Job retention scheme: Rishi Sunak extends furlough scheme until October May 12, 2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has extended the government’s coronavirus job retention scheme until October and has promised furloughed workers they will not see a further dip in their salary until it ends. Sunak announced today that the scheme will remain the same until the end of July, but from August to October there will be “greater [...]
Five reasons why energy transition stocks can weather the inflation storm November 1, 2021 The current inflationary pressures putting strain on global equity markets are impacting energy transition equities more than most, with many of its sub-sectors right in the eye of the storm. But while these short-term threats are painful, they should not detract from the longer-term investment opportunity. Inflationary pressures have been at the heart of this disruption. Global supply [...]
Spending review live: Sunak pledges cash for city centres and transport but aid and public sector pay cut November 25, 2020 Spending review live: Sunak pledges cash for city centres and transport but aid and public sector pay cut
Boardrooms are snoozing on the UK’s sleep crisis November 5, 2019 Britain’s productivity has long been the bane of the economy. Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that UK output has declined year-on-year since 2014 and lags behind the rest of Europe. Clearly, there’s no silver-bullet solution to turning the tide – it will take a mix of tried-and-tested measures, like application of [...]
No business is an island in the fight against climate change September 23, 2019 Last Friday, adults joined forces with students to inspire a call to action on the Earth’s climate and ecological emergencies. More than a thousand Amazon employees planned a walkout, and we saw the Trade Union Congress urge their members to support climate strikers. Regardless of what you think of people taking time off work to [...]
Ben Broadbent reappointed as Bank of England deputy May 31, 2019 Ben Broadbent has been reappointed to his role as deputy governor for monetary policy at the Bank of England by the government, the Treasury announced today. Read more: Bank of England: We'll hike interest rates after orderly Brexit It also announced the appointment of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) general secretary, Frances O’Grady, to the Bank’s [...]
Before the Bell: Europe set for positive start despite softness in Asia markets March 8, 2021 No one can complain about a lack of volatility in financial markets at the moment. The tug-of-war between economic recovery and inflation risks continued on Wall Street on Friday and spilt out onto the street in Asia. Friday’s outsized 379,000 gain in Non-Farm Payrolls caused US yields to spike initially. Still, equity markets just couldn’t [...]
FTSE 100 closes higher and US stocks rise on fresh stimulus hopes October 8, 2020 The FTSE 100 closed higher and Wall Street rose as renewed hopes of a US fiscal stimulus package lifted sentiment despite jobless claims remaining stubbornly high. Two days after calling off negotiations on a comprehensive fiscal aid bill, US President Donald Trump today said that talks with Congress have restarted. Read more: New US jobless [...]
Racing against time: The UK-US trade deal and the 2020 election November 2, 2020 WASHINGTON, D.C. – International trade secretary Liz Truss recently made it clear that the UK needed to close a US trade deal by mid-2021 if it was going to happen any time soon. In July, the US government’s Trade Promotion Authority -which allows trade deals to be passed through Congress without being amended – will [...]
FTSE 100 slips as doubts set in about new US stimulus July 22, 2020 The FTSE 100 continued to trade in the red on Wednesday afternoon as US coronavirus cases continued to rise and investors doubted Congress would pass another stimulus bill within two weeks. London’s blue-chip index shed 0.59 per cent by 3pm to 6,232 points. The FTSE 250 edged up 0.15 per cent however. It came after [...]