Mortgage approvals hit two-year high while consumer credit growth remains stagnant August 30, 2019 Mortgage approvals for July hit a two-year high according to official data released on Friday. The Bank of England data revealed that lenders approved 67,306 mortgages last month, up from 66,506 in June. Read more: Londoners pay highest UK house premium to live closer to a station The housing market has endured a slowdown since [...]
UK households’ inflation expectations at highest in six years, survey reveals August 30, 2019 UK households are expecting inflation to rise over the next 12 months as the possibility of a no-deal Brexit increases. The public’s expectations for inflation are at their highest level since 2013, according to a survey from US bank Citi and pollsters YouGov, released on Friday. Read more: UK consumer confidence staggers in face of [...]
Trade is being weaponised – and it’s driving the G7 apart when we need the alliance most August 30, 2019 In the recent past, the G7 has largely been a talking shop for the leaders of the world’s biggest economies, who gather for a couple of days before sending out a communique generally agreeing that the western consensus should be maintained, and that globalisation is a good thing. Last year, all that changed. Who can [...]
UK consumer confidence staggers in face of no-deal Brexit August 30, 2019 Consumer confidence in personal financial situations slumped in August, driven by the increasing uncertainty caused by Brexit. A measure recording changes in personal finances during the last 12 months fell by two points this month to -1, a decline of five points compared to August last year. Read more: UK consumer confidence slumps in June [...]
Cebr poll: Most Brits expect a UK recession within a year August 29, 2019 Most Britons expect the UK economy to fall into a recession this time next year, a survey showed today, as consumer confidence tumbled to a six-year low in August. Read more: Into the red: UK economy shrinks for first time in seven years The latest analysis from Yougov and the Centre for Economics and Business [...]
European stock markets cheered by soothing words from China on trade war August 29, 2019 European stock markets have been boosted this morning after the Chinese commerce ministry said it was in talks with the US over the two sides’ raging trade war. Read more: China announces measures to tackle trade war-driven slowdown Gao Feng, the ministry’s spokesman, said China was opposed to further escalations of the trade war and [...]
French growth revised upwards in ray of hope for Eurozone August 29, 2019 France’s economy grew faster than initially estimated in the second quarter in a piece of good news for the struggling Eurozone, official statistics have shown. Read more: German consumers surprisingly upbeat as country slides towards recession French GDP grew by 0.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2019, up from an initial estimate of [...]
Hays profits subdued by restructuring costs as recruiter braces for economic slowdown August 29, 2019 Recruiter Hays’ full-year profits have been weighed down by stalling economic growth in some of its biggest markets, as well as one-off costs related to reshaping its European operations. Shares in the FTSE 250 listed company fell 3.6 per cent in early morning trading after it reported the impact of a macroeconomic slowdown in the [...]
Italian bond yields hit record low on hopes of new coalition August 28, 2019 The yield on Italian government debt has fallen to a record low as hopes grow that a new government will soon be formed, putting an end to the country’s political crisis. Read more: Italy’s political crisis triggers bond sell-off The 10-year government bond saw its yield, the effective interest rate which moves inversely to the [...]
Brexit: Sterling sinks as Boris Johnson asks Queen to suspend parliament August 28, 2019 The pound plunged against the US dollar today as Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reportedly preparing to suspend parliament to pursue a no-deal Brexit. Sterling crashed 0.839 per cent to around $1.218 this morning, losing gains from yesterday amid reports that the government is expected to ask the Queen to suspend parliament. This afternoon it [...]