Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, is today expected to call on businesses to hire unemployed Britons rather than migrant workers. In a speech to the Spanish Foundation for Analysis and Social Studies in Madrid, the former Tory party leader will call on British firms to recruit young jobless people rather than relying on [...]
A survey by the EEF engineering group has discovered that British companies are still struggling to obtain credit. According to the manufacturers’ organisation, credit is more expensive today than two months ago. The claim comes despite calls from the Government and business leaders to increase lending to businesses. Commenting on its report, Lee Hopley, the [...]
A survey by accountancy firm, BDO LLP, has revealed business confidence has slumped to a level not seen since the height of the financial crisis two years ago. The firm’s optimism index (which reflects how businesses expect trading to develop two quarters ahead), fell from 95.5 in July to 93.1 last month. According to BDO, [...]
The Bank of Japan’s closely watched quarterly Tankan survey has revealed a significant improvement in business confidence in Japan. The Tankan index revealed business confidence among major manufacturers had picked up for the fifth consecutive quarter, rising one point in June from -14 in March. The Tankan, which surveys 10,000 firms, measures the percentage of [...]
In his first major speech since becoming Prime Minister David Cameron has today promised to “transform our economy” and make the next decade the “most entrepreneurial and dynamic in our history”. Outlining the Government’s strategy for economic growth, he has also pledged to help firms by cutting red tape, improving trade and transport links and [...]
Activity in the UK’s closely-watched service sector slowed in April, hit by the volcanic ash cloud which disrupted businesses. Furthermore, activity was hit by concerns about the outcome of the general election, according to analysts. The latest activity index from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit PMI showed a reading of 55.3 in [...]
The latest Bank of England quarterly lending survey has revealed lending to British businesses slumped in January. According to the report, net lending fell by 9.3% during the month – the sharpest decline since records began in 1999. Banks and building societies lent £6.5 billion in January and followed a drop of £3.4 billion in [...]
Hopes that the recession has finally come to an end emerged today after the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) said confidence among British businesses has jumped to a six-year high. According to The Times newspaper, the Business Confidence Monitor survey grew to a reading of 24.6 for the fourth quarter, up [...]
Businesses must get ready to make the most of an upturn in the economy, Lloyds TSB has advised. The bank said businesses that are prepared for economic recovery will thrive when the upturn begins. Although there is no certainty when recovery will begin, firms that do not plan could fall into the trap of overtrading, [...]
The Ernst & Young Item Club, a respected group of economists, believes that the UK economy will struggle to achieve 1% growth next year and it is still too early to declare a recovery. The influential think tank is forecasting some growth in the latter half of 2009 but Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will struggle [...]
More than half of small & medium-sized business owners (57%) believe that the recession will continue until at least next spring. The findings are a result of a survey conducted by Amplify – the communications company. Amplify conducted the survey during the summer and also found that business owners would have done things differently if [...]
Credit-checking company, Experian, has reported a decline in the number of UK businesses that fail. According to a report by the agency, a total of 1,796 firms went insolvent in August, a fall of 23% when compared with the previous month. Experian said it was “encouraged” by the latest figures. However, while this figure is [...]
Employees should be asked to opt out of final salary pension schemes or risk losing their jobs, a leading pensions adviser said this week. Des Hamilton, technical director of the Pensions Advisory Service, said most final salary pension schemes are in deficit, and the recession is an ideal opportunity for companies to encourage their employees [...]
In its latest “Trends in Lending” report, the Bank of England said the flow of credit to British businesses fell to £3.4 billion in May and followed a drop of £6 billion the previous month. During 2007, the normal levels of lending were £7 billion per month and £4 billion in 2008 – when the [...]
In today’s Budget, Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said the country is suffering as the economy is in the midst of its worst year since World War II. In an attempt to drive the UK to recovery, the Chancellor unveiled a series of measures including tax rises and spending cuts. Those earning in excess [...]
US banking giant Citigroup has today announced a worse-than-expected fourth quarter net loss of $8.29 billion (£5.6 billion) and said it plans to split the firm into two separate businesses to restore profitability. The bank’s net loss for the last quarter of 2008 works out at $1.72 per share, far worse than most analysts’ forecasts [...]
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson is set to unveil details of a loan which will kick-start lending to small businesses to help them weather the economic downturn. According to Lord Mandelson, the plans will target ‘genuine business needs‘. It is expected that Lord Mandelson will announce support for up to £10 billion in short-term loans for [...]
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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