Global stocks have fallen to a one-week low today with banks among the worst performers. Concerns that the euro zone may not be able to contain its debt crisis, together with fears of the US slipping back into recession sent European shares falling this morning. Deutsche Bank lost 7.3% in early trading today, Societe Generale [...]
US banking giant Morgan Stanley today downgraded its forecast for global economic growth, sending stock markets falling throughout the world. The American bank lowered its expectations for world growth for the 2011 year to 3.9% from 4.5%, while also downgrading 2012 growth to 3.8% from 4.5%. The downgrade sent shockwaves through stock markets as double-dip [...]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned of risks facing the world economy. However, on a positive note, it maintained its global growth forecasts, expecting the world economy to grow at a rate of 4.3% this year and 4.5% in 2012. In its World Economic Outlook, it upgraded its growth forecast for Germany from 2.5% [...]
The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has revised its growth forecasts for the global economy. The US, which is the world’s largest economy, is expected to see growth this year of 2.6% – revised upwards from a previous estimate of 2.2%. It maintained its 2012 growth forecast at 3.1%. “Growth in the [...]
Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that rising oil prices pose a risk to the global recovery by reducing spending power and fuelling inflation. The agency is urging oil producers to increase supplies to avoid “derailing the economic recovery”. The agency said it is seriously concerned that “there are growing signs that the rise [...]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has today provided a positive assessment for global economic growth, lifting its forecast for 2011 from 4.2% to 4.4%. However, it highlighted that risks remain from the debt crisis in the euro zone. It also warned of overheating in fast-growing emerging economies including China and Brazil – who are both [...]
Despite efforts to calm fears over Ireland’s debt problems, global markets have fallen today. The Shanghai Composite index closed down 5% as speculation mounted that the central bank could hike interest rates again to curb inflation. Yesterday, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Chinese inflation continued to increase in October, driven by higher food [...]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has today warned that economic growth will be hit due to deep spending cuts. Olivier Blanchard, the IMF’s chief economic counsellor, said massive spending cuts may have to be revisited if growth in the UK is hampered. However, Mr Blanchard did highlight that his comments applied to all advanced economies, [...]
In its half-yearly health assessment of the financial system, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said it is concerned about the global financial system. The crisis in the European sovereign debt markets has meant the prospects for global stability have been pushed back, said the IMF. The crisis is Europe has recently been exacerbated by [...]
Stock markets throughout the world improved during September with Wall Street experiencing its biggest September recovery since the start of the Second World War – more than seven decades ago. The S&P 500 was up almost 9% during the month, while the Dow Jones gained 7.7%. Increases like this have not been seen since September [...]
Influential think tank, the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), has today said the world is not in danger of a double-dip recession. Despite this, it has revised its growth forecasts downwards, now predicting that the global economy will expand by 3.5% this year and 3.4% next year. Down from the 3.7% and 4.1% [...]
Influential think tank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), has today said the global economic recovery is slowing faster and has therefore revised its growth forecast downwards for the G7 leading economies. However, the think tank has said a return to recession is unlikely but “great uncertainty” remains. It has therefore slightly revised [...]
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has again elected to leave interest rates on hold at 4.5% after a series of aggressive rate hikes since October. It is the third consecutive month in which rates have been at this level but economists say the central bank will only leave rates on hold for the short-term. [...]
Australia has today revised its annual growth forecast from 3.25% to 3% due to uncertainty surrounding the global economic recovery. Australia is one of the few developed economies not to have fallen into recession like its counterparts throughout the world as it has benefited from an increase in commodity prices, while exports have received a [...]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has today lifted its global growth forecast for 2010 to 4.6%, up from the 4.2% forecast in April. However, it maintained its 2011 growth forecast at 4.%. The upward revision for 2010 comes despite ongoing financial turmoil in the euro zone, triggered by Greece’s debt crisis that threatened to spread [...]
There are fears that the debt crisis in the euro zone could hit the global economy but Australia believes its economy will be unaffected. According to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) governor, Glenn Stevens, the country’s strong trade connections with East Asia means it will be relatively unaffected by the events in the euro [...]
Asian stock markets were down earlier today while European stock markets followed suit over disappointing US jobs data on Friday and fears that Hungary could suffer a Greek-style debt crisis. Earlier today, Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed down 3.8% – its biggest daily fall in 14 months, while the Chinese Hang Seng index lost 2.3%. European [...]
Influential think-tank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), has raised its worldwide growth forecasts in its twice-yearly report. The Paris-based Organisation said the global economy is recovering faster than expected with Asia continuing to drive the expansion. However, debt crises in many countries may threaten expansion in the developed world, the OECD warned. [...]
In its latest Fiscal Monitor report, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said that despite the recovery in the global economy, the world’s wealthiest economies urgently need to tackle their debt levels. Its report, and warning, comes as several euro zone nations have introduced tough austerity measures to trim their debt levels, which have caused violent [...]
The finance ministers of the G20 group of developed and emerging economies issued optimism about the global economic recovery, after it met on April 23 in Washington, D.C. An announcement after the meeting stated that the global economy is emerging faster than expected from its worst recession since World War II. According to the G20 [...]
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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