The Cabinet Office has today revealed the world’s third largest economy performed worse than originally thought in the April to June period. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracted by 2.1% on an annual basis in the three-month period, compared with an initial estimate of 1.3%. The fall was attributed to a cut back on spending by [...]
According to a preliminary estimate from Eurostat today, euro zone inflation eased in July to 2.5% from 2.7% in June. The figures come despite figures earlier this week suggesting German inflation crept up to 2.4%. Despite the fall, inflation remains higher than the ECB’s target of just below 2% – and is expected to remain [...]
The Commerce Department has today revealed the US economy grew by an annualised 1.9% in the January to March period – marginally higher than the previous estimate of 1.8%. On a quarterly basis, growth was up 0.58%. Today’s reading is the third and final for first quarter growth. Stubbornly high unemployment and a depressed housing [...]
According to a preliminary estimate from Eurostat today, euro zone inflation eased in May to 2.7%, from 2.8% in April. Last month, the European Central Bank (ECB) raised interest rates from 1% to 1.25% – the first time in almost three years in a bid to fight inflation. However, despite the fall, analysts expect inflation [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed the UK economy grew by 0.5% in the January to March period – unchanged from the first estimate last month. The figure is in line with market forecasts but is behind Chancellor George Osborne’s forecast of 0.8%. The reading suggests the recovery of the UK economy [...]
The Lloyd’s of London insurance market today said natural disasters will cost it in the region of £2.4 billion ($3.8 billion). The recent catastrophes including the flooding in Australia, the New Zealand earthquake, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, means insurance prices will soar as claims eat into the industry’s capital reserves. The company said the [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) will tomorrow publish its final reading of gross domestic product (GDP) for the fourth quarter of 2010. In January, the ONS revealed the UK economy contracted by 0.5% in the October to December period. Last month, the figure was revised down further to 0.6% with bad weather being attributed [...]
A report by the Ernst & Young Item Club has suggested the Government could be in line for an £8 billion windfall this year due to a rebound in tax revenues and a cut in public spending. The Item Club is estimating public borrowing for the financial year to the end of March to be [...]
The European Union’s statistics office Eurostat has today revealed inflation in the euro zone rose to 2.3% in January – albeit lower than an earlier projection of 2.4% and compares with 2.2% in December. However, the rate remains above the European Central Bank’s target of just below 2%. The ECB has previously suggested inflation in [...]
Influential think tank, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), has today suggested the UK economy recovered in January after adverse weather conditions led to a shock contraction in the final quarter of last year. Last month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the UK economy contracted by 0.5% in the October [...]
The Commerce Department has today revealed the US economy grew by 2.5% in the July to September period – much faster than the 2% previously estimated and higher than economists had forecast. Today’s estimate is the second reading, a third and final estimate will be available next month. GDP was revised upwards due to higher [...]
The Commerce Department has today revealed the US economy grew by an annualised 1.7% in the April to June period – slightly higher than the previous estimate of 1.6%. This figure is the third and final estimate for the second quarter and the upward revision was due to a higher rate of consumer spending, which [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) will today issue its final reading for UK quarter two economic growth. However, there is expected to be no revision to 1.2% growth for the April to June period. Growth in the second quarter exceeded many expectations but growth in the second half of the year is expected to [...]
Official figures have today revealed the Greek economy contracted more than originally anticipated in the April to June period. The economy, which is still in a deep recession, contracted by 1.8% in the second quarter – rather than the first estimate of 1.5%. The contraction was worse than expected and follows the 0.8% fall in [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today issued a revised reading of first quarter construction output, which could boost economic growth in the first quarter of the year. According to the ONS, construction output fell by 1.1% in the first three months of the year – lower than the 1.6% fall which the ONS [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is tomorrow expected to leave its estimate of GDP in the January to March unchanged at 0.3%. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a key measure of economic growth, is closely watched by economists as an indication of the health of the economy. The figures were due to be released last [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has announced the third and final estimate of the UK’s first quarter GDP figures will be delayed, due to a “potential error”. According to the ONS, the unusual move was caused by concerns over the reliability of some of the data. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a key measure of [...]
Gross mortgage lending totalled an estimated £11.3 billion in May, the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has reported. The figure is up 7% from £10.5 billion in April, and 10% from £10.2 billion a year earlier. While the mortgage market is more buoyant than a year ago, it remains “subdued”, according to the CML, with [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) will today provide its second estimate for first quarter UK economic growth. Last month, the ONS said GDP expanded by an estimated 0.2% in the first three months of the year. However, this was the first estimate, which is based on just 40% of the full set of data. [...]
Influential think tank, the National Institute of Social and Economic Research (NIESR) said the UK economy expanded by 0.5% in the three months to April. The Institute is expecting the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to upwardly revise its initial first quarter growth estimate. Last month, the ONS said the economy grew by just 0.2% [...]
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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