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 Ministry of Finance has today revealed Japan’s exports plunged by in April – hit by the 11 March earthquake and tsunami. Official figures revealed exports fell by 12.5% in April on an annual basis as the twin disasters forced some of Japan’s largest exporters to halt production. Meanwhile, imports surged by 8.9% in April [...]
Global stock markets were lower today as investors awaited US fourth quarter economic growth figures. Analysts expect the economy expanded at an annual rate of 3.5% in the final three months of 2010, after growth of 2.6% in the third quarter. The US economic recovery appears to be gathering momentum after positive figures for the [...]
Talks of an EU bailout for Ireland triggered a recovery in shares today, while yields on 10-year Irish bonds also fell back on emergency funding speculation. Earlier today, UK and Europe stock markets followed losses in Asia and the US overnight after Irish borrowing costs surged to record highs. However, claims that Ireland will have [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Global stock markets were rocked yesterday with the news that euro zone banks may face funding difficulties after it was revealed that the European Central Bank (ECB) would not be offering 12-month loans. A year ago, the ECB was forced to offer European banks 12-month loans at low interest rates to help them survive the [...]
US consumer confidence rose in may, despite fears about the debt crisis in the euro zone. The closely-monitored Consumer Confidence Index from the Conference Board rose for the third consecutive month to 63.3 in May, up from 57.7 the previous month. However, despite the rise, the index still remains far away from the 90 points [...]
Stock markets across the world fell sharply today over ongoing fears about the debt crisis in the euro zone. London’s FTSE fell below the crucial 5,000 mark today to 4,939.6 points - its lowest level for eight months. Germany’s Dax index lost 2.7%, while France’s Cac 40 index fell 3.2%. Earlier in the day, Asian [...]
EU finance ministers have agreed a €500 billion (£433 billion) emergency rescue package, designed prevent the Greek debt crisis from spreading to other euro zone nations. The bail-out came after 11 hours of discussions in Brussels last week as fears grew for other heavily indebted European countries such as Ireland, Spain and Portugal. The 16 [...]
Despite Friday’s general election result, which failed to give any political party a clear majority, sterling has gained on the US dollar today, while London’s FTSE recovered from the sharp falls on Friday. The pound rose by nearly a cent against the dollar to $1.4865 but fell against the euro to 1.1510 euros. The pound [...]
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) have today downgraded Spain’s credit rating by one notch to AA from AA+ and comes as the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that the crisis in Greece could spread throughout Europe. Following the news, the euro fell against the dollar to $1.3129 - a level not seen since [...]
Stock markets in Asia were down today after Standard & Poor’s (S&P) cut Greece’s credit rating to BB+ from BBB- yesterday. Greece has become the first euro zone nation to have its debt downgraded to “junk” status. According to S&P, the downgrade comes amid worries that Greece is not able to take the necessary action [...]
Greece’s woes deepened today after Standard & Poor’s (S&P) cut the country’s credit rating to BB+ from BBB-. According to S&P, the downgrade comes amid worries that it is not able to take the necessary action in order to manage its economic crisis. The debt-ridden economy is asking for help from fellow euro zone nations [...]
Wall Street banking giant JPMorgan has today posted better-than-expected first quarter profits of $3.3 billion (£2.1 billion), compared with $702 million a year ago - when the world was gripped in the midst of the financial crisis. The results boosted bank stocks with the FTSE gaining 42 points to 5,804 - just a few points [...]
There are renewed fears over the Greek debt crisis after a hammering of bond prices by investors took the yield on short-term Greek debt up to 8% yesterday - almost 3% higher than in October 2009. There is now speculation that Greece will be seeking a bailout sooner rather than later with one analyst suggesting [...]
Debt concerns in Europe have resulted in heavy falls across Asian stock markets today with Japan’s Nikkei index fell nearly 3% and stock markets in Hong Kong, Korea and China experiencing heavy declines. The Nikkei fell almost 300 points to 10,057.1 - its lowest level in two months. Hong Kong‘s Hang Seng Index lost 592.31 [...]
US President Barack Obama is proposing a severe crackdown on financial institutions in the US which has sent stock markets around the globe into decline. Yesterday, the Dow Jones closed down 2% - its worst decline since October, while Japan’s Nikkei lost 3.6% - the biggest weekly loss in three months and closing a three-week [...]
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 [...]
A year has passed since the government replaced Child Trust Funds with Junior ISAs (JISAs) but more than half of parents are unaware that they exist, according to research by friendly society Family Investments Children born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011 were eligible to open a Child Trust Fund and to receive [...]
PPI costs increase for Lloyds and Barclays
Lloyds Banking Group has set aside a further £1 billion to cover compensation costs for customers who were mis-sold Payment Protection Insurance (PPI). Yesterday, Barclays revealed £700m of PPI costs in the 2012 third quarter increasing its total provision to £2bn. Lloyds Banking Group, which has made the largest PPI provision out of all the [...]
Bonfire Night worst day for burglaries warns Aviva
Insurance group Aviva is warning households to be vigilant over security at this time of the year, as burglaries tend to increase signficantly between Halloween and Bonfire Night. On Bonfire Night the number of burglaries increases by around 25 per cent compared with an average day, according to the company’s research. Aviva also reported a [...]
Consumer confidence hits six-month low
Although the UK has officially emerged from recession, consumer confidence fell to -30 in October from -28 in September, according to market researcher company GfK NOP. This is the lowest level of consumer confidence since April when the UK was in an economic slump. Analysts had expected the index to remain stable at -28. Respondents [...]
100,000 mortgage holders escape negative equity trap
New figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) reveal that the number of borrowers in negative equity fell 13 per cent to 719,000 between the first quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012. The number of borrowers paying a mortgage greater than the value of their property fell despite a further small [...]
Banking commission appoints counsel to cross-examine witnesses
The Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards has appointed counsel to cross-examine witnesses during its inquiry into the collapse of Halifax Bank of Scotland. Barrister David Quest has been appointed to question witnesses in a public evidence session, as part of a sub-committee panel inquiry into the bank. Andrew Tyrie, chairman of the Commission said: “This [...]
Mortgage approvals increased in September
An increase in the number of mortgage approvals in September suggests that the ‘Funding for Lending’ scheme, launched by the Treasury and the Bank of England, may be starting to give the property market a boost. According to Bank of England figures, the number of loans approved for house purchase increased by 2,103 to 50,024 [...]
Five million paid less than living wage
Five million people in the UK are paid less than the ‘living wage’ of £7.20, or £8.30 in London, according to a new report by KPMG. In Northern Ireland, 24 per cent of workers receive less than they require in order to pay for essentials and the situation is little better in Wales where 23 [...]
Commission calls for radical change in housing market
A new study by the Future Homes Commission suggests that the way homes are built in the UK is dysfunctional and needs a radical overhaul. The organisation, which was established by the Royal Institute of British Architects, believes that 300,000 extra homes could be built every year without any input from Government funding. Instead, the [...]
The UK economy emerged from recession yesterday and now leads the way in Europe according to research group Capital Economics. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by one per cent in the third quarter from July to September, the biggest rise for five years, the latest official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show. [...]
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