The European Central Bank (ECB) has today opted to leave interest rates unchanged at 1.5% - for the second consecutive month. Rates were lifted from the historic low of 1% in April and then raised further to 1.25% in July in a bid to curb rising inflation. Many major economies are battling with higher inflation, [...]
The latest Beige Book report, published by the Federal Reserve today, has revealed widespread signs that US economic growth continues to slow. The Fed said: “Economic activity continued to expand at a modest pace, though some districts noted mixed or weakening activity.” The economic recovery of the US remains sluggish in the face of higher [...]
The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has revised its growth forecasts for major economies. The US, which is the world’s largest economy, is expected to see growth in the third quarter of 1.1% and 0.4% in the fourth – this is far lower than the previous estimates of 2.9% and 3%. However, [...]
Recovery of the UK economy is to remain sluggish, with GDP slowing to 0.2% in the June to August period, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) predicts. This compares with a 0.6% rate in the three months to July. The influential think tank believes if the weakness continues, the Bank of England [...]
There have been fears of late that the US economy could fall back into recession this year but the Obama administration does not envisage this and is predicting growth of 1.7% this year – albeit 1% less than its forecast earlier this year. Official data from the Commerce Department show the economy grew by just [...]
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has today revised its growth prospects for the UK economy. The lobby group is now forecasting growth of just 1.1% this year, down from its 1.3% forecast in June and much lower than the 1.9% it estimated at the start of the year. Meanwhile, it is expecting growth of [...]
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 [...]
Germany, which is the euro zone’s largest economy, has today reported slower growth for the second quarter. According to figures from Destatis, the German economy grew by just 0.1% in the April to June period – much less than the 0.5% expected by analysts. The figures will undoubtedly be a disappointment since Germany has been [...]
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has slashed its growth forecast after flood and cyclone disaster damaged the economy. The economy, dubbed the “wonder from down under” has recently experienced a slowdown after the disasters led to a fall in coal and agricultural exports and resulted in the economy contracting in the first quarter – [...]
India, which is Asia’s third largest economy, has lowered its growth forecast for the current fiscal year to March 2012 to 8.2% from 9%. The revision comes amid global uncertainty and a series of interest rate hikes to combat stubbornly high inflation. Last week, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) raised key interest rates for [...]
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has today revised its growth prospects for the UK Economy. The employer’s group is now forecasting growth of 1.3% this year, down from its May forecast of 1.7%. Meanwhile, it is still expecting growth of 2.2% in 2012 – unchanged from its previous forecast. The CBI has also suggested [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed UK public sector borrowing rose last month. According to the ONS, public sector net borrowing rose to £14 billion last month compared with £13.6 billion June 2010. The figure was higher than analysts’ expectations and was attributed to a fall in income tax receipts. The figure [...]
Respected think tank, Ernst & Young ITEM Club, has lowered its growth forecast for the UK economy after warning that the UK is at a “critical juncture”. The ITEM Club now believes the UK economy will expand by 1.4% this year, down from an earlier estimate of 1.8%. Furthermore, it is predicting growth of 2.2% [...]
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has today provided an assessment for the UK economy. It has revised its growth forecasts to 1.4% for the 2011 year, down from its previous estimate of 1.6%. The estimate is roughly in line with other forecasts after the International Monetary Fund recently said the UK economy [...]
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed UK unemployment fell further in the three months to May. The ONS said unemployment fell by 26,000 in the three month period to 2.45 million. The latest figures means the unemployment rate remained flat at 7.7%. However, the number of Britons claiming jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) surged [...]
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) has today revised its growth forecast for the economy following the earthquake and tsunami which struck in March. The twin disasters forced the country back into a recession after industrial output suffered a record drop and spending dived as consumer and business confidence took a battering. The Japanese economy, which [...]
The Federal Reserve yesterday opted to keep interest rates at the record low of between 0% and 0.25% and hinted that they will stay this way for the medium-term. US interest rates have now been at this rate since December 2008 in an effort to stimulate economic growth. The US central bank also lowered its [...]
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has today published its annual assessment for the UK economy and is estimating growth of 1.5% this year, down from 1.7% in April. The estimate is roughly in line with other forecasts for the UK economy with the British Chambers of Commerce expecting growth of 1.3%, the Organisation for Economic [...]
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has again revised its forecasts for the airline industry. The forecasts have been revised on the back of surging oil prices, according to the industry body, and could force some airlines out of business. Many airlines went bust when fuel prices rose in 2008. Oil prices reached a peak [...]
John Lewis reports challenging trading environment
The John Lewis Partnership, which is regarded as a barometer of British retailing, has reported a marginal increase in sales and said trading conditions are “extremely challenging”. The renowned employee-owned chain, which owns the Waitrose supermarket chain, said sales rose 1% on a like-for-like basis in the six month period to 30 July. However, across [...]
European equities markets were higher Tuesday as banks came back from big declines on Monday, helped by a statement from Societe Generale’s (Euronext: GLE) CEO that his bank is healthy. The FTSE 100 was up 0.87 percent to 5,174.25 in London, while the FTSE 250 added 0.27 percent to 10,011, with banks the best performers [...]
Rics: Housing market remains in the doldrums
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has today reported that the UK housing market remained weak in August with house prices falling further. According to the Institution, homeowners remain reluctant to put their properties up for sale, while buyers continue to struggle to secure a mortgage and remain uncertain about the economic climate. The [...]
CML: Mortgage lending edges higher in July
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has reported the number of loans for house purchase rose in July. According to the Council, there were 48,400 loans advanced for house purchase in the month – up by 1,000 from June’s figure but almost 7,000 lower when compared with July 2010. Commenting on today’s figures, Paul Smee, [...]
UK inflation edges higher in August
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) today announced Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) rose to annual rate of 4.5% last month from July’s rate of 4.4%. However, the figure was in line with analysts’ expectations. Higher inflation continues to be led by rising food costs but the main reason behind last month’s rise was a 5.1% [...]
Fresnillo down on silver prices
European equities markets were lower Monday on the possibility that Greece could default soon and on speculation that Moody’s Investors Service could cut its rating on several big banks with holdings tied to Greece. The FTSE 100 was down 1.63 percent to 5,129.62 in London, while the FTSE 250 dropped 1.65 percent to 9,983.75 as [...]
IFS warns of tough times for UK households
A report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned that households will be squeezed for the next decade as they suffer from the harsh spending cuts introduced by the Government. It said households are suffering one of the worst attacks on their finances since the Second World War and that the impact of [...]
ICB final report recommends ring-fencing
The Independent Commission on Banking’s (ICB) final report has been published today and is recommending that UK banks should ring-fence their retail banking operations. According to the report, ring-fencing would protect banks from riskier investment banking divisions and would “make it easier and less costly to resolve banks that get into trouble”. The ICB, which [...]
Tullow Oil leads 100 in London
European equities markets were significantly lower Friday on an increased possibility that Greece could default on its debt as soon as this weekend, raising the concern level over the European region’s debt problems and ratcheting up worries that the economic recovery is faltering. Additionally, markets reacted to the resignation of European Central Bank board member [...]
SMMT: UK car sales rise in August
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) have revealed UK car sales saw their first rise in 14 months in August. According to the trade body, car sales rose by 7.3% in August compared with the same month in 2010, with sales of smaller cars rising by more than 30%. The Ford Fiesta remained [...]
About | Privacy | Disclaimer | Resources | XML Feeds | Press Releases | Contact us
