September mortgage approvals well behind 2015 levels but edge up on August numbers October 31, 2016 UK mortgage approvals flopped nearly 10 per cent in September compared to last year, the Bank of England reported this morning. Although the figures did bounce back from the 19-month low recorded in August, the 62,932 approvals were well behind the 69,619 recorded in September 2015. Read more: Time to remortgage? Fixed rates are low, but watch out [...]
Eurozone GDP rose 0.3 per cent in the third quarter as inflation hit a 28 month high October 31, 2016 Eurozone GDP rose 0.3 per cent between the second and third quarters of the year, figures published today showed – as inflation hit its highest since June 2014. A flash estimate by Eurostat showed GDP in the Eurozone rose 1.6 per cent compared with the third quarter of 2015. Meanwhile, consumer price inflation in the [...]
Mark Carney has just been accused by Brexiteer Daniel Hannan of behaving like a “rock star banker” October 31, 2016 Conservative MEP for South East England Daniel Hannan has criticised Mark Carney for acting like "a rock star banker" on BBC Radio 4. On the Today programme this morning, Hannan, who has been a long-term supporter of Brexit and a long-term critic of Carney (who warned of the consequences should Britain leave the EU) said: "If you do stay, [...]
Brexit is a chance to reboot Britain’s stagnant productivity performance – as long as we also return monetary policy to normal October 31, 2016 Productivity is the key driver of economic prosperity. From 1945 to 1980 Britain performed poorly on productivity growth, particularly in the 1970s when the UK joined the European Community. The 1980s saw a sharp improvement in UK productivity growth, sustained for much of the 1990s and early 2000s. Alas, the UK’s productivity performance has since [...]
Would likely election winner Hillary Clinton be better for the US economy than her predecessor Barack Obama? October 31, 2016 Molly Kiniry, a consultant at the Legatum Institute, says Yes. On their first day in office, US Presidents are handed the nuclear launch codes, but not a magic wand for the economy. Their commercial role is largely about projecting confidence and building trust. The US economy is inextricably linked to global markets, which are unwilling to [...]
Essential item spending grows as consumers buy more food, drink and petrol October 31, 2016 Essential item spending growth was up for the first time in nearly two years last month, new figures show. Lloyds’ essential spending measure leapt half a percentage point to 0.2 per cent last month. The figure, in today’s Lloyds Bank Spending Power Report, was boosted by continued growth in food and drink expenditure. Read more: Big [...]
City firms expected to forge strong deals after Brexit October 31, 2016 Independence from European Union laws and regulation will enable the UK to “make beneficial trade deals with partners around the world”, according to analysis from the Legatum Institute, a think tank whose Special Trade Commission was set up post-referendum to examine the UK's negotiating options. While senior figures from across the City have raised concerns [...]
European banks struggle for profits in face of multiple headwinds October 31, 2016 European banks will continue to struggle for profitability in the face of multiple headwinds, including higher capital requirements, low interest rates and a weak economy, according to new research published today. The average return on equity across all banks in the EU stands at around three per cent, according to the report from consultancy giant [...]
Bank of England governor Mark Carney looks ready to remain in post beyond 2018 October 30, 2016 Mark Carney is expected to extend his term at the Bank of England beyond 2018 after a weekend of speculation over his future. The governor is said to be readying himself to make a statement on his future this week and put an end to the uncertainty. Read more: Mark Carney looks set to leave [...]
Profit warnings edge up with some firms pinning blame on Brexit October 30, 2016 The number of companies that issued profit warnings rose slightly in the third quarter of 2016, with the UK’s June vote to leave the European Union cited by almost a third as a factor in undershooting expectations. Companies listed in the UK issued 68 profit warnings in the quarter, according to a report by accountancy [...]
