Janet Yellen: US Treasury is in danger of running out of cash in October September 9, 2021 Janet Yellen has warned the US Treasury is in danger of running out of cash in October unless Congress raises the debt ceiling, as the government walks on a tight rope to avoid a possible US default. In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other lawmakers yesterday, the Treasury secretary said a “specific [...]
Not going out: sales down 4.5 per cent for pubs, bars and restaurants November 15, 2021 The hospitality sector is struggling to bounce back from Covid-19 as Brits take a cautious attitude to spending post-lockdown. Rolling sales for managed pubs, bars and restaurants are down 4.5 per cent over the past 12 months as the sector continues to be hit hard by supply chain pressures, high energy prices and recruitment issues. [...]
Customers hesitant to buy bulky furniture amid fuel worries October 12, 2021 Brits were hesitant to purchase larger goods like furniture last month amid damp weather and fuel shortage concerns. September marked the slowest retail sales growth since January, when the UK was subject to lockdown measures. UK retail sales decreased 0.6 per cent on a like-for-like basis from September 2020, when they had increased 6.1 per [...]
A hammer blow to the industry: Business travel body slams new restrictions December 5, 2021 The travel industry has reacted with fury following the re-introduction of pre-departure mandatory tests for those travelling to England. Clive Wratten, chief executive of the UK Business Travel Association (BTA), has slammed the government’s decision, calling it a “hammer blow to the business travel industry.” “Public safety is a priority, but businesses will fail, travellers [...]
Could UK economy be more fragile than BoE believes? May 9, 2022 At its May meeting, the Bank of England’s (BoE) Monetary Policy Committee decided to raise interest rates by 25 basis points (bps) to a 13-year high of 1.00%. All nine members considered policy tightening to be appropriate given the strength of the labour market and persistence of domestic inflationary pressures. However, three policymakers went one [...]
Average UK property almost £30,000 more expensive than a year ago as house prices accelerate March 2, 2022 The average UK house price has topped £260,000 for first time, after surging by nearly £30,000 over the past 12 months. The typical property value reached £260,230 in February, Nationwide Building Society said. In cash terms, the average house price in February was £29,162 higher than a year earlier, the biggest annual cash increase the [...]
Rain and fuel chaos kept shoppers away from the high street October 8, 2021 Shoppers were deterred from the high street last month because of rain and chaos surrounding fuel buying. Total UK footfall dropped by 16.8 per cent in September, compared to pre-pandemic levels, BRC-Sensormatic IQ data found. Out of all regions, London saw the biggest drop of 26.3 per cent, compared to 2019. The city has suffered [...]
Consumer fatigue slows retail sales growth August 10, 2021 Signs of fatigue among consumers after the initial burst in spending triggered by the gradual easing of Covid restrictions are starting to emerge, according to new figures released today. Research from the British Retail Consortium and KPMG show retail sales jumped 9.8 per cent in July compared to the same period in 2019, before the [...]
Jet2’s operating losses go up due to customer anxiety November 18, 2021 UK low-cost carrier Jet2 registered a 53 per cent increase in operating loss as a result of the Covid-19 air travel restrictions and consequent customer anxiety. In its half year results, the airline’s losses went up to £170.4m, compared with £111.2m registered in 2020, while the group’s loss before foreign exchange revaluation and taxation increased [...]
Virgin Money personal lending up as more people shop with credit cards July 27, 2021 Banking group Virgin Money today reported that personal lending and relationship deposits have grown as consumers pick up their credit cards again. Personal lending grew 2.5% to £5.2bn in the three months to 30 June 2021, driven by more customers using their credit cards to shop. Relationship deposits increased 3.7 per cent to just under [...]