The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has today revised its growth prospects for the UK economy. The lobby group is now forecasting growth of just 1.1% this year, down from its 1.3% forecast in June and much lower than the 1.9% it estimated at the start of the year. Meanwhile, it is expecting growth of [...]
Credit rating agency Moody’s has today said Britain’s AAA rating is at risk if growth remains weak and the Government’s budget deficit reduction plans fail to meet target. The announcement sent sterling below €1.12 for the first time in four weeks and also lost ground against the US dollar. Weak economic growth has led many [...]
Leading business group, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), has downgraded its growth prospects for the UK economy. The BCC now expects the economy to grow by 1.3% this year, slightly lower than a previous forecast of 1.4%. The figures are much lower than the 1.7% expected by the Office of Budget Responsibility but are [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed UK public sector borrowing was higher than expected last month, due to a decline in tax receipts. According to the ONS, public sector borrowing was £10 billion in April, compared with £7.3 billion last year. Last year’s figure was boosted by £3.5 billion by the tax [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed UK public sector borrowing came in lower than expected for the fiscal year. According to the ONS, public sector net borrowing (excluding interventions such as bank bail-outs) was £18.6 billion in March, taking the total for the fiscal year 2010-11 to £141.1 billion – less than [...]
Moody’s Investors Service has today downgraded Portugal’s debt rating, for the second time in less than a month, by one notch to Baa1 from A3. Moody’s also warned that a further downgrade is possible as a bailout becomes increasingly likely for the debt-laden country. It said the downgrade was “driven primarily by increased political, budgetary [...]
Chancellor George Osborne will deliver his Budget speech today at 1230 GMT, which will be aimed at boosting growth amid the fragile recovery. Mr Osborne is describing it as a “budget for growth” despite the tough austerity measures which threaten to push Britain back into recession, according to some economists. However, many believe the Chancellor [...]
Portugal has had its sovereign debt rating downgraded by Moody’s by two notches to A3 from A1 and kept the rating on a negative outlook - suggesting further downgrades are possible. According to the ratings agency, it might have to downgrade again as a result of high borrowing costs and the difficulty of meeting fiscal [...]
Spain has been dealt a further blow today after Moody’s ratings agency cut the country’s debt by one notch to Aa2 from Aa1. In a statement, the agency said: “(Moody’s) believes there is a meaningful risk that the eventual cost of the recapitalisation effort could considerably exceed the government’s current projections.” The downgrade comes just [...]
Germany has today posted economic growth of 0.4% for the fourth quarter - its seventh consecutive quarter of expansion, the Federal Statistical Office confirmed today. The data confirms an initial estimate published last week. Germany is driving the recovery in the euro zone and export demand helped to bring the economy out of recession in [...]
US President Barack Obama has today unveiled his budget for 2012, aimed at reducing the country’s spiralling deficit. The measures come as many major economies embark on massive spending cuts to trim their deficits. However, like many other economies, tough measures introduced to trim the budget deficit could hamper economic growth and slow the economic [...]
Lithuania’s President, Dalia Grybauskaite, has today said its entry date for the euro zone may be delayed, citing budget and rising consumer prices for its delay in adopting the single currency. The country’s current target date for euro zone entry is 1 January 2014 but the Baltic nation needs to trim its budget deficit (in [...]
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, British Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to say later today that the UK economy is making “progress”. His speech will come just days after official figures revealed the UK economy contracted by 0.5% in the October to December period. The figures shocked economists who had expected [...]
A survey by Aldermore, the banking group, has revealed the recent VAT hike will hurt small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). According to the survey, around 35% of Britain’s SMEs said the new rate, from 17.5% to 20%, will put a strain on their cash flow and they will need extra funding to cope with [...]
The rate of VAT will today rise from 17.5% to 20% as the Government looks to raise billions of pounds in order to trim the UK’s budget deficit. While many are prepared for the increase, retail sales are expected to be hit as consumers are expected to cut back on their spending over the coming [...]
Job losses resulting from the Government’s spending cuts is expected to bring widespread industrial action next year, unions have suggested. In his New Year message, Brendan Barber, the TUC’s general secretary, claimed 2011 would be a “horrible” year of cuts and will also be tough for the Government. Unemployment will undoubtedly rise, said the union. [...]
The Irish Government has outlined its austerity budget, aimed at saving €6 billion in spending cuts and tax hikes, designed the trim the country‘s budget deficit. Ireland is aiming to save €15 billion (£13 billion) between 2011 and the end of 2014 – 11% of the economy‘s annual output. The measures are a condition of [...]
UK unemployment up to 2.51 million
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed UK unemployment rose sharply in the three months to July – the biggest rise in almost two years. The ONS said unemployment rose by 80,000 in the three month period to 2.51 million – far higher than the 70,000 expected by economists. The latest figures take [...]
John Lewis reports challenging trading environment
The John Lewis Partnership, which is regarded as a barometer of British retailing, has reported a marginal increase in sales and said trading conditions are “extremely challenging”. The renowned employee-owned chain, which owns the Waitrose supermarket chain, said sales rose 1% on a like-for-like basis in the six month period to 30 July. However, across [...]
European equities markets were higher Tuesday as banks came back from big declines on Monday, helped by a statement from Societe Generale’s (Euronext: GLE) CEO that his bank is healthy. The FTSE 100 was up 0.87 percent to 5,174.25 in London, while the FTSE 250 added 0.27 percent to 10,011, with banks the best performers [...]
Rics: Housing market remains in the doldrums
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has today reported that the UK housing market remained weak in August with house prices falling further. According to the Institution, homeowners remain reluctant to put their properties up for sale, while buyers continue to struggle to secure a mortgage and remain uncertain about the economic climate. The [...]
CML: Mortgage lending edges higher in July
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has reported the number of loans for house purchase rose in July. According to the Council, there were 48,400 loans advanced for house purchase in the month – up by 1,000 from June’s figure but almost 7,000 lower when compared with July 2010. Commenting on today’s figures, Paul Smee, [...]
UK inflation edges higher in August
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) today announced Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) rose to annual rate of 4.5% last month from July’s rate of 4.4%. However, the figure was in line with analysts’ expectations. Higher inflation continues to be led by rising food costs but the main reason behind last month’s rise was a 5.1% [...]
Fresnillo down on silver prices
European equities markets were lower Monday on the possibility that Greece could default soon and on speculation that Moody’s Investors Service could cut its rating on several big banks with holdings tied to Greece. The FTSE 100 was down 1.63 percent to 5,129.62 in London, while the FTSE 250 dropped 1.65 percent to 9,983.75 as [...]
IFS warns of tough times for UK households
A report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned that households will be squeezed for the next decade as they suffer from the harsh spending cuts introduced by the Government. It said households are suffering one of the worst attacks on their finances since the Second World War and that the impact of [...]
ICB final report recommends ring-fencing
The Independent Commission on Banking’s (ICB) final report has been published today and is recommending that UK banks should ring-fence their retail banking operations. According to the report, ring-fencing would protect banks from riskier investment banking divisions and would “make it easier and less costly to resolve banks that get into trouble”. The ICB, which [...]
Tullow Oil leads 100 in London
European equities markets were significantly lower Friday on an increased possibility that Greece could default on its debt as soon as this weekend, raising the concern level over the European region’s debt problems and ratcheting up worries that the economic recovery is faltering. Additionally, markets reacted to the resignation of European Central Bank board member [...]
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Fed Chairman comments on unemployment and deficit
Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke has warned that stubbornly high unemployment will remain. Mr Bernanke said the weak labour market means a recovery is not yet “truly established.” His comments come despite the drop in the US unemployment rate last month. Last week, the Labor Department reported the unemployment rate in the US fell from [...]