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 [...]
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 January. The closely-watched CIPS/Markit manufacturing PMI jumped to 62.0 in January from December’s upwardly revised reading of 58.7. Not only was the reading the highest since records began in 1992, [...]
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) today said its Pending Home Sales Index rose in December. On a monthly basis, the index was up by 2% to 93.7 from 91.9 in November. The reading also beat expectations of a 1% rise. It also represented the fifth gain in six months, said the NAR. The data [...]
The Munich-based Ifo think tank today announced confidence among German firms rose in January to another record high. The closely-watched Business Climate Index rose to 110.3 in January, up from 109.8 in December – the eight consecutive monthly increase. It also represented the second straight record high since the country’s reunification in 1990 and slightly [...]
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has today revealed sales of previously owned homes in the US rose more than expected in December. The industry body said sales grew 12.3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.28 million units – beating forecasts of 4.85 million units. Economists had expected a lower reading due to [...]
The latest survey from the Nationwide Building Society has revealed an improvement in UK consumer confidence for the month of December after three months of falls. The building society’s consumer confidence index rose to 53 in December, up from 45 in November – which represented the lowest reading since March 2009 – when the economy [...]
The John Lewis Partnership, which is regarded as a barometer of British retailing, has revealed sales surged ahead of the VAT rise as shoppers rushed to buy big-ticket items. The renowned employee-owned department store said the bank holiday, on Monday 3 January, saw shoppers buy furniture and electrical goods as they looked to beat the [...]
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 December. The closely-watched CIPS/Markit manufacturing PMI rose to 58.3 in December from November’s revised reading of 57.5. Not only was the reading the highest since September 1994, it confounded analysts [...]
Official figures have today revealed the Japanese economy grew faster than estimated in the third quarter due to stronger corporate spending. The world’s third largest economy grew by 1.1% in the July to September period, up from the first estimate of 0.9%. On an annual basis, the economy expanded by 4.5% from an earlier estimate [...]
US consumer confidence surged ahead in November to a five-month high. The reading from the closely-monitored Consumer Confidence Index from the Conference Board rose for the second consecutive month to 54.1 in November – up from a revised 49.9 in October and beating expectations of a reading of 52.5. However, while the index rose, it [...]
The Indian economy grew by a staggering 8.9% on an annual basis in the July to September period – cementing its status as the world’s second fastest-growing major economy, behind China – which posted growth 9.6% year-on-year in the same period. The rapid growth, fuelled by manufacturing, services and a strong farm sector, was better [...]
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), UK retail sales grew in October for the first time in three months. The ONS said sales rose 0.5% in October on a monthly basis – beating analysts expectations of a 0.4% gain. Stripping out volatile fuel prices, retail sales grew 0.3% in the month. However, on [...]
British insurance giant Prudential has today announced profits grew 17% in the third quarter – driven by higher sales at its Asian and US markets. The results were better than expected and sent its shares up 0.6% in early morning trading. The insurer, which is Britain’s largest, said it has focused its attention on expanding [...]
The Halifax has today revealed UK house prices rose by 1.8% last month, following a 3.6% fall in September. The latest house price rise takes the average cost of a UK home to £164,919, the Halifax said. According to the lender, the monthly increase was three times faster than expected and means house prices are [...]
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 [...]
Germany’s largest lender, Deutsche Bank, today announced a loss for the third quarter, owing to its take over of retail bank, Postbank. The bank reported a net loss of €1.2 billion (£1.05 billion), compared with a €1.39 billion profit in the same period last year. However, the figures still beat forecast of a €1.48 billion [...]
Credit rating agency Standard and Poor’s (S&P) has today expressed its support for the Coalition Government’s handling of the UK economy after revising its outlook on the UK economy to “stable” from “negative” and affirmed its top AAA credit rating for Britain. The revision came on the same day that the Office for National Statistics [...]
Banking giant Goldman Sachs today reported a fall in third quarter profits to $1.9 billion, or $2.98 per share, compared with $3.19 billion, or $5.25 per share, a year earlier. However, despite the fall, the results still beat expectations of $2.32 per share. The New York-based financial institution said net revenues for the quarter was [...]
US banking giant Citigroup has today revealed a third quarter profit of $2.2 billion (£1.4 billion) – beating market forecasts and compares with $101 million in the same period a year ago. Meanwhile, provisions for bad loans fell to $5.9 billion for the July to September period compared with $6.7 billion in the second quarter [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed UK manufacturing output grew by 0.3% in August compared with July – the highest gain since November 2008. Not only was this better than the 0.2% rise expected by analysts, it follows the revised 0.4% gain in July. Out of 13 categories of manufacturing, nine grew [...]
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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