Government needs to step up support for small firms at spring statement March 14, 2022 The government needs to step up support for small businesses to turbo charge the UK economy at this month’s spring statement, according to Britain’s top small firm representative body. Small businesses need support to cope with huge increases in raw material and staffing costs, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). The organisation today [...]
Sunak: UK businesses need to urgently cut links with Russia March 13, 2022 More British businesses need to urgently cut any ties with Russia to “inflict maximum economic pain – and to stop further bloodshed,” Chancellor Rishi Sunak urged today. Western blue-chips have been severing ties with Moscow in a combined effort to freeze Russia out of the global economy. The likes of Shell and BP are in [...]
Week ahead: City eyes jam-packed week of economic data and announcements March 13, 2022 Investors’ focus on developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict may be pulled away by a week of jam-packed flagship economic announcements and data. Last week was an extremely volatile one for London’s premier FTSE 100 index, swinging from a low of 6,674 to a high of 7,672. It eventually finished up 2.41 per cent. Wild market [...]
Consumer lending surges as war, inflation and post-pandemic impact bite March 11, 2022 Consumer lending experienced a 51 per cent increase in January 2022 from the previous year, as concerns about Russia’s war in Ukraine, rising costs of living and inflation continue to bite. The sector for credit cards and personal loans had a major spike with a 55 per cent, according to new figures released by the [...]
Russia’s ‘most favoured nation’ trade status to be revoked by US and EU today March 11, 2022 US President Joe Biden is expected to announce today that, along with the European Union and the Group of Seven countries, the US will move to revoke “most favoured nation” trade status for Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. That is according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of [...]
Latest GDP figures confirm UK economy grows 0.8 per cent as Covid fears subside March 11, 2022 Official data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.8 per cent in January as the hit from the Omicron variant subsided. It more than reversed the entire 0.2 per cent fall that had been observed in December. Experts had predicted a 0.1 per cent rise in [...]
Four in ten Brits consider job change to counter higher cost of living and rising inflation March 11, 2022 Almost forty per cent of people polled this week have considered changing jobs to counter rising inflation and costs of living. Pressures are showing on people’s wages and mental health, with leading employment board Totaljobs urging employers to support their workers through difficult financial times. In a survey published this week, 37 per cent of [...]
Rishi Sunak urged to ‘turn wise words into action’ by FSB chair after small retailers feel ‘abandoned’ March 11, 2022 The chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has urged chancellor Rishi Sunak to “turn wise words into action”, after the vast majority of micro firms said they felt “abandoned” by his policies. As the cost of living crisis continues to bite for retailers and consumers alike, 2,000 independent retailers were surveyed through Not [...]
London’s top indexes give up gains as Moscow assault of Ukraine ramps up March 10, 2022 London’s top indexes gave up some of their gains yesterday as investors fretted over a ramping up in Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index dropped 1.27 per cent to 7,099.00 points, while the domestically-focused FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, fell 0.57 per [...]
Year-ahead inflation expectations hit record high ahead of BoE’s rate decision March 10, 2022 A record proportion of Brits expect the current inflation crunch to linger in a year’s time, fresh data released today reveals. Some 35 per cent of households think the cost of living will top five per cent by this time next year, according to Bank of America. The fresh figures will worry the Bank of [...]
