US carmaker Ford has today reported its first annual profit since 2005 after a turbulent 12 months for the American car industry. The company reported an annual net profit for 2009 of $2.27 billion (£1.4 billion) compared with a loss of $15 billion in 2008. Meanwhile, for the fourth quarter of 2009, profit was $868 [...]
Figures published by the Commerce Department today have revealed a better-than-expected 1.4% rise in US retail sales for the month of October. Analysts had expected a rise of 0.9%. The rise follows a revised 1.5% decline in September, and October’s rise was attributed to an increased demand for cars, despite the Government’s ’cash for clunkers’ [...]
The Government’s Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), branded the “cash for clunkers” scheme, is believed to have contributed to the fall in US consumer spending, which fell for the first time in five months in September, and was the largest decline since December. According to the US Commerce Department, spending fell 0.5% in the month, [...]
Official figures today have revealed that the US economy expanded at an annualised rate of 3.5% between the July and September period, suggesting that the economy has exited its worst recession in 70 years. The figures have come as no surprise after many economists had expected that the economy would experience positive growth in the [...]
Figures due at 1230 GMT will reveal if the US economy has exited recession. The US entered the current recession in late 2007 and many analysts believe the world’s largest economy will have exited recession by experiencing positive growth of 3% in the third quarter (according to David Buik at BGC Partners). However, there are [...]
There are signs of recovery within the US manufacturing sector after the Federal Reserve reported a rise in industrial production for the month of September. The US central bank said output at the nation’s factories, mines and utilities grew 0.7% during the month – higher than the 0.2% rise expected by analysts and follows the [...]
The Commerce Department today revealed a fall in US retail sales for the month of September as the US Government’s Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), branded the “cash for clunkers” scheme ended. According to the organisation, retail sales in the world’s largest economy fell 1.5% on the month – the largest amount in 2009 to [...]
The US Government’s Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), branded the “cash for clunkers” scheme has boosted car sales with Ford reporting a 17% rise in sales in August compared with July. General Motors (GM) said sales had soared by 30% from July this year but did report a 20% drop in year-on-year sales. Overall, total [...]
Demand for cars and carmakers has resulted in a rise of 0.5% in US industrial output for the month of July – boosted by the US Government’s Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), branded the “cash for clunkers” scheme. The rise was the first in 9 months and exceeded analysts forecasts. The rise in industrial output [...]
The Labor Department has revealed some good news for the world’s largest economy today, showing that the 247,000 jobs were lost in July – much less than analysts had forecast. The decline meant the unemployment rate dropped from 9.5% in June to 9.4% in July – the first fall since April 2008. Analysts had expected [...]
The US Government’s Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), branded the “cash for clunkers” scheme has received an additional $2 billion (£1.19 billion) – approved by the US Senate, after an initial $1 billion ran out in just 10 days. The “cash for clunkers” scheme has been designed to help bring the US economy out of [...]
It seems that the US Government’s Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), branded the “cash for clunkers” scheme is proving successful after July has been the best month for sales in almost a year. While both Chrysler and General Motors (GM) posted a fall in sales, Ford reported that sales were up 2.3% from a year [...]
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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