The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed UK factory output fell 0.3% in August on a monthly basis. The reading was worse than economists had expected and confirm weak prospects for the economy after the figures suggest a poor start to the third quarter. On an annual basis, meanwhile, factory output was 1.5% [...]
The Halifax has today revealed UK house prices fell by 0.5% in September on a monthly basis and follows a 1.2% fall in August. The latest fall takes the average cost of a UK home to £161,132, the Halifax said. On an annual basis, meanwhile, prices are 2.3% lower, said the lender, which is now [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed UK factory output shrank by 0.2% in July after a flat reading the previous month. The reading was worse than economists had expected and confirm weak prospects for the economy after the figures suggest a poor start to the third quarter. The fall was attributed to [...]
Manufacturing activity in China grew for the first time in four months in August, two separate surveys have revealed. Firstly, the official China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) said its purchasing managers’ index (PMI) edged higher to 50.9 last month from July’s reading of 50.7. The index remains just above the crucial 50 level, [...]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed growth in the UK construction industry weakened in August. The PMI dipped to 52.6 in August from July’s reading of 53.5 – however, the figure was in line with expectations. Furthermore, the index remains above the crucial 50 mark, which [...]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed UK manufacturing activity contracted at the fastest pace in more than two years in August. The closely-watched CIPS/Markit manufacturing PMI fell to 49.0 last month from an upwardly revised 49.4 in July. The latest figure means the index remains [...]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed UK manufacturing contracted in July – the first time since the UK was in recession two years ago. The closely-watched CIPS/Markit manufacturing PMI fell to 49.1 last month from a revised 51.4 in June. The index is now below [...]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit construction purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed UK construction activity beat expectations last month. The PMI rose to 54.0 in May, from April’s reading of 53.3 – beating expectations of 53.6. Furthermore, the index remains above the crucial 50 mark, which indicates expansion. Commenting on the [...]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed UK manufacturing activity slowed in May. The closely-watched CIPS/Markit manufacturing PMI dropped to 52.1 in May, from a reading of 54.4 in April. The reading was much lower than the 54.1 expected by analysts and the lowest reading since [...]
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry today revealed Japanese service sector activity slumped in March due to the earthquake and tsunami. The twin disasters, which occurred on 11 March, led to a fall in activity with the tertiary industry index, falling 6% to 93.5 from February’s 99.5. The decline is the steepest since April [...]
Growth in the UK’s closely-watched service sector surged ahead in March, figures have revealed today. The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit purchasing managers’ index (PMI) rose to a 13-month high of 57.1 last month – from February’s reading of 52.6. Analysts had expected the index to remain broadly unchanged. The reading means the [...]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit construction purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed UK construction activity eased slightly in March. The PMI edged lower to 56.4 in March, from February’s 8-month high of 56.5 – albeit better than forecasts of 54.8. However, the index remains above the crucial 50 mark, which indicates [...]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed UK manufacturing activity slowed more than expected in March. The closely-watched CIPS/Markit manufacturing PMI dropped to 57.1 in March – a five-month low – down from a revised 60.9 in February. The reading was much lower than the 60.5 [...]
Newcastle-based housebuilder Bellway has today reported a 26% rise in first-half profit and experienced strong activity in home buying since the start of 2011. The housebuilder, which is the fifth largest by market value, said pre-tax profits came in at £24 million for the six month period to the end of January – compared with [...]
Growth in the UK’s closely-watched service sector slowed in February, figures have revealed today. The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit purchasing managers’ index (PMI) fell to 52.6 in February from January’s eight month high of 54.5. Analysts had expected the index to hit a level of 54.0 in February. December saw a negative [...]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit construction purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed UK construction activity surged to an eight-month high in February. The PMI rose to 56.5 in February, up from January’s 53.7 – confounding analysts expectations of a drop to 52.9. The index remains above the crucial 50 mark, which [...]
Manufacturing activity in China eased in February, two separate surveys have revealed today. Firstly, the official China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) said its purchasing managers index (PMI) dipped to 52.2 in February from January’s 52.9. According to the CFLP, this was the third consecutive month in which activity fell. However, the index remains [...]
The Munich-based Ifo think tank has announced confidence among German firms rose in February to another record high. The closely-watched Business Climate Index climbed to 111.2 in February, up from 110.3 in January – the ninth consecutive monthly increase and the highest reading for the former West Germany since 1969. The results confounded analysts expectations [...]
Growth in the UK’s closely-watched service sector recovered in January – following the surprise contraction in December due to the disruption caused by bad weather. The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit purchasing managers’ index (PMI) grew at its fastest pace in 8 months to 54.5 in January, from December’s 20-month low of 49.7. [...]
The latest survey from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) has revealed a rise in US factory output. According to the ISM, the manufacturing activity index rose to 60.8 in January, from December’s 58.5. The reading, which was the highest since May 2004, was better than analysts expected and drove US stocks up to a [...]
M&S Money launches 3% cash ISA
M&S Money has launched an Advantage Cash ISA paying 3 per cent, and which allows transfers in from other ISAs. It can be opened with a minimum deposit of £100 lump sum followed by minimum monthly deposits of £25. The 3% rate is variable, but there is no short-term bonus so the return won’t plummet [...]
Google suspends UK Compare Mortgages site
Google has closed its UK mortgage comparison site which it launched in July last year, after it proved to be less popular than expected. Mortgage comparison sites are designed to allow visitors to compare mortgages quickly and easily without having to visit each lender’s individual site. Google was competing with several well-established comparison sites, including [...]
AA launches ‘black-box’ policy for young drivers
The AA is launching an innovative car insurance policy called Drivesafe which could help younger drivers save up to £850 a year. Younger drivers already pay substantially higher premiums than other motorists and these costs are increasing. A new study by Confused.com suggests insurance costs for younger driver have gone up by 5.7 per cent [...]
ATOL scheme updated to protect online bookers
ATOL, a financial protection scheme managed by the Civil Aviation Authority, is being extended to protect up to six million more holidays a year. The scheme ensures that holiday makers do not lose out financially if a travel company collapses, and that they are not stranded abroad. An increase in the number of holidays booked [...]
Home repossessions lowest for four years
The number of UK homes repossessed fell to 36,200 in 2011, significantly below the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ forecast of 40,000, and lower than 2010 when 37,100 homes were repossessed. With interest rates remaining low and lenders adopting a sympathetic attitude to customers in financial difficulty, repossessions fell to their lowest level since 2007. However, [...]
Monthly pay lasting just 17 days
Workers are running out of money just 17 days after receiving their monthly pay, according to new research by the Halifax bank. This means that the average UK worker spends half the month worrying about money. The study, based on the responses of more than 2,000 adults, found that 10 per cent of workers start [...]
Women disadvantaged by auto-enrolment changes
Government proposals to increase the auto-enrolment threshold to £10,000 could put 1.8 million women at risk of missing out on a pension, the TUC has warned. Under the auto-enrolment scheme, which will be phased in from October, private sector employers will automatically enrol workers between the age of 22 years and the state pension age, [...]
Emergency household repairs company Homeserve is taking longer than expected to get back on track after its operations were suspended last October. The company expected customer numbers to fall by 5% this year but it has increased this estimate to 8% and announced the loss of 200 jobs. It estimates that renewal revenue in 2013 [...]
Sale rumoured for Yorkshire and Clydesdale banks
There is growing speculation that National Australia Bank (NAB) may sell Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale Bank after the Australian parent company announced a strategic review of the two banks’ operations. The Australian economy is performing well and NAB reported strong profits for the final quarter of 2011 but with the UK economy at a virtual [...]
More women experiencing debt difficulties
Women in Debt, which offers female-focused debt advice, has warned that the number of UK women facing serious debt has grown significantly over recent years. The organisation believes that more women will need advice on solving debt problems in the future because they are building up an unsustainable level of indebtedness. Women in Debt’s director, [...]
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