The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed UK manufacturing activity bounced back last month. The closely-watched CIPS/Markit manufacturing PMI rose to 51.1 in September from August’s reading of 49.4. Activity has contracted for the last three months and today’s survey means the index has moved back [...]
The US Institute for Supply Management (ISM) has offset fears of a double dip recession in America by reporting a rise in its index of factory activity, to 56.3 in August, up from 55.5 in July. A reading in excess of 42%, over a period of time, generally indicates an expansion of the overall economy [...]
Residents of Bexhill-on-Sea in East Sussex have the highest quality of life among Britain’s seaside towns, followed by Burnham-on-Crouch in Essex and Christchurch in Dorset. According to the latest Halifax survey of UK coastal towns, all three have higher than average weekly earnings, compared to other seaside towns, and an above average employment rate. With [...]
A report by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and KPMG has revealed staff appointments in the private sector grew in June, albeit at the slowest rate for five months. The survey, which questions 400 recruitment firms, showed a strong rise in permanent staff placements, with engineering and construction growing. Commenting on the data, Rec’s [...]
The latest Nationwide Consumer Confidence index suggests that the worst of the recession is over after its index rose from 61 in July to 63 in August – the highest reading since May 2008. According to the Nationwide, all of its measures of confidence rose during August with consumers feeling more positive about the current [...]
A university degree is no longer enough to secure a good graduate job, a recruitment expert said this week. Tom Hadley, director of external relations at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), said companies now look for relevant skills and work experience in addition to a stint in higher education. Many employers now take a [...]
Work patterns in the UK have been transformed by the recession, with employers using increasingly innovative methods to save as many jobs as possible. According to a new poll by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and recruitment consultants Harvey Nash, almost two thirds of employers are putting into practice major changes to employee working [...]
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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