DEBATE: Is the UK economy already in a recession? September 6, 2019 Is the UK economy already in a recession? Dr Victoria Bateman, lecturer and fellow in Economics at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, says YES. Recession. It’s the only thing as guaranteed as death and taxes. Brexit or not, we all know we’re due one. But how low will we go – and for how long? [...]
UK firms appoint staff at slowest rate in three years September 6, 2019 Companies hired permanent workers at the slowest rate in over three years in August, according to a new survey, in a sign that the jobs boom in Britain is slowing. Read more: BoE’s Mark Carney says UK now better-prepared for no-deal Brexit August also saw the weakest increase in total job vacancies in over six [...]
Global stock markets climb after US and China agree to talks September 5, 2019 Stock markets have risen around the world today after the US and China agreed to resume talks over their trade war. Read more: Donald Trump says China talks going well as he turns fire on EU China’s commerce ministry today said high-level negotiations will begin in October, with preparatory meetings scheduled for the middle of [...]
US-China trade war: Return of talks pushes up Asian markets September 5, 2019 Asian stocks rallied overnight after the US and China announced that trade talks were back on the table, as investors hoped for a thawing of tensions between the two superpowers. China’s Shanghai Composite index rose 1.1 per cent, while Japan’s Nikkei rose 2.1 per cent and its Topix index rose 1.8 per cent. Hong Kong’s [...]
Sajid Javid’s spending plans raise eyebrows at think tanks and business bodies September 4, 2019 Chancellor Sajid Javid today announced he would “turn the page on austerity” with the biggest increase in government spending for 15 years. Read more: Sajid Javid proclaims the ‘end of austerity’ in spending round In his first major announcement after taking the helm of the UK economy, Javid turned his back on the approach of [...]
BoE’s Mark Carney says UK now better prepared for no-deal Brexit September 4, 2019 A worst-case scenario Brexit would now have a less severe effect on the economy than previously thought, Bank of England governor Mark Carney has said, although it would still take a big chunk out of UK growth. Read more: Sterling surges above $1.22 as MPs rip up Boris Johnson’s Brexit strategy This is “a direct [...]
Chancellor Sajid Javid proclaims ‘end of austerity’ in spending round September 4, 2019 Sajid Javid has proclaimed the “end of austerity” with a new spending round that protects every government department, with an additional £2bn to spend on Brexit planning. The chancellor said he would “turn the page on austerity”, tipping the country to move from “a decade of recovery to a decade of renewal”. Read more: Javid [...]
Economic theory can offer a lesson to struggling football clubs September 4, 2019 The expulsion of Bury FC from the English Football League last week continues to generate a huge amount of sound and fury. Regardless of the apparently dodgy nature of some of Bury’s transactions, the simple fact is that the club overspent massively in order to gain promotion from League Two last season. The surge in [...]
Chancellor announces extra £2bn Brexit funding during Westminster chaos September 3, 2019 Chancellor Sajid Javid will announce a further £2bn to be spent on Brexit when he lays out government funding for the next year tomorrow, taking the total spent on Brexit planning to £8bn. Read more: Rebel numbers creep up ahead of critical Brexit vote The new money is to be spent in the year after [...]
US manufacturing sector shrinks for first time in three years, survey shows September 3, 2019 The US manufacturing sector shrank for the first time in three years in August, according to a respected industry gauge, as trade tensions and a global economic slowdown weigh on factory output. Read more: Donald Trump says China talks going well and turns fire on EU The purchasing managers’ index (PMI) from the Institute for [...]
