Booming services sector steers UK economy further away from recession May 9, 2023 Britain’s economy is running at its strongest level in nearly a year, powered by households still splashing the cash amid the cost of living crisis in another sign the country will skirt a recession. A new survey out last night from consultancy BDO revealed output growth in the UK reached its highest level in eight [...]
UK to officially avoid recession in first half of this year as Bank of England readies twelfth straight interest rate rise May 8, 2023 Britain is set to have officially avoided a recession in the first half of this year in a sharp turnaround in fortunes for the country’s economy, figures out this week are expected to reveal. Gross domestic product (GDP), which measures the amount of goods and services produced in the UK, is anticipated to have risen [...]
Euro rate hikes: Not done yet, says member of the governing council May 7, 2023 The European Central Bank’s interest rate hikes are starting to have an effect, but more will be needed to contain inflation, Dutch Central Bank President Klaas Knot said on Sunday. Knot, who is also on the ECB’s governing council and is known as a hawk, said he had agreed with the ECB decision on Thursday [...]
US unemployment figures ‘confound expectations’ with 50 year jobless low, raising spectre of more Fed rate rises May 5, 2023 US employers went on a hiring spree in April while raising wages for workers at the same time, according to the Labour Department. The news that nonfarm payrolls increased by 253,000 jobs last month immediately sparked speculation that the US central bank the Federal Reserve could maintain its current policy of keeping rates higher. The [...]
European Central Bank hikes interest rates for seventh time in a row and Lagarde signals more rises May 4, 2023 The European Central Bank (ECB) today hiked interest rates for the seventh time in a row and slowed the pace of its aggressive campaign to tame inflation, though its chief Christine Lagarde signalled more rises are coming. She and the rest of the governing council sent borrowing costs among the 20 countries using the euro [...]
FTSE 100 close: London index slips despite Shell rising after posting £7.6bn profit May 4, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 tumbled today despite investors piling into Shell after it launched a fresh buyback funded from its huge first quarter profits. The capital’s premier index fell 1.04 per cent to 7,707.52 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, dropped 0.62 per [...]
Inflation reignites in UK as economy powers further away from feared recession May 4, 2023 Inflation has reignited in the UK, pushed higher by the economy roaring back and emboldening businesses to pass on higher costs to customers via rising prices, a closely watched survey out today unveils. S&P Global and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply’s (PMI) for the country’s services sector climbed sharply to 55.9 points last [...]
Federal Reserve bumps interest rates 25 basis points higher in what may be its final hike May 3, 2023 The US Federal Reserve today hiked interest rates for the tenth time in a row in what could be its final move.
FTSE 100 close: London index claws back losses ahead of US Federal Reserve interest rate decision May 3, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 regained ground this today after nursing sharp losses yesterday driven by fears over the global banking system flaring up again. The capital’s premier index jumped 0.2 per cent to 7,788.38 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, climbed 0.27 per [...]
Stephen King interview: Inflation is ‘profoundly undemocratic’ and must be stopped May 3, 2023 What kind of world do we live in today? From an economists’ view, one that’s a lot different from just a handful of years ago. War in Europe. Strained global trade. Government debt stocks at multi decade highs (certainly in the UK). All fixtures of our present day lives. But there’s two things that have [...]