The European Central Bank (ECB) has today opted to leave interest rates unchanged at 1.5% – for the third consecutive month. The move was widely expected. Rates were lifted from the historic low of 1% in April and then raised further in July in a bid to curb rising inflation. Many major economies are battling [...]
The European Central Bank (ECB) has today opted to leave interest rates unchanged at 1.5% - for the second consecutive month. Rates were lifted from the historic low of 1% in April and then raised further to 1.25% in July in a bid to curb rising inflation. Many major economies are battling with higher inflation, [...]
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 European Central Bank (ECB) has today elected to lift interest rates from 1.25% to 1.5% - the second increase since April. The move comes to tame rising inflation in the 17-member euro zone and was widely expected by analysts and more rate rises are on the cards. Inflation in the euro zone currently stands [...]
The Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) commenced its two-day rate-setting meeting yesterday and interest rates are expected to remain on hold at the record low of 0.5% - where they have been since March 2009. The bank is presented with a dilemma as it comes under pressure to raise interest rates to combat [...]
The European Central Bank (ECB) has today elected to keep interest rates on hold at 1.25% but hinted that rates may rise again next month. In April, the ECB lifted rates from 1% to 1.25% in a bid to tame rising inflation in the 17-member euro zone – it was the first time in almost [...]
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 Zew economic sentiment index has revealed German analyst and investor confidence fell more than forecast in April - the second consecutive monthly drop. The index, which measures expectations of economic activity over the next six months, plunged to 7.6 from 14.1 points in March. Analysts had expected the index to hover around the 10 [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is scheduled to announce the UK inflation rate for March tomorrow morning, with analysts expecting the annual rate to hold steady at the 28-month high of 4.4%. With inflation more than double the 2% target, many continue to speculate whether interest rates will be lifted next month. Last week, [...]
The European Central Bank (ECB) has today elected to lift interest rates from 1% to 1.25% - for the first time in almost three years. The move comes to tame rising inflation in the 17-member euro zone and was widely expected by analysts after the ECB had hinted that rate rises were on the cards. [...]
The European Union’s statistics office Eurostat has revealed inflation in the euro zone rose to 2.4% on an annual basis in February, up from January‘s 2.3%. The rate remains above the European Central Bank’s (ECB) target of just below 2% and marks the third consecutive month inflation has been above target and represents the highest [...]
The European Central Bank (ECB) today elected to keep interest rates on hold at the record low of 1% for the 21st consecutive month. The move came despite inflation exceeding the Bank’s target. Inflation in the 17-member euro zone rose to 2.4% in January - above the ECB’s target of just below 2%. The bank [...]
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 [...]
The European Central Bank (ECB) today elected to keep interest rates on hold at the record low of 1% for the 20th consecutive month. The move came despite inflation exceeding the Bank’s target. Earlier this week, the European Union’s statistics office Eurostat revealed inflation in the euro zone rose more than expected in January. Inflation [...]
The European Union’s statistics office Eurostat has today revealed inflation in the euro zone rose more than expected in January. Inflation rose 2.4% on an annual basis in January, up from 2.2% the previous month and continues to exceed the European Central Bank’s (ECB) target of just below 2%. According to economists, the increase was [...]
As widely expected, the European Central Bank (ECB) today elected to keep interest rates on hold at the record low of 1% for the 20th consecutive month. Rates are expected to be kept on hold for the medium-term at least to boost the area’s economic recovery. However, there are still fears that the debt crisis [...]
The European Union’s statistics office Eurostat has today revealed inflation in the euro zone rose more than expected in December. Inflation rose 2.2% on an annual basis in December, up from 1.9% the previous month and represented the first time since October 2008 that it had exceeded the European Central Bank’s (ECB) target of just [...]
As expected, the European Central Bank (ECB) today elected to keep interest rates on hold at the record low of 1% for the 19th consecutive month. There were suggestions that the bank might have taken drastic action in order to address the debt crisis, currently engulfing the euro zone. However, the ECB said it will [...]
The European Central Bank (ECB) is in the midst of its monetary policy meeting and while interest rates are expected to remain at the record low of 1%, measures may be announced to address the debt crisis. There is speculation that the ECB may extend its Government bond purchase (liquidity) programme. The latest debt crisis [...]
The European Central Bank (ECB) today elected to keep interest rates on hold at the historic low of 1% – where they have been since May 2009. Interest rates are expected to remain on hold until at least 2011, as a result of uneven growth and low inflation. The news comes after the Bank of [...]
Bank of Scotland fined over inaccurate mortgage records
The Bank of Scotland has received a £2.4 million fine from the Financial Services Authority (FSA), for failing to keep accurate records on the mortgage payments of 250,000 customers of the Halifax between 2004 and 2011. An investigation by the FSA, following a spate of customer complaints, discovered that 160,000 homeowners were incorrectly excluded from [...]
Average rent rises to all-time high
The average rent on a home in England and Wales increased to £741 a month in September, according to the latest buy-to-let index from LSL Property Services. This was 1.1 per cent higher than the average rent of £734 in August and represents a new record high. However the rate of increase has slowed, from [...]
Auto-enrolment too expensive for micro-firms
The Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA) has called for the government to re-consider auto enrolment for the smallest firms, who might struggle with the costs of administering the scheme. From 1 October the largest companies have been required to automatically enrol workers in a pension scheme unless they chose to opt out. The scheme will [...]
Barclays increases provision for PPI claims to £2 billion
Barclays has set aside another £700 million to cover claims for mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI) after claims reached unexpectedly high levels. This is on top of the £1 billion set aside in 2011 and the £300 million provision made in the first three months of 2012. By the end of September, the bank had [...]
Mortgage lending slowed in September
Despite more mortgages being available, mortgage lending dropped to £11.6 billion in September, a fall of 10 per cent from August and 15 per cent lower than September 2011’s figure. The availability of mortgages was boosted by the new Funding for Lending Scheme, but there was little demand from either first time buyers or people [...]
RBS initiates talks with Virgin Money over branches
Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is seeking a new buyer for 316 branches after a deal with Santander fell through, and is believed to have approached Virgin Money. RBS is required the sell the branches under the EU conditions attached to the £45 billion bailout it received from the government when it came to the [...]
Government to legislate on uncollected debt
The Government is planning to introduce new laws allowing its departments to share information on individuals and companies that owe them money. The proposal follows a review by the Cabinet Office’s Fraud, Error and Debt taskforce. Around £20 billion is owed to the Government and more than £7 billion is lost each year through unpaid [...]
The rate of inflation on the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) fell to 2.2 per cent last month according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), its lowest level since November 2009. In August, CPI inflation, which excludes mortgage interest payments, stood at 2.5 per cent. The Retail Prices Index (RPI) measure of inflation, which includes [...]
Pot-follows-member reform could hit retirement income
Proposals to allow workers to move their workplace pension to a new scheme each time they move employment have been criticised by pension and consumer groups. The Department for Work and Pensions is introducing the ‘pot follows member’ approach to avoid the potential problem of workers having several small pots when they reach retirement age, [...]
Accident numbers fall but whiplash claims still rise
The number of claims for compensation for a whiplash injury sustained in a motor accident has continued to increase despite a fall in accident numbers, the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries has revealed. The Institute reported a 20 per cent drop in the number of injuries reported to the police in accidents between 2006 and [...]
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