Bank of England: Hold fire until there is Brexit certainty says the shadow MPC September 13, 2018 City economists are all but certain that the Bank of England will hold interest rates steady today, only six weeks after raising interest rates and with the Brexit endgame fast approaching. The Bank’s rate-setting monetary policy committee (MPC) will announce its latest decision at midday, with all eyes on any tweaks to guidance around the [...]
DEBATE: Should gig economy workers be given more rights and protections, as John McDonnell suggests? September 12, 2018 Should gig economy workers be given more rights and protections, as John McDonnell suggests? Brhmie Balaram, senior researcher in the RSA’s Economy, Enterprise and Manufacturing team, says YES. I imagine most people would agree with John McDonnell that it would be desirable to grant gig economy workers more rights. At the same time, they might [...]
The economic answer behind superstar salaries September 12, 2018 Rugby Union’s Premiership season is underway again. This is yet another professional sport which operates on the principles of socialism: the money all ends up in the pockets of what we might call the “workers”. In a sport which was allegedly only played by amateurs until the mid-1990s, earnings have boomed. The average salary in the [...]
The rise of Chinese finance puts pressure on London and New York as top financial centres September 12, 2018 London and New York remain the top two financial centres in the world but Asian cities are hot on their heels, according to an authoritative ranking to be published today. A major report from London-based think tank and consultancy Z/Yen will show the average ranking of financial centres in Asia and the Pacific region rose [...]
Chancellor Philip Hammond: Bank of England boss Mark Carney will remain in place until 2020 to ensure Brexit ‘continuity’ September 11, 2018 Bank of England governor Mark Carney will stay in post until the end of January 2020 to "support continuity" during the Brexit process, chancellor Philip Hammond confirmed today. There has been widespread speculation about whether the Canadian economist would extend his time in post, having been due to step down from the role in June [...]
Wage growth jumps in boost to Bank of England ahead of monetary policy decision September 11, 2018 The wages paid to British workers grew at the joint-fastest rate since the summer of 2015 in the three months to July, according to data published today which supports the Bank of England's contention that a tight labour market is finally pushing up pay. Average regular pay, which excludes bonuses, rose by 2.9 per cent [...]
British economy enjoys surprise July jump in activity to record strongest growth in almost a year September 10, 2018 The British economy surprised economists in July as output grew by 0.3 per cent, with a sunny services sector outlook alongside unexpected support from the construction sector contributing to the pick-up. The three months to July saw GDP expand by 0.6 per cent, picking up from 0.4 per cent growth in the second quarter of [...]
Lloyd’s of London hires former QBE chief John Neal as new CEO September 7, 2018 John Neal has been appointed as chief executive of Lloyd's of London, succeeding Inga Beale, who had been in the role since 2013. His appointment was ratified after a meeting of the Council of Lloyd's where his appointment was unanimously approved. He will begin his new role at Lloyd’s on 15 October 2018. Previously John Neal [...]
Shoppers ditch high street in one of the worst Augusts on record for retail September 7, 2018 Shoppers ditched the high street in August, making it one of the worst months on record, new figures have shown. Sales dropped at their steepest rate for three years, accountancy and business advisory firm BDO said in its latest high street tracker, released today. The 2.7 per cent year-on-year decline also marked the seventh month in [...]
A Brexit deal without services threatens the whole of Europe September 7, 2018 London and the UK have been at the heart of global shipping for over 300 years. During that time, the sector has seen empires built and dismantled, world wars fought, global power shift, and periodic financial crises. What has remained constant through the ages has been trade between nations, and the role of the maritime [...]