the Office for National Statistics, the government borrowed £14.9bn in October, £1.2bn more than had been pencilled in by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). This [...]
Spike in UK car dealerships being snapped up as British firms go cheap August 20, 2023 UK car dealerships are increasingly being snapped up by overseas investors on the cheap amid a surge in dealmaking in the sector. There were around 20 overseas investments into UK dealer groups in the decade prior to 2019, while the three years post-Covid have already seen 10 transactions, with several set to be completed this [...]
As wage growth passes its peak experts are divided on the Bank of England’s next move November 14, 2023 The question is what will happen with wage growth over the coming months. Predictably, economists are divided.
Bain, McKinsey and BCG outgun Big Four with huge salaries and big bonuses January 28, 2022 The Big Three consulting firms – Bain, McKinsey, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) – are now offering considerably higher salaries than the Big Four accounting firms – EY, PwC, KPMG, and Deloitte – new figures from Management Consulted show. A tight global labour market in 2021 and stiff competition among white collar firms has caused [...]
Former HSBC Company CFO Joins GFA Exchange Advisory Board March 30, 2023 Inclusive Fintech Startup Attracts Global Experience To Transform Financial Services Mark Body, a highly accomplished financial management professional and director has recently joined the advisory board at award-winning fintech, GFA Exchange. He brings a wealth of experience as the former Global CFO of HSBC ServCo, an £18 billion business unit within the largest bank in [...]
Severity of Omicron to determine UK economy’s fate, analysts warn December 6, 2021 The severity of the Omicron variant will determine the strength of the UK’s economic recovery from the pandemic over the coming year, according to City economists. The British economy could reach its pre-pandemic size by the third quarter of next year if the new strain of coronavirus proves to be less deadly than first thought, [...]