Small business confidence plunges to post-Covid low February 17, 2025 Small business's confidence in London has plummeted to record post-Covid lows, with some sectors standing an all-time low
Employer confidence heading in the ‘wrong direction’ as firms plan job cuts February 17, 2025 A new survey suggests that more firms are planning job cuts in the next quarter than at any time in the last decade, excluding the pandemic. The latest labour market outlook from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) paints a bleak picture of the labour market, as firms plan job cuts in response [...]
City braces for inflation rebound February 17, 2025 City analysts expect the headline rate of inflation to rise to 2.8 per cent, up from 2.5 per cent in December.
Reeves expected to float income tax hikes next month February 15, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to float income tax rises next month as she attempts to stick to the government’s fiscal rules. A freeze on income tax thresholds is currently being discussed in the Treasury, which could raise as much as £4bn a year, according to reports from the Financial Times. One aide told reports [...]
Pound sterling rises to highest level this year as markets digest ‘mind-blowing’ tariff plans February 14, 2025 Sterling was trading at $1.26 on Friday afternoon, up 0.3 per cent on the day and its highest level so far in 2025.
The Week in Business: Is Net Zero going out of fashion? February 14, 2025 Just a few short years ago BP proudly told us they were embarking on a journey – and I quote – “in support of our purpose to reimagine energy for people and our planet, and our ambition to become a Net Zero company by 2050 or sooner and help the world get to Net Zero.” [...]
UK economy could face £24bn blow from Trump tariff plans February 14, 2025 The UK economy could face a £24bn blow from Donald Trump’s plans to impose tariffs on countries that charge VAT. The President announced plans to impose reciprocal tariffs last night, telling reporters that he considered VAT to be a tariff on US exporters. “I have decided for purposes of fairness that I will charge a [...]
What do falling interest rates mean for my finances? February 14, 2025 The Bank of England trimmed interest rates to 4.5 percent in February, the first of what could be multiple cuts this year aimed at kickstarting the UK’s weak economic growth. This raises questions about what loosening monetary policy could mean for savers’ finances. The BoE now expects GDP growth “to be notably weaker in the near [...]
The public isn’t buying Labour’s growth story February 13, 2025 Today’s growth figures will have elicited a sigh of relief across the government. A meagre 0.1 per cent uptick is certainly better than a recession. Though the news is not all good. The economy is smaller on a per capita terms, and when you dig down into the data, private sector activity is shrinking. An [...]
Rachel Reeves tax raid ‘unlikely to succeed’, analysts warn February 13, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ attempts to put the public finances on firmer ground through tax hikes are “unlikely to succeed,” according to analysts at Oxford Economics. Collecting evidence from a range of ‘fiscal adjustments’ – attempts by governments to balance their budget deficits – Edward Allenby and Adam Slater said attempts to balance the budget through [...]