News Tag: fears
March 17, 2010
Consumers groups have expressed concern for the elderly if cheques are abolished, suggesting that it will result in them hoarding cash at home.
Appearing before the Treasury Select Committee, Jane Vass, of Age Concern and Help the Aged, warned that there could be a security issue if cheques were to be scrapped.
"This would encourage people to return to ...
Fears for elderly hoarding cash when cheques phased out
by Kay Murchie
February 8, 2010
Greek unions have today vowed to strike on Wednesday to protest against the Government’s austerity measures.
Last week, Greek Prime Minister, George Papandreou, announced tough austerity measures to tackle the country’s spiralling debt. Measures include a public sector pay freeze, a hike in taxes and an increase to the retirement age.
Spyros Papaspyros, president of the ADEDY public sector union, ...
Greek unions prepare for 24-hour strike amid austerity measures
by Kay Murchie
Sterling falls against dollar over euro zone debt fears
by Kay Murchie
December 10, 2009
There was further bad news for the world’s second largest economy today after it was revealed that Japanese core machinery orders (a highly volatile series seen as an indicator of corporate spending) fell more than expected in October.
Official figures revealed Japanese machinery orders fell by 4.5% in October compared with the previous month, analysts had expected a fall of 4.3%.
The ...
Japanese machinery orders decline in October
by Kay Murchie
December 8, 2009
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed that UK industrial output showed no change in October from September - suggesting the economy made a poor start to the final quarter of the year.
The data has disappointed analysts who had predicted an increase.
According to Ross Walker from RBS, the recovery was "lagging" and "things are getting ...
Fears over economy as UK industrial output shows no growth
by Kay Murchie
December 1, 2009
Shares in Dubai continued their decline today following the country’s debt crisis after the stock market closed 5.61% down. Abu Dhabi lost 3.57%, while Qatar's main index closed down 8.27%.
However, in a bid to calm investors fears, the president of the United Arab Emirates has attempted to reassure them by issuing a statement saying that region's economy was in ...
UAE takes action to allay investors fears
by Kay Murchie
November 30, 2009
Global markets rallied this morning as fears over the Dubai debt crisis started to ease.
As the facts of Dubai’s debt crisis unravelled at the end of last week, shares across the world plunged but have today recovered as confidence returns.
It emerged last week that state-owned company Dubai World wanted a six-month holiday from its debt repayments. The state-owned conglomerate ...
Stock markets recover after Dubai debt fears ease
by Kay Murchie
November 19, 2009
According to the Commerce Department, construction of new US homes plunged 10.6% in October to an annual rate of 529,000 properties - the lowest level since April.
Analysts had expected the rate to exceed the 600,000 mark.
The decline in construction was led by a fall in demand for both single-family and multi-family occupancies.
Meanwhile, applications for building permits, a barometer ...
US housing starts see unexpected fall in October
by Kay Murchie
October 16, 2009
Official figures from Eurostat have revealed a 5.8% fall in exports in August in the euro zone compared with July.
However, imports fell by a more modest 1.3%, suggesting a slump in global and internal demand and raises fears about a recovery in the region.
As exports fell by more than imports, the euro zone trade balance with the rest ...
Euro zone sees 5.8% fall in exports in August
by Kay Murchie
October 7, 2009
The European Union's Eurostat agency has today revealed that the euro zone economy contracted by 0.2% in the April to June period - revised from the 0.1% previously reported.
The figures are a major setback to the economy suggesting that the economy, as a whole, may not be exiting recession in the third quarter as hoped.
However, on a positive note, the figures ...
Euro zone economy growth figures revised
by Kay Murchie
September 8, 2009
Despite recent signs of an imminent recovery within the US, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz has expressed his concern for a "double-dip" recession in the world’s largest economy.
Mr Stiglitz, who said he has been consulted on an informal basis by the Obama Administration to discuss economic issues, said "the prospects of a robust recovery are very, very ...
Economist Joseph Stiglitz fears for ‘W’ shaped recession in US
by Kay Murchie
September 1, 2009
The Bank of England has today reported that the total amount of personal debt in the UK has declined for the first time since records began - more than 16 years ago.
The economic downturn and fears over rising unemployment has meant consumers are reducing their debt with personal borrowing falling by £600 million in July, taking the total ...
Personal debt falls for first time since records began
by Kay Murchie
August 21, 2009
Discount stores, such as the 99p Store, are performing extremely well during the recession, which has raised fears that the High Street is being dragged downmarket.
In the last 12 months alone, the 99p Store has doubled its outlets and is to open its 99th store in Ashford in Kent this week.
Co-founder of the chain Hussein Lalani said: ...
Fears for High Street as bargain stores thrive in recession
by Kay Murchie
July 22, 2009
Figures released by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) today revealed a significant fall in manufacturing orders in July.
According to the CBI, orders fell at their fastest rate since January 1992, raising new concerns about the state of the economy.
In its quarterly health check of industry, the CBI found that in the three months to July, 43% of ...
Decline in factory orders raises fears about economy
by Kay Murchie
July 13, 2009
The world’s no.2 economy received a boost today with the news of a rise in Japanese consumer confidence in June.
The Government said Japan's consumer sentiment index reached its highest level since December 2007 and represents the sixth consecutive monthly rise. The index rose to 37.6, up from 35.7 in May.
However, there are still fears for the economy ...
Japanese consumer sentiment up but fears remain for economy
by Kay Murchie
July 10, 2009
Figures from the Bank of Japan have revealed that Japanese wholesale prices tumbled 6.6% in the year to June - the fastest pace of decline since records began almost 50 years ago.
The figures have raised fears that the world‘s second largest economy could see a short period of deflation.
A short period of deflation (where prices fall rather ...
Fall in Japanese wholesale prices sparks further fears of deflation
by Kay Murchie
April 28, 2009
According to the UK’s largest coal producer, increased fears over energy security has rallied demand for coal.
UK Coal, which supplies around 7 percent of the country’s energy for electricity generation, has signed and extended new long-term contracts with the big four in electricity generation.
The coal group has 4 deep mines and 7 surface mines employing ...
UK coal to receive a boost as energy security fears are rife
by Peter Charalambous
April 8, 2009
A consumer confidence survey by the Nationwide has revealed that individuals are fearful about losing their jobs after the building society’s confidence index fell from 43 in February to 41 in March.
According to Fionnuala Earley, Nationwide's chief economist, “Overall consumer confidence has remained broadly stable since the start of the year, but feelings about the current labour market have weakened.“
The ...
UK consumer confidence hit by job fears
by Kay Murchie
December 1, 2008
The economic downturn has brought with it rising unemployment across the world and a survey called ‘The Global Recession and its Effect on Work Ethics‘, conducted by IT security data company, Cyber-Ark, has discovered that today’s employees will do anything to retain their jobs.
Workers are offering to double their hours and take a pay cut in order to secure employment.
More than one ...
Survey reveals job security fears
by Kay Murchie
November 4, 2008
The price of oil fell to $59.32 a barrel in early trading today, the lowest point since February 2007, amid growing concerns that a US recession will reduce demand.
Oil prices reached a high of $147 a barrel in mid-July. Last week, Opec said it would cut its output by 1.5m barrels a day to 27.3m barrels ...
Fears for US recession as oil price reaches 20-month low
by Kay Murchie
