The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit construction purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed UK construction activity recovered last month on the back of better weather. The PMI rose to 53.7 in January, up from December’s 49.1 – which represented the first fall in 10 months due to the severe wintry weather during [...]
Manufacturing activity in China remained strong in January, two separate surveys have revealed. Firstly, the official China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) said its purchasing managers index (PMI) dipped to 52.9 in January, from 53.9 the previous month. Secondly, the HSBC China Manufacturing PMI edged higher to 54.5 in January, from 54.4 in December. [...]
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has today revealed activity in the UK housing market fell in December as heavy snowfall gripped most of the country during the month. The Institution said new buyer enquiries were down, while new instructions from vendors fell to an 18-month low. Uncertainty surrounding the economy and the ongoing [...]
December’s heavy snowfall had a negative impact on many companies and housebuilder Persimmon was no exception. The housebuilder, which is the UK’s second largest by market value, said sales activity fell by 50% in December but said it had been an encouraging start to the year. The company reported a considerable increase in underlying profits [...]
Growth in the UK’s closely-watched service sector contracted in December – suggesting a sharp slowdown in economic growth in the final quarter of 2010. The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit purchasing managers’ index (PMI) fell to 49.7 in December, down from the reading of 53.0 in November. Not only did the sector endure [...]
Manufacturing activity in China slowed in December, according to a survey published today. The HSBC China Manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) dropped to 54.4 in December from 55.3 in November as output and new orders grew at the slowest pace in three months. However, the index remains above the crucial 50 level, which indicates expansion [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed UK manufacturing output grew by 0.6% in October compared with September – the biggest gain since March. It was also better than the 0.3% rise expected by analysts. Meanwhile, overall industrial production, which also includes utilities, mining and quarrying, fell 0.2% on the month – the [...]
A survey by the Engineering Employers’ Federation (EEF), the manufacturers’ trade body, has revealed manufacturing output continues to operate at record levels, however, they are cautious about next year‘s prospects. The survey revealed a balance of 33% of firms reported an increase in output in the fourth quarter, unchanged from the previous quarter – which [...]
Growth in the UK’s closely-watched service sector eased slightly in November but still remained near October’s four-month high. The latest index from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit PMI fell to 53 in November, down slightly from the 53.2 recorded in October. However, the reading was in line with expectations and the index [...]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply(CIPS)/Markit construction PMI index revealed activity improved in November. The Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to 51.8 in November from 51.6 the previous month and surprised analysts who had expected a fall to 51. The index remains above the crucial 50 level, which indicates expansion. Activity in the commercial and [...]
Manufacturing activity in China picked up further in November, two separate surveys showed today. The China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) showed manufacturing activity rose to 55.2 last month, up from 54.7 in October and 53.8 in September. Meanwhile, a separate survey from HSBC bank also confirmed manufacturing activity increased. Activity rose to 55.3 [...]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed UK manufacturing activity surged at a record pace in November. The closely-watched CIPS/Markit manufacturing PMI rose to 58 in November from an upwardly revised 55.4 in October. Not only was the reading the highest since September 1994, it confounded [...]
Banking giant Barclays has today announced it made a pre-tax profit of £4.3 billion in the first nine months of the year, despite a slump in income at its investment banking division. The bank, which is one of the few not to have received any financial help from the Government, said activity at its investment [...]
Growth in the UK’s closely-watched service sector accelerated in October but the outlook is cautious as companies worry about the impact of spending cuts. The latest index from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit PMI climbed to 53.2 in October, from 52.8 in September, confounding expectations of a 52.5 reading. However, the index [...]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed UK manufacturing activity unexpectedly grew in October. The closely-watched CIPS/Markit manufacturing PMI rose to 54.9 in October from 53.5 the previous month. Not only was the reading the highest since July, it surprised economists who had expected a fall [...]
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has today revealed gross mortgage lending totalled £12 billion in September – the lowest September total since the year 2000. According to the CML, gross mortgage lending fell 1% on the month and was 7% lower than in September 2009. The latest figures highlight the ongoing sluggishness of the [...]
Property website, Rightmove, has today reported a rise in asking prices in October – after three months of falls. According to Rightmove, asking prices for residential property in England and Wales rose 3% and the group attributed the rise to vendors refusing to adjust to new market conditions. Rightmove warned sellers that increasing their asking [...]
It appears the recovery in the world’s largest economy is gathering momentum after figures revealed activity in the services sector beat expectations last month. The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM’s) non-manufacturing index climbed to 53.2 in September, from 51.5 the previous month. Activity in the sector, which covers approximately 90% of economic output, was higher [...]
Growth in the UK’s closely-watched service sector picked up in September from a 16-month low. The latest index from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit PMI climbed to 52.8 in September, from 51.3 the previous month, beating expectations of a reading of 51. However, the index remains above the crucial 50 level, which [...]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply(CIPS)/Markit construction PMI index showed activity improved last month, driven by the commercial sector and civil engineering. However, activity in the housebuilding sector dropped – bringing an end to a year-long period of expansion. The index edged higher to 53.8 in September, from 52.1 in August – surprising analysts, [...]
Phone fraudsters stealing bank card pins
Fraudsters using a phone scam to trick bank card holders into revealing their pin numbers stole £750,000 in the first four months of this year. This is the same amount stolen through this scam in the whole of last year. The fraudster telephones a bank customer, often someone elderly or vulnerable, telling them that their [...]
FSA rules out ban on interest-only mortgages
Speculation that the Financial Services Authority would ban interest-only mortgages as part of its Mortgage Market Review has proved to be unfounded. However, lenders will be required to monitor the performance of the investment product taken out by the customer to repay the mortgage at the end of its term. Investments are performing poorly because [...]
Bank of England may end free in-credit banking
A director of the Bank of England has warned that official intervention could be considered to end the ‘dangerous myth of free in-credit banking’. Andrew Bailey has already spoken out against free banking in relation to the mis-selling of financial products. In a speech made available to media, he reiterated his concern, saying that it [...]
Bank of England votes against more economic stimulus
The Bank of England voted against a further round of quantitative easing, at its latest Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. Just one member, David Miles, voted for further asset purchase to encourage growth in the UK economy, while the other eight members voted to keep the Bank’s quantitative easing programme steady at £325bn. The minutes [...]
Catalogue debt growing says helpline
Calls from people concerned about their debts with mail order catalogues accounted for more than 12 per cent of all calls received by National Debtline last year, compared with just 8 per cent in 2007. More people were concerned about catalogue debt than about payday loans, mortgage or rent, according to the Money Advice Trust [...]
Homeserve faces mis-selling investigation
HomeServe, which provides emergency insurance cover and domestic repairs to households in the UK, is to be investigated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Issues over the possible mis-selling of household emergency policies were uncovered last October during an internal review at the Walsall-based company. Homeserve’s call centre staff were found to be selling ‘Complete [...]
OFT warns Wonga over debt collection methods
Payday loan company Wonga used aggressive and misleading methods to collect debts from customers, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has found. Wonga sent letter and emails to certain customers suggesting they had committed fraud and threatening to report them to the police if they did not act in the way Wonga suggested. The company [...]
NS&I re-launches investment account
National Savings & Investments (NS&I) has re-launched its Investment Account at a higher interest rate than it previously offered. The account now offers 0.75 per cent before tax, compared with between 0.2 and 0.3 per cent previously, depending on the account balance. Deposits and withdrawals on the account can no longer be made at Post [...]
Rightmove reports property downsizing trend
Two in five property owners planning to sell in the next year are planning to ‘trade down’, compared with one in four who plan to ‘trade up’. A survey by property website Rightmove found that moving to a smaller home is the main reason for moving in nine out of the ten regions in the [...]
More people failing to save for retirement
The proportion of people with no pension savings has grown from 20 per cent to 22 per cent over the past year, according to Scottish Widows’ latest survey. The pension provider surveyed 5,200 adults in the UK, aged 30 or over, and earning at least £10,000 a year, for its annual review of pensions. Ian [...]
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