The UK economy is having a slow start to the year, says the CBI January 31, 2016 The economy has had a sluggish start to the year, a business lobby group has said. The percentage of firms reporting higher growth over the last three months outweighed the percentage reporting more sluggish growth by six percentage points, according to the figures from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) published today. It was the [...]
Oil prices: Iraq will co-operate to cut production in bid to prop up Brent crude January 30, 2016 Iraq's oil minister has said his country would co-operate if Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and non-Opec members agree to cut crude production, in the wake of a supply glut that's sent oil as low as $27 per barrel this year. It comes as one of Opec's poorer member, cash-strapped Venezuela, has called a meeting to [...]
Azerbaijan downgraded to junk status by Standard & Poor’s due to oil price rout January 29, 2016 The oil price rout has taken its latest victim – Azerbaijan, which saw its credit rating downgraded to junk status by Standard & Poor’s. The ratings agency said it expects the oil-dependent country’s economy to contract in 2016 as exports decline, while consumption will fall due to the devaluaton of the manat, its crisis-struck currency. “Oil [...]
Brent crude and WTI: Oil prices fall as hope over production cut fades January 29, 2016 Oil prices wavered today, as soaring oil output coincided with dampened optimism around a possible production cut from some of the world's biggest producers, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and Russia. Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell 0.35 per cent to $33.77 per barrel, after ending 2.4 per cent higher yesterday. West Texas Intermediate, the US [...]
Lifting of Iran sanctions causes Opec output to soar to fresh highs in January January 29, 2016 Opec oil production soared to its highest level in almost two decades this month, with Iran driving the largest increase in supply, according to a new survey. Saudi Arabia and Iraq also ramped up production in January, the Reuters data said. The oil market is already suffering with a massive supply glut, thanks to Saudi’s [...]
UK steel crisis: Union slams European Commission’s low tax on Chinese imports January 29, 2016 The steel industry has slammed the EU's failure to impose higher levy on Chinese imports of a steel product which is made in the UK, warning that it could lead to further job losses in the already stricken sector. Gareth Stace, director of UK Steel today warned that the European Commission's decision to impose low-level duties would [...]
US GDP growth misses expectations and puts pressure on the Fed to loosen monetary policy January 29, 2016 US economic growth missed expectations in the fourth quarter, reinforcing fears that the Federal Reserve was too hasty last month when it raised rates for the first time in almost a decade. Gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.7 per cent during the last three months of the year, the US Department of Commerce said [...]
CML warns of higher rents and a buy-to-let slowdown under Stamp Duty Land Tax proposals January 29, 2016 The new tax on second properties could lead to higher rents and a slowdown in the buy-to-let market, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). Days before HM Treasury ends its consultation period on the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) proposals, the CML has publicly criticised the plans, claiming that they will have a [...]
London house prices skyrocket at double the national rate but sales fall January 29, 2016 London house prices rose at almost double the average rate for England and Wales last year, with the average price of property in the capital now totting up to a lofty £514,097. The Land Registry’s House Price Index in December showed that the cost of getting on to the ladder in London rose by 12.4 per [...]
Eurozone inflation edges up to 0.4 per cent but is still way off the European Central Bank’s target January 29, 2016 Eurozone inflation crept up slightly to 0.4 per cent in January, but remains far from the European Central Bank’s target of just under two per cent. Consumer prices grew from a rate of 0.2 per cent in December, according to official figures from Eurostat. The services sector picked up in January, coming in at 1.2 [...]