Rabobank profits fall by a quarter as lender hit with charges August 15, 2019 Pre-tax profit at the Dutch lender Rabobank fell by 26 per cent in the first half of the year, the company said today, after it was hit with impairment charges and struggled with low interest rates. Read more: Four lenders awarded £40m from RBS banking competition funds The figures Rabobank’s operating profit before tax dropped [...]
Asian stock markets regain ground despite warning lights for global economy August 15, 2019 Asian stock markets have bounced somewhat following a tweet from US President Donald Trump floating a personal meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and saying “good things were stated” on a phone call between the two sides. Read more: Recession warnings flash red as ‘yield curve’ inverts in UK and US Equities in Asia recovered [...]
Recession warning lights flash red as UK ‘yield curve’ inverts August 14, 2019 Warning lights are flashing for the UK economy after the government bond “yield curve” inverted this morning for the first time since 2008. An inversion is traditionally seen as a steadfast indicator of an upcoming recession. Read more: Into the red: UK economy shrinks for first time in seven years The curve is the difference [...]
London house prices continue to slide under Brexit pressure August 14, 2019 London house prices have continued their slide with a year-on-year fall of 2.7 per cent in June, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed today. Read more: London house prices suffer worst plunge in 10 years The figure marked a slowdown from the 3.1 per cent drop seen in May, however, which was [...]
UK train fares set for another substantial rise as inflation climbs August 14, 2019 UK train fares are set for another substantial rise in January 2020 after the inflation gauge they are based on climbed by a yearly rate of 2.8 per cent in July, according to official figures released today. Read more: UK wage growth hits 11-year high in first quarter despite shrinking economy Each January, train fares [...]
European stock markets slip back into red after German economy shrinks August 14, 2019 European stock markets have fallen into the red this morning after Germany’s economy shrank in the second quarter. Read more: German economy shrinks in second-quarter as exports slump Equities were also levelling out after US President Donald Trump put a rocket under global markets yesterday by announcing his country would hold back on some planned [...]
Balfour Beatty shares rocket after profit jump August 14, 2019 Shares in construction giant Balfour Beatty have surged 11.8 per cent this morning after its results showed pre-tax profit grew by 26 per cent in the first half of 2019 compared to a year earlier. The UK-based company chalked up the strong results to its “Build to Last” programme which vies for lower-risk contracts amid [...]
German economy shrinks in second quarter as exports slump August 14, 2019 Germany’s economy shrank in the second quarter of the year as weak global demand caused exports from the former powerhouse of Europe to drop off, official data showed today. Read more: German factory production slumps in June raising recession fears Output fell 0.1 per cent quarter on quarter, the government said. The economy had grown [...]
Chinese industrial output growth slows to 17-year low August 14, 2019 China’s industrial output growth slowed to a 17-year low in July as the signs mount that the trade war with the US is beginning to take a toll on the world’s second-largest economy. The 4.8 per cent year-on-year growth in factory output was the weakest since February 2002 and far below economists’ expectations of a [...]
US pulls back from applying fresh tariffs to Chinese tech goods August 13, 2019 The Trump administration has pulled back from slapping tariffs on certain products from China such as laptops and mobile phones, providing relief for jittery global investors. Read more: Tariffs hurting US manufacturers, says Trump’s ex-economic adviser At the start of the month the US announced it would apply 10 per cent tariffs to $300bn of [...]