UK economists top 100: From George Magnus to Stephen King, these are the most influential financial experts in the UK and Ireland March 30, 2016 Maybe you want to get your head around why British workers aren't producing as much as they should be, quibble about when the Bank of England should start hiking interest rates, or simply stay on top of the steady stream of economic indicators spun out by various agencies. There's a lot of chatter out there [...]
National Living Wage: One in three workers in wage hotspots will benefit when new rules come in on Friday but very few workers in London will see their pay rise March 30, 2016 Around a third of workers in some parts of the country will see their pay packets boosted when the National Living Wage (NLW) comes into force on Friday but not many Londoners will be receiving a payrise. According to research released today by the Resolution Foundation, workers in Torridge, Devon, stand to gain the most from NLW, [...]
UK savings: People in their 30s and 40s are adopting a YOLO attitude and failing to set money aside for their future March 30, 2016 It may well be the hashtag that defines generation Z but, when it comes to savings, it's those in their 30s and 40s who have adopted a you-only-live-once attitude. Research published today by Scottish Widows has found that almost half (45 per cent) of those aged between 35 and 49 are shunning saving for the future [...]
Swipe right if you are single and want a home: How “Generation Tinder” got locked out of home ownership March 30, 2016 Being single has its perks: no fights over the duvet or spending your weekends with the in-laws. But when it comes to buying a home, getting a foot onto the ladder without the combined savings of a couple can be a near impossible feat. Only 15 per cent of singles aged under-35 in London own their home, compared to nearly [...]
Ikea poised to hand 7,300 staff a Living Wage pay hike this week March 30, 2016 Ikea staff are in line for a pay rise on Friday after the Swedish home furnishings giant pledged to introduce the Living Wage for all of its workers in the UK. The flat-pack furniture retailer said all 6,100 co-workers will receive a minimum of £8.25 nationally and £9.40 in London, as set by the Living [...]
Bank of England clamps down on buy-to-let market with strict new rules for mortgage underwriters March 29, 2016 The Bank of England has today revealed plans to clamp down on the buy-to-let market, setting out strict new rules for banks underwriting buy-to-let mortgage contracts. In a new paper out today, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) said lenders will need to meet a minimum set of requirements before underwriting buy-to-let mortgage contracts, including assessing the [...]
The four key points from Janet Yellen’s speech at the Economic Club of New York March 29, 2016 Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen delivered a speech on the economy at the Economic Club of New York today. In case you missed it, here are the key points: Proceeding cautiously with interest rates Yellen believes the ability to deal with economic shocks is asymmetric. Because interest rates are near zero, she believes it's easier to respond [...]
Janet Yellen says Federal Reserve will “proceed cautiously” on interest rate rises March 29, 2016 Rate-setters at the US Federal Reserve will "proceed cautiously" when they come to decide their policy actions in the coming months. Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen reiterated the view that the outlook for economic growth and inflation had weakened since the start of the year. She told an audience at the Economic Club of New York: Given the risks to [...]
McCormick reaffirms case for buying Premier Foods as shares in Mr Kipling and Ambrosia owner soar March 29, 2016 McCormick, the US food group hoping to buy Premier Foods, has reaffirmed its case for buying the company, saying the Mr Kipling and Bisto gravy owner had some “fantastic brands” that would complement its spice and flavour business and help build on its expansion in the UK. In a first quarter trading update presentation today, the company gave [...]
Rockhopper Exploration share price falls after UN expands Argentina’s waters to include the Falkland Islands March 29, 2016 Shares in Rockhopper Exploration fell as much as 8.7 per cent to 26p this morning, after the United Nations expanded Argentina's waters to include the Falkland Islands. The UN sided with Argentina in its dispute with the UK, consequently expanding its maritime territory in the South Atlantic Ocean by 35 per cent to include the Falkland [...]
