The People’s Bank of China has today set its currency at 6.7896 yuan to the US dollar – which is 0.3% stronger than Thursday’s level of 6.8100. The moves come as China pledged to “strengthen the flexibility” of the yuan exchange rate ahead of this weekend’s G20 summit in Canada. The level marks the strongest [...]
The Federal Reserve has this week elected to keep US interest rates at the historically low level of between 0% and 0.25%, as widely expected. Interest rates in the world’s largest economy have been at the low level since December 2008 and the bank has previously said that as a result of subdued inflation and [...]
China has today taken action to honour its pledge in making its currency, the yuan, more flexible. On Saturday, policymakers pledged to make the yuan more flexible but then just 24 hours later the central bank’s website said: “There is at present no basis for major fluctuation or change in the [yuan] exchange rate.” However, [...]
Stock markets in Asia have gained today after comments by China’s central bank about its currency policy this weekend. Policymakers had pledged to make the yuan more flexible but then just 24 hours later the central bank’s website said: “There is at present no basis for major fluctuation or change in the [yuan] exchange rate”. [...]
The Labour Government is not ruling out a VAT rise but is set to pledge not to raise income tax rates for the lifetime of the next Parliament. These are two items set to be on Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s election manifesto today in Birmingham. However, while the PM is leaving open the possibility of [...]
US food giant, Kraft, has been criticised by a group of MPs today after the company pledged to keep open Cadbury’s Somerdale factory in Keynsham, but later decided to close the site following its takeover of the British confectioner. Kraft, which made several hostile bids for Cadbury before shareholders finally agreed to a deal, initially [...]
US billionaire investor, Wilbur Ross, has invested £100 million in Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Money in order to help it in its quest to bid for Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) High Street branch network, believed to be worth up to £2 billion ($3 billion). RBS, which is 84% state-owned, was ordered by European Union [...]
Marc Firestone, vice-president of US food giant, Kraft, has today appeared before MPs on the Business Select Committee and has apologised for the firm’s pledge to keep open Cadbury’s Keynsham factory. Mr Firestone was questioned by MP’s over the company’s takeover of Cadbury. Kraft completed its takeover of the 186-year-old iconic British confectioner on 2 [...]
Marc Firestone, vice-president of US food giant, Kraft, will appear before MPs on the Business Select Committee today. Mr Firestone will be questioned by MP’s over the company’s takeover of Cadbury. Kraft completed its takeover of the 186-year-old iconic British confectioner on 2 February after a five-month battle. Earlier this month, the US food giant [...]
Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke has today said US interest rates will need to stay low in order to keep the economic recovery on track. In a testimony before Congress, Bernanke said there was a “nascent economic recovery” and said long-term recovery will depend on private sector’s demand for goods and services. Bernanke, [...]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has today pledged its support for Greece after yesterday’s declaration from the European Union, which will see the debt-stricken economy tackle its spiralling debts. “We stand willing and able to support Greece in ways that the Greek authorities think is appropriate,” IMF First Deputy Managing Director John Lipsky told reporters [...]
US President Barack Obama has pledged to repay taxpayers the losses they are owed from bailing out the banks as he criticised bankers for the “massive profits and obscene bonuses.” The President said: “My commitment is to recover every single dime the American people are owed. “My determination to achieve this goal is only heightened [...]
A meeting of G20 finance ministers at St Andrews in Fife saw an agreement to maintain financial support until recovery is ensured. The agreement was reached following concerns over rising unemployment and unsteady growth which saw finance ministers from developing and rich countries vow to keep fiscal measures in place until global recovery is assured. [...]
Lloyds TSB has pledged to help its 600,000 small business customers by putting together a six-point ‘charter’ to help them weather the economic downturn. The bank has also confirmed it will pass on, in full, any further cuts in interest rates throughout the remainder of 2008 and the whole of 2009, the measures will benefit [...]
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has pledged to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) who are suffering as a result of the economic slump. Rising borrowing costs has had an affect on many firms and the new measures will see RBS freeze overdraft charges for its business customers for at least a year, commencing [...]
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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