Reeves ramps up pressure on regulators in bid for growth January 16, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves and business secretary Jonathan Reynolds are set to meet with a group of watchdogs today as they kickstart plans to cut red tape from the economy and drive growth through regulation. The chiefs of various regulatory agencies, including Competition and Markets Authority, Ofcom and Ofwat, have been summoned to Downing Street. Officials [...]
UK economy: Interest rate cut a ‘certainty’ in February after weak data January 16, 2025 Economists expect the Bank of England to back a third rate cut next month after two important pieces of economic data were published this week.
Rachel Reeves – “Gilty” as charged January 16, 2025 The verdict is in. The Gilt market has found the Chancellor Rachel Reeves guilty of reckless endangerment of the country’s finances. A large electoral majority led her to think the world would happily finance what she described in her Mais Lecture as the “smart and strategic state”. Sticking to fiscal rules is for nought if [...]
Reeves has dodged a bullet but she’s surrounded by landmines January 16, 2025 After all the excitement of a ministerial resignation, it’s time to check in on the government’s growth agenda. After all, the fate of individual politicians is of no significance when viewed against the major economic challenges facing the government, and the country. Talking to City CEOs, particularly those in the pension and investment sectors, it’s [...]
FTSE 100 rises and gilts recover but Reeves isn’t out of the woods just yet January 15, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves was dealt some welcome good news after a surprise drop in inflation that saw gilt yields fall at the fastest pace in over a year on Wednesday, but some economists fear the development represents a temporary reprieve with inflation at risk of rebounding in the coming months. New figures from the Office [...]
Inflation: ‘Relief’ for Reeves or a ‘temporary reprieve’? January 15, 2025 Inflation unexpectedly fell in December, but is it 'relief' for Rachel Reeves or just a 'temporary reprieve'?
Inflation falls to 2.5 per cent in boost for Chancellor Rachel Reeves January 15, 2025 The inflation figures come amid a sell-off in the gilt market, which has raised doubts about the government's fiscal plans and even prompted calls for the Chancellor to resign.
JP Morgan: UK policy credibility ‘coming under pressure’ January 14, 2025 Gilt yields, which reflect the cost of government borrowing, have increased significantly in recent weeks.
Don’t lose faith on UK interest rate cuts just yet January 14, 2025 What should we make of the outlook for inflation ahead of Wednesday's figures?
Bank of England’s Breeden backs ‘gradual’ interest rate cuts January 9, 2025 A Bank of England rate-setter said she expects to back “gradual” interest rate cuts this year due to continued uncertainties about the economic outlook. Speaking in Edinburgh, Sarah Breeden said inflation had come down faster than expected throughout 2024, which will enable the Bank to continue lowering borrowing costs. “The recent evidence further supports the [...]