News
UK business growth gains momentum as factory export orders hit post-Covid high
1+ hour, 58+ min ago (512+ words) Growth in the UK's private sector has gained further momentum this month, as manufacturers were boosted by the biggest surge in export orders since 2021, a new survey shows. But job losses continued for the 17th month in a row, led by…...
Government posts record borrowing surplus in boost for Chancellor
4+ hour, 10+ min ago (548+ words) Britain notched up a record Government borrowing surplus last month in a surprise boost for Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of the spring statement, according to official figures. The rise was sparked by a jump in self-assessed tax payments and a…...
Double boost for Reeves with retail sales jump and surprise public finances record
4+ hour, 58+ min ago (628+ words) Britain's economy is bouncing back in the New Year, according to new figures, which showed a jump in retail sales and a record surplus in the public finances for January. The upbeat news is a double boost for Rachel Reeves…...
Retailers looking to cut staff hours due to high employment costs, bosses warn
1+ day, 13+ hour ago (633+ words) Soaring employment costs mean retailers are looking to reduce staff hours or even cut jobs, industry bosses have warned. New research from the British Retail Consortium showed that 61% of retail CFOs (chief financial officers) and finance directors plan to "reduce…...
FTSE 100 surges to record high as UK inflation cools
1+ day, 19+ hour ago (1334+ words) Stocks across Europe pushed higher on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 spiking to a new record, as cooling consumer price inflation in the UK boosted Bank of England rate cut bets. The FTSE 100 index closed up 130.01 points, 1.2%, at 10,686.18. The FTSE 250 ended…...
Interest rate cut 'nailed on' as inflation falls to lowest since March
2+ day, 4+ hour ago (654+ words) The annual rate of inflation has fallen to its lowest level since March opening the door to another interest rate cut next month. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) - the headline rate of inflation - dropped from 3.4% to 3% in December, according to…...
Why has inflation fallen and what does it mean for me?
2+ day, 6+ hour ago (909+ words) Inflation dropped to a 10-month-low in January, driven by reductions in the cost of petrol, airfares and food. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported an annual rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation of 3% for the month, falling from…...
How inflation eased for a range of items in January – and where it accelerated
2+ day, 7+ hour ago (697+ words) A sharp slowdown in the rising cost of air travel, along with falls in the price of petrol, kitchen goods and a selection of groceries, helped ease the UK's overall inflation rate last month to its lowest level in nearly…...
What will upcoming inflation figures mean for interest rates in the UK?
1+ week, 2+ hour ago (668+ words) Inflation is expected to have fallen back to its lowest level for nearly a year in Wednesday's official figures for January, in a boost to interest rate cut hopes. Most economists are forecasting Office for National Statistics (ONS) data to…...
Shopper footfall down on last January but up on disappointing Christmas
1+ week, 13+ hour ago (387+ words) Shopper footfall rallied in January compared with the disappointing Christmas but remained down on a year earlier, figures show. Although shopper visits across the UK as a whole were down 0.6% on last January, this was an improvement on the 2.9% decline…...