Austerity hits European consumer confidence September 22, 2010 CONSUMER confidence across the European Union (EU) fell in September to -11.8 points from -11.2 in August as concerns over Europe’s economic recovery returned. Across the 16-member euro area, which excludes the countries like the UK that have not joined the single currency, confidence was up fractionally to -11.2 from -11.4 in August. However, following [...]
High street morale surges May 26, 2011 MORALE on the British high street took a huge leap in May, recording the second sharpest rise of all time, the GfK NOP consumer confidence index revealed today. People reported a boost to their confidence over personal finances and the general economic outlook. The last time the headline index accelerated this fast was in May [...]
Retail sales bounce back in June July 21, 2011 Retail sales bounced back only modestly in June from May’s steep slump, fuelling concerns over the recovery and highlighting the uphill struggle for the government as it aims erase a record budget deficit. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said sales volumes rose 0.7 per cent last month, recovering only half the previous month’s drop. [...]
Cheaper long-term mortgages are back August 30, 2011 MORTGAGE rates are plummeting. Interest rates on gilts and swaps – those things that indicate the price of fixed-rate mortgages – have been heading downwards for some time and look to set to stay there. Now lenders seem to have caught on and have started dishing out the goods. Last week, Chelsea Building Society launched [...]
Philips shares plunge after profit warning on weak Europe demand June 22, 2011 PHILIPS Electronics warned of sharply lower profits at its lighting division and toasters-to-shavers consumer business yesterday, due to weak demand in Europe. The profit warning, which wiped 13.5 per cent off the shares, caps a string of disappointments from Philips and suggests consumer demand in Europe is likely to remain fragile against a backdrop of [...]
Miners and bankers lead rush to share in European success August 30, 2011 BRITAIN’S top shares advanced yesterday, playing catch-up with Europe after a long holiday weekend, led by miners and banks as brokers argued that the recent stock market sell-off has thrown up bargains in the two sectors. JP Morgan highlighted opportunities among miners following their poor performance in August, seeing rewards for those prepared to buy [...]
There is nothing so bad that politicians can’t make it worse August 18, 2011 IT was Thomas Sowell, the American economist, who said “there is nothing so bad that politics cannot make it worse”. In recent weeks, politicians have tested that maxim to destruction. From horse-trading over the US debt ceiling to cack-handed policymaking in Europe, almost every political intervention has served only to fan existing fears over the [...]
IT’S WAR July 13, 2011 Stelios reignites row with easyJet over new aircraft SIR Stelios Haji-Iaonnou has refuelled his ongoing row with the board of easyjet, this time urging the company to cut the size of its fleet and reverse its latest order for 35 airbus planes announced in January. In a letter addressed to easyJet’s chairman Sir Michael Rake, [...]
IT’S WAR July 13, 2011 Stelios reignites row with easyJet over new aircraft SIR Stelios Haji-Iaonnou has refuelled his ongoing row with the board of easyjet, this time urging the company to cut the size of its fleet and reverse its latest order for 35 airbus planes announced in January. In a letter addressed to easyJet’s chairman Sir Michael Rake, [...]
French high street morale lifts May 26, 2011 Consumer confidence edged up in France this month, it was revealed yesterday. A leading index of sentiment rose by one point to 84. Meanwhile the number of people claiming unemployment benefit fell by 6,300, in another positive data release for the country.