Relax, the UK (probably) isn’t heading for recession July 17, 2019 Immediate fears of a recession in the UK economy were eased last week with the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimate of monthly GDP. The economy had shrunk in April, but growth resumed in May. This has not prevented widespread conjecture that a recession is imminent. The Resolution Foundation claimed last weekend that the [...]
Race begins for IMF top job as Christine Lagarde submits resignation July 16, 2019 Christine Lagarde will leave her post as managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on 12 September after she today formally submitted her resignation. Read more: IMF chief Christine Lagarde among surprise picks for top EU jobs Lagarde has been chosen to be the next head of the European Central Bank (ECB), and will [...]
US retail sales beat expectations as economy blows hot and cold July 16, 2019 US retail sales beat economists’ expectations in June, official figures showed today, as the economy continues to send mixed signals to policymakers at the Federal Reserve. Read more: Dollar falls as US economy adds just 75,000 jobs in May and wage growth slows American shoppers bought 0.4 per cent more goods in June than they [...]
German investors grow gloomier over Iran and trade tensions July 16, 2019 German investors became increasingly gloomy about the country’s economic prospects in July, a survey showed today, as they fretted over the raging US-China trade war and tensions in Iran. Read more: German malaise continues as factory orders tumble The ZEW think tank’s indicator of economic sentiment fell to minus 24.5 points in July compared to [...]
UK unemployment stays at 45-year low as wages tick up July 16, 2019 Just 3.8 per cent of working age Britons were out of a job in the three months to the end of May, according to official figures released today, the lowest figure since the mid-1970s. Read more: UK economy ‘close to stagnation’ despite service sector growth High numbers of people in work caused employers to raise [...]
Recruiter Hays takes Brexit blow on UK hires July 16, 2019 Recruitment agency Hays recorded flat revenue growth in the last quarter of its financial year, it said today, as UK income declined in a “tougher” private sector market. The FTSE 250 firm blamed a lack of appetite in the UK and Ireland’s private sector for a two per cent fall in fees. Read more: Recruitment [...]
Trump 2020? Firms haven’t felt this gloomy since the financial crisis July 15, 2019 Global businesses were at their gloomiest about business activity and profits since the financial crisis in June, a new survey has shown. Read more: China growth slows to 27-year low Bosses were increasingly anxious about US trade tensions with China, Mexico and the European Union, as well as the possible reelection of President Donald Trump [...]
Donald Trump says his trade war tariffs are ‘major factor’ in China slowdown July 15, 2019 US President Donald Trump has claimed that his tariffs are damaging China’s economy after its growth slowed to a 27-year low. Read more: China growth slows to 27-year low “The United States Tariffs are having a major effect on companies wanting to leave China for non-tariffed countries,” Trump tweeted. He added: “We are receiving Billions [...]
Trump’s tax cuts spurred an economic bonanza – the UK must follow suit July 15, 2019 Economist Paul Krugman wrote in 2016 that Donald Trump becoming President would lead to a “global recession”
IR35: ‘Damaging’ tax changes set to hit self-employed workers July 11, 2019 Self-employed workers face paying controversial new taxes from next year as part of a measure that is set to rake in more than £3bn for the taxman. New ‘off-payroll’ rules to tax sole traders as employees if their working arrangement are deemed to be akin to regular staff will likely hit roughly 170,000 private sector [...]
