The Chartered Institute of Planning & Supply(CIPS)/Markit purchasing managers index fell to 46.2 in October, from 46.7 in September, marking the 20th consecutive month of falls due to a slump in demand for commercial and civil engineering work. Meanwhile, job cuts in the sector also increased at the fastest rate in four months, while input [...]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS)/Markit purchasing managers index of manufacturing activity grew to 53.7 in October, up from the revised reading of 49.9 the previous month. The reading beat forecasts of a rise to 50.0 and represented the fastest pace of growth in two years. Furthermore, new orders rose at their fastest [...]
China’s economy continues to show impressive strength after figures show that the manufacturing sector expanded in October at its fastest rate in 18 months. The purchasing managers index (PMI) from the state-sanctioned China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing rose to a seasonally adjusted 55.2 in October, up from 54.3 the previous month, Any figure above [...]
Today the world’s largest economy received a boost after the Commerce Department revealed that the US economy shrank at a far slower rate in the second quarter than previous estimates showed. According to the Commerce Department, the US economy contracted by 0.7% between the April and June period rather than the 1% previously reported and [...]
A slight dip in retail sales has been reported in the euro zone for July said Eurostat, but a rise has been reported in economic activity, according to the latest Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI). According to Eurostat, retail sales in July fell 0.2% compared with June, dragged down by lower sales of food and drinks. [...]
The Chinese economy received a boost today after the official purchasing managers’ index (PMI) rose to a 16-month high of 54 points in August, up from 53.3 the previous month. August represented the sixth consecutive month that the official PMI figure was above the crucial 50 level – which represents growth and suggests that the [...]
There are hopes that the UK’s beleaguered manufacturing industry is recovering after the Purchasing Managers’ Index from the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) said output in the industry rose for the first time since March 2008 in June. The index showed a reading of 52.1 – anything above 50 is positive and indicates [...]
The latest Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) has revealed that activity in the UK manufacturing sector slowed during January but was a marginal improvement on December. The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) and Markit, who collate the information, said the figure improved slightly to 35.8 from December’s figure of 34.9 and November’s record low [...]
The UK services sector, which is the backbone of the economy, is declining at a record rate as the closely monitored Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 40.1 in November from 42.4 in October, the lowest level and fastest decline since the survey started in 1996. The index monitors everything from output to orders and [...]
Latest figures show that British manufacturing shrank at a record pace in November. The Purchasing Managers’ Index fell to 34.4 in November, compared to 40.7 in October, the lowest level and the biggest fall experienced since the index began in 1992. Rob Dobson, senior economist at Markit which collects the data together with the CIPS, [...]
According to the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply’s (CIPS) purchasing managers’ index, the UK’s manufacturing sector is now shrinking at the fastest rate since records began in January 1992. Last month the index fell to 41, the lowest reading ever and any reading under 50 indicates a contraction. The survey will no doubt increase [...]
Phone fraudsters stealing bank card pins
Fraudsters using a phone scam to trick bank card holders into revealing their pin numbers stole £750,000 in the first four months of this year. This is the same amount stolen through this scam in the whole of last year. The fraudster telephones a bank customer, often someone elderly or vulnerable, telling them that their [...]
FSA rules out ban on interest-only mortgages
Speculation that the Financial Services Authority would ban interest-only mortgages as part of its Mortgage Market Review has proved to be unfounded. However, lenders will be required to monitor the performance of the investment product taken out by the customer to repay the mortgage at the end of its term. Investments are performing poorly because [...]
Bank of England may end free in-credit banking
A director of the Bank of England has warned that official intervention could be considered to end the ‘dangerous myth of free in-credit banking’. Andrew Bailey has already spoken out against free banking in relation to the mis-selling of financial products. In a speech made available to media, he reiterated his concern, saying that it [...]
Bank of England votes against more economic stimulus
The Bank of England voted against a further round of quantitative easing, at its latest Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting. Just one member, David Miles, voted for further asset purchase to encourage growth in the UK economy, while the other eight members voted to keep the Bank’s quantitative easing programme steady at £325bn. The minutes [...]
Catalogue debt growing says helpline
Calls from people concerned about their debts with mail order catalogues accounted for more than 12 per cent of all calls received by National Debtline last year, compared with just 8 per cent in 2007. More people were concerned about catalogue debt than about payday loans, mortgage or rent, according to the Money Advice Trust [...]
Homeserve faces mis-selling investigation
HomeServe, which provides emergency insurance cover and domestic repairs to households in the UK, is to be investigated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Issues over the possible mis-selling of household emergency policies were uncovered last October during an internal review at the Walsall-based company. Homeserve’s call centre staff were found to be selling ‘Complete [...]
OFT warns Wonga over debt collection methods
Payday loan company Wonga used aggressive and misleading methods to collect debts from customers, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has found. Wonga sent letter and emails to certain customers suggesting they had committed fraud and threatening to report them to the police if they did not act in the way Wonga suggested. The company [...]
NS&I re-launches investment account
National Savings & Investments (NS&I) has re-launched its Investment Account at a higher interest rate than it previously offered. The account now offers 0.75 per cent before tax, compared with between 0.2 and 0.3 per cent previously, depending on the account balance. Deposits and withdrawals on the account can no longer be made at Post [...]
Rightmove reports property downsizing trend
Two in five property owners planning to sell in the next year are planning to ‘trade down’, compared with one in four who plan to ‘trade up’. A survey by property website Rightmove found that moving to a smaller home is the main reason for moving in nine out of the ten regions in the [...]
More people failing to save for retirement
The proportion of people with no pension savings has grown from 20 per cent to 22 per cent over the past year, according to Scottish Widows’ latest survey. The pension provider surveyed 5,200 adults in the UK, aged 30 or over, and earning at least £10,000 a year, for its annual review of pensions. Ian [...]
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