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☆ UK inflation holds steady at Bank of England's 2% target, above expectations
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-17 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Alexander Spatari | Moment | Getty ImagesU.K. inflation held steady at the Bank of England's 2% target in June, Official National Statistics data showed Wednesday. The headline reading came in above analyst expectations at 1.9%, according to economists polled by Reuters, and was in line with the previous 2% reading in May. Sterling rose slightly shortly after the release, trading at $1.2977 by 7:21 a.m. London time. Services inflation — which is closely watched by the BOE, given its dominance within the U.K. economy and its reflection of domestically-generated price rises — remained at 5.7% in June. Core inflation, excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, was 3.5%, also on par with the 3.5% recorded in May.

Persons: Alexander Spatari, Sterling, BOE, Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Organizations: Bank of England's, National Statistics, Reuters, Consumers, Sting, Bank of England Locations: London, —

☆ These kinds of businesses are driving a surge in US corporate bankruptcies
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-14 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

In the meantime, you can stay up to date on the latest business news with CNN’s Business Nightcap newsletter. Access to credit is especially crucial for small, private businesses that aren’t able raise money through financial markets. “There were a number of programs out there to support small businesses during the depths of the pandemic, and there were relatively fewer filings than usual in 2021 and 2022.”Rising corporate bankruptcies could just reflect a lot of churn occurring in Corporate America, Jamner said. Don’t panicMost banks offer free checking if, for instance, customers have their paycheck direct deposited or they maintain an average minimum balance, reports my colleague Jeanne Sahadi. Marianne Lake, the head of Chase Bank, told the Wall Street Journal last week that Chase might stop offering free checking and other free banking services.

Persons: It’s, ” “, Matt Rowe, Josh Jamner, Jamner, we’re, Reena Aggarwal, “, ”, Banks, Jeanne Sahadi, Marianne Lake, Chase, Jaret, Read, Goldman Sachs, Jerome Powell, Mary Daly, Morgan Stanley, Charles Schwab, Adriana Kugler, Johnson, Kinder Morgan, Tom Barkin, Lorie Logan, Michelle Bowman, John Williams, Raphael Bostic Organizations: CNN’s Business, Washington CNN —, P Global Market Intelligence, CNN, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas, Nomura Capital Management, Consumer, Institute for Supply, P, ClearBridge Investments, ”, Corporate America, Federal, Fed, Georgetown University Psaros Center, Financial Markets, Chase Bank, Wall, TD Securities, BlackRock, San Francisco Fed, Bank of America, PNC, State, US Commerce Department, US Labor Department, National Association of Home Builders, Johnson, US Bancorp, Discover, Vegas Sands, Northern Trust, Citizens, United Airlines, National Statistics, Federal Reserve, Richmond Fed, Netflix, Novartis, Abbott Laboratories, Marsh, Blackstone, Infosys, Cintas, T Bank, Nokia, American Airlines, European Central Bank, American Express, Fifth Third Bancorp, AutoNation Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Corporate, UnitedHealth, Wells Fargo, Vegas, Equifax, Northern, McLennan, Schlumberger, Haliburton

☆ UK economy returns to growth in May, beating expectations as British pound hits four-month high
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the primary central business district CBD of London. The City of London is widely referred to simply as the City is also colloquially known as the Square Mile. LONDON — The U.K. economy grew by 0.4% in May, flash figures published by the Office for National Statistics showed on Thursday, with the British pound jumping to a four-month high against the U.S. dollar after the announcement. The British economy exited a shallow recession in the first quarter of the year, then flatlined in April. Goldman Sachs last week upgraded its growth forecast for the U.K. following left-of-center Labour's thumping victory in the country's general election.

Persons: Sterling, Keir Starmer, Goldman Sachs, Ashley Webb, Price, BOE Organizations: Office, National Statistics, U.S, Gross, Labour Party, Capital, Bank of England's, Bank of England, European Central Bank Locations: London, United Kingdom, The City, British, U.K

☆ I've traveled to 20 countries in 2 years. I found the most stunning coast in one of the least-visited countries.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Marielle Descalsota | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Last month, I traveled to Timor-Leste, a country located in the South Pacific. It's also the 14th least-visited country in the world and the least-visited in Asia, according to a January report from CEOWorld magazine. Some 81,000 tourists visited Timor-Leste in 2023 — putting it just ahead of Chad and Sierra Leone, per the report. Marielle DescalsotaOnly a handful of airlines fly to Dili, the capital, where the only international airport in Timor-Leste is located. As I grew up in Singapore and can speak some Indonesian, when locals didn't speak English, that was my fallback language.

Persons: —, I've, France —, It's, Fernando, Hilton, nasi goreng —, 9Milhas, Gloria, Jesus Christ —, Marielle Organizations: Service, Leste, South Pacific, Business, National Statistics Directorate Timor, YouTube, Google, Timor Plaza, Apartments, East Timor Centavo, US Department of State, Burger, Coffee, Cristo Locations: Maldives, France, Timor, South, Bahamas, Asia, Chad, Sierra Leone, Dili, Bali, Indonesia, Darwin, Australia, Dili's, sightsee, East Timor, Indonesian, Singapore, Marielle, Cristo Rei, It's, Angola

☆ Anatomy of a Landslide
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Josh Holder | Lauren Leatherby | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +9 min

Vote share for the Conservatives dropped all over the country SCOTLAND NORTHERN IRELAND ENGLAND WALESAnatomy of a Landslide Support for the Conservatives plummeted, propelling the Labour Party into power. ... they lost almost half to Labour ... 372 seats Labour 412 ... and 60 to the Liberal Democrats Labour 200 Reform 4 S.N.P. Labour won a landslide with just a third of the vote0 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Vote share Seat share Labour won almost two-thirds of seats with just a third of votes. Seat Vote Green 0 20% 40% 60% Vote share Seat share Labour won almost two-thirds of seats with just a third of votes. 29.4 15.5% 2019 2024 Lib Dem 9.3 7.7% 2019 2024 Green 3.4 11.1% 2019 2024 Reform 2.8 11.3% 2019 2024 Next youngest constituencies 33.9 38.1% 2019 2024 45.3 24.0% 2019 2024 10.9 10.9% 2019 2024 2.3 6.1% 2019 2024 3.2 17.2% 2019 2024 Older constituencies 25.6 32.4% 2019 2024 49.2 26.4% 2019 2024 12.5 13.7% 2019 2024 2.5 5.4% 2019 2024 2.0 16.4% 2019 2024 Oldest constituencies 20.6 25.9% 2019 2024 55.1 30.3% 2019 2024 13.5 15.9% 2019 2024 2.9 5.7% 2019 2024 0.6 16.3% 2019 2024 Source: Age data from the Office for National Statistics and Scotland Census Note: Constituencies are bucketed by median age.

Persons: Nigel Farage, Farage’s, — Organizations: Conservatives, WALES, Labour Party, Scottish National Party, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Scottish, Liberal, Conservative Conservatives, Conservative, Liberal Democrats Labour, Liberal Democrats Lab, National Government, Conservative Party, Center, Conservative Labour, Left Green Labour, Green Party, Green, Office, National Statistics, Reform Locations: SCOTLAND, England, postindustrial, Midlands, North, United Kingdom, Britain’s Parliament, Scotland

☆ How Britain Changed Over 14 Years of Conservative Rule
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Josh Holder | Ademola Bello | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +14 min

How Britain Changed Over 14 Years of Conservative RuleSince Britain’s Conservative Party took power 14 years ago, most things have not gone the way it planned. The Economy Has StagnatedAverage productivity growth has declined since 2010…0.0% 0.5% 1.0% 2.0% 2010 2015 2017 2019 2024 Source: Office for National Statistics. 2010 2015 2017 2019 2024 Source: N.H.S. 50% 60% 70% 80% 2010 2015 2017 2019 2024 Source: N.H.S. 2010 2015 2017 2019 2024 Source: Trussell Trust … and thousands more people are sleeping on the streets than in 2010.

Persons: Conservatives ’, England …, Boris Johnson, —, Hong Kongers, Rishi Sunak Organizations: Conservative, Britain’s Conservative Party, Conservatives, Local, gov, Conservative Party, European Union, National Health Service, National Statistics, Institute for Public Policy Research, Public Services, Labour, Commons, Department, Loans Company, Higher Education Statistics, YouGov Locations: Britain, Thursday’s, Germany, United States, London, Ukraine, England, Rwanda, United Kingdom

☆ NatWest swoops on retailer Sainsbury's banking business
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The disposal by Sainsbury's mirrors this year's deal by rival supermarket chain Tesco to offload most of its banking activities to Barclays for 600 million pounds. The assets acquired include 1.4 billion pounds in unsecured personal loans, 1.1 billion pounds in credit card balances and about 2.6 billion pounds of customer deposits. The deal is expected to close in March 2025 and NatWest will receive an additional 125 million pounds payment from Sainsbury's at completion. Argos Financial Services (AFS) is also excluded from the deal, the retailer said, adding that its plans for this business will be announced at a future date. Sainsbury's expects to return excess capital of at least 250 million pounds to investors after the disposal and its future model for AFS is in place.

Persons: Jose Sarmento Matos, Paul Thwaite, Thwaite, Sainsbury's, Simon Roberts Organizations: National Statistics, Bloomberg, Getty, NatWest, Sainsbury, NatWest Chief, Tesco, Barclays, Argos Financial Services Locations: London

☆ UK inflation falls to Bank of England's 2% target ahead of elections
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Shoppers on the high street in the Kingston district of London, U.K.U.K. inflation fell to the Bank of England's target of 2.0% in May, the Office for National Statistics said Wednesday, in the last print of the key economic measure ahead of national elections in July. The headline reading declined from 2.3% in April and came in line with the 2% expectations of economists polled by Reuters. Core inflation, excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, dipped to 3.5% from 3.9% in April. Unseasonably bad weather led to the slowest increase in grocery sales in two years, new figures from U.K. market research firm Kantar showed Tuesday. Grocery sales rose 1.0% in the four weeks to June 9, marking the sixteenth consecutive monthly decline in food inflation, according to the index.

Persons: Sterling, BOE, Kantar Organizations: Bank of, National Statistics, Reuters Locations: Kingston, London, —

CNN —Ecuador is temporarily suspending a visa waiver agreement with China, citing evidence of irregular migration flows of Chinese citizens through the small South American country. A statement from the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said that about half of Chinese citizens who entered the country in recent months did not leave through “regular routes” or within the 90 days they were permitted to stay. In 2023, Ecuador documented 48,381 entries by Chinese nationals and about 24,240 exits, leaving a difference of 24,141 – the highest number of any nationality, according to data from the national statistics institute. By contrast, Ecuador documented around 13,000 Chinese nationals entering in 2022. Ecuador said it is committed to the security of visitors to prevent them from being victims of human trafficking as well as ensuring “adequate national immigration control.”Asked about Ecuador’s decision to suspend visa waivers, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “Since the China-Ecuador Mutual Visa Exemption Agreement came into effect in August 2016, it has played a positive role in bilateral personnel exchanges and practical cooperation in various fields.”Lin added that China “firmly opposes any form of smuggling activities” and that its law enforcement agencies have “vigorously cracked down on illegal crimes that impede border management.”

Persons: zou xian ”, ”, Lin Jian, ” Lin, China “ Organizations: CNN, Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry, Ecuador Locations: Ecuador, China, Quito

☆ UK unemployment nears three-year high, wage growth firm as election looms
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A staff wanted sign in the window of a restaurant in the Soho district of London, U.K., on Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. LONDON — U.K. unemployment unexpectedly rose to its highest level in two and a half years, data showed Tuesday, amid a heated general election campaign in which the economy is a key battleground. Simultaneous strong wage growth divided opinions from market-watchers mulling the timing of an interest rate cut from the Bank of England. While market pricing on Tuesday suggested next to no chance of a rate cut at the BOE's June meeting, and a 36% shot in August, that probability rises to nearly 60% for the September deliberations. Consultancy Capital Economics said that, while the stickiness of wage growth would be a "lingering concern" for the BOE, the rate should soon be on a "firm downward path" as unemployment rises.

Persons: Richard Carter, Cheviot, BOE, Capital's, Ruth Gregory, Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, Sunak, We've, it's, Starmer Organizations: LONDON, Bank of England, National Statistics, Reuters, Consultancy Capital Economics, Conservative Party, Labour, Conservatives Locations: Soho, London

☆ UK general election: Why the economy is the key issue
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-04 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Sunak will likely point to falling inflation and a strengthening economy as proof that his plan to “restore economic stability” is working. Here’s what data shows has happened to wages, living standards, the value of the pound, house prices and waiting times for medical treatment on the NHS. “Poor income growth has been an unfortunate feature of economic life in the UK over the last 15 years. On average, households now spend more than 29% of their after-tax income on rent, up from 24% in 2010, according to Zoopla, a property company. NHS waiting lists have grown steadily since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, contributing to worker shortages in the UK.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, Tony Blair, Sunak, YouGov, Labour Party Keir Starmer, Jeff J Mitchell, Alastair Grant, Tom Waters, “, —, Nick Ridpath, Liz Truss, “ Brexit, Clare Lombardelli, Brexit Organizations: London CNN, Conservative Party of, European Union, Labour Party, Labour, National Health Service, Conservatives, Britain's, Institute for Fiscal Studies, Conservative, Bank of England, Office, National Statistics, NHS Locations: Ukraine, United Kingdom, “, United States, Germany, Britain, England

☆ British retail sales plunge 2.3% in April, missing estimates
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

People walk in the rain over the London Bridge in central London on March 12, 2024. Lucy North - Pa Images | Pa Images | Getty ImagesLONDON — U.K. retail sales volumes dropped 2.3% in April as wet weather deterred shoppers, the Office for National Statistics said Friday. "Sales volumes fell across most sectors, with clothing retailers, sports equipment, games and toys stores, and furniture stores doing badly as poor weather reduced footfall," the ONS said. Sales were up 0.7% across the three months to April compared to the previous three months following a weak December and holiday season, but were down 0.8% year on year. watch nowKris Hamer, director of insight at the British Retail Consortium, pointed to bright spots in the data in cosmetics and computer sales.

Persons: Lucy North, Kris Hamer, Hamer, GfK Organizations: National Statistics, Reuters, British Retail Consortium, Bank of England's Locations: London

☆ Opinion: Rishi Sunak’s election looks like a final gasp
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Opinion Holly Thomas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

For those outside the Westminster bubble, the announcement felt less like a starting pistol than a final gasp. But unlike Sunak, who with his wife Akshata Murty is worth an estimated £651 million ($828 million), most of us can’t afford it. The British economy never fully recovered from the 2008 recession and, consciously or not, most people still feel the sting every day. As Sam Knight recently noted in the New Yorker, the average British worker is estimated to be £14,000 ($17,800) worse off per year now than they would be if earnings had risen at pre-crisis rates. Her disastrous mini-budget wiped £30 billion off the UK economy that autumn, according to independent think tank Resolution Foundation, and sent interest rates rocketing.

Persons: Holly Thomas, Katie Couric, Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, Tony Blair, Akshata Murty, Sam Knight, Brexit, Liz Truss, It’s, there’s, —, Boris Johnson, Johnson, who’d, that’s, Blair Organizations: Katie Couric Media, CNN, London CNN —, Conservative, Westminster, Labour, British Medical Association, BMA, Commission, Yorker, Evening, Office, National Statistics, Tory, Foundation Locations: London, Westminster, England, British, Europe, Rwanda

☆ UK inflation comes in hotter than expected, slashing June rate cut bets
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.K. inflation came in hotter than expected with a drop to 2.3% in April, the Office for National Statistics said Wednesday, prompting traders to pull back from bets on a June interest rate cut from the British central bank. Core inflation, excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, dipped to 3.9% in April from 4.2% in March. A dramatic drop in the headline rate was widely expected because of the year-on-year decline in energy prices. Investors were instead set to focus on core and services inflation, after BOE policymakers indicated they would be willing to cut interest rates some time in the summer, but stressed that the timing would depend on fresh data. Following the print, money markets slashed the probability of a June rate cut to just 15%, down from 50% earlier in the day.

Persons: BOE Organizations: National Statistics, Bank of England's, Reuters Locations: Russia, Ukraine, British, U.K

☆ U.K. Inflation Falls to 2.3 Percent, Lowest in Three Years
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-22 | by ( Eshe Nelson | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Britain’s inflation rate slowed last month to its lowest level in about three years, approaching the Bank of England’s 2 percent target. Consumer prices rose 2.3 percent in April from a year earlier, down from 3.2 percent in March, the Office for National Statistics said on Wednesday. The rate, which declined slightly less than economists expected, was the lowest since July 2021. Food inflation also slowed to 2.9 percent, from 4 percent. The steep decline in headline inflation, closing in on the central bank’s target, signals a new phase in British policymakers’ battle against inflation.

Organizations: Bank of England’s, National Statistics Locations: Ukraine

☆ Wealthy Americans are starting to spend more carefully
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-19 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

A robust stock market coupled with rising home values have boosted Americans’ wealth from 2019 through 2022, according to a Federal Reserve report on household finances. There’s been some evidence of wealthy Americans growing cautious in the latest round of company earnings results. Federal Reserve officials Michael Barr, Christopher Waller, Philip Jefferson and Raphael Bostic deliver remarks. Federal Reserve officials Christopher Waller, John Williams, Raphael Bostic, Michael Barr, Loretta Mester and Susan Collins deliver remarks. The Federal Reserve release minutes from its May policymaking meeting.

Persons: they’ve, “, ” Nanette Abuhoff Jacobson, There’s, ” Jonathan Akeroyd, Moet, The Beverly Hilton, Michael Kovac, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, ”, Jacobson, ’ Ariel Barnes, Barnes, ” Barnes, Baby Boomer, Xers, Matt Egan, Read, Michael Barr, Christopher Waller, Philip Jefferson, Raphael Bostic, John Williams, Loretta Mester, Susan Collins, Robin, Ralph Lauren, Booz Allen Hamilton, Buckle Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, Washington CNN, Federal, Fed, Hartford Funds, CNN, Burberry, The Beverly, The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Walmart, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Jackson State University, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Palo Alto Networks, Urban Outfitters, NVIDIA, National Statistics, National Association of Realtors, Reserve, Intuit, US Labor Department, Chicago Fed, Global, US Commerce Department, Atlanta Fed, Booz, University of Michigan Locations: Washington, British, Americas, Beverly Hills , California, Jackson , Mississippi, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Palo, Ross, Burlington

☆ Gen Z is getting hit hard by inflation
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

For Gen Z, it was the Covid-19 pandemic. Why are we seeing that Gen Z is tapping into their credit more than their Millennial counterparts 10 years ago? Most Gen Z consumers are not homeowners. And so I think that’s been a big cause of what’s been driving a lot of that financial strain that Gen Z consumers have seen. The key is to not use the personal loans to pay off credit card debt and then run your credit card bills right back up after you do that.

Persons: TransUnion, Zers, Millennials, Gen Zers, Bell, Charlie Wise, we’ve, haven’t, You’re, Rishi Sunak, Hanna Ziady, Anna Cooban, Philip Jefferson, Loretta Mester, Jack, Neel Kashkari Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Gross, Office, National Statistics, Bank of England, P, Federal, Cleveland Fed, Depot, US Labor Department, Cisco Systems, US Commerce Department, National Association of Home Builders, Index, Minneapolis, Walmart, Applied, Co, Baidu, Board Locations: New York, Kingdom, Wells Fargo

☆ UK GDP growth: Country exits recession as services bounce back
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Hanna Ziady | Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

The increase follows falls of 0.3% in the fourth quarter and 0.1% in the third quarter of last year. The Bank of England now expects UK GDP to expand by 0.5% this year, double the pace forecast in February, according to projections published Thursday. A growing economy could, however, delay the interest rate cuts widely expected this year. “Stronger GDP growth raises the risk of stronger demand pressures on inflation,” analysts at Nomura wrote in a note, adding that Friday’s GDP release “casts doubt” over a cut in June. Annual UK inflation came in at 3.2% last month, a sharp slowdown from a rate above 10% about a year ago.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Nomura, ”, Andrew Bailey, Bailey Organizations: London CNN, Gross, Office, National Statistics, Conservative Party, Labour Party, The Bank of England, P Global . Service, Bank of England Locations: United Kingdom

☆ Welcome to ‘the Tepid Twenties’? The US economy’s strength won’t be enough to boost global growth
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Invigorating growth is critical: When the economy expands, it improves standards of living, promotes innovation and makes households wealthier. Economic growth in Spain and France was stronger than expected last year. But the US is outperforming mainly for one key reason: Robust productivity growth. Productivity growth came in well below expectations in the first three months of the year, according to Labor Department data released last week. A “course correction” isn’t an even stronger US economy: Economic policymakers around the world need to address a range of key issues.

Persons: ” Kristalina Georgieva, ” Georgieva, ” Stephen Gallagher, Gallagher, “, ”, Hande Atay Alam, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Israel Katz, John Williams, Neel Kashkari, Lisa Cook, Krispy Kreme, John’s, Austan Goolsbee Organizations: Washington CNN, Monetary, IMF, European Central Bank, Labor Department, Societe Generale, CNN, Reuters, Palantir Technologies, Tyson Foods, Marriott Worldwide, New York Fed, Disney, UBS, Duke Energy, Suncor, Bros, Minneapolis, Toyota, Uber, Anheuser, Busch InBev, Airbnb, Fox Corporation, News Corporation, Duolingo, Icahn Enterprises, New York Times Company, AMC Entertainment, Honda, Warner Bros Discovery, Warner Music Group, Hyatt, Hilton, Bank of England, US Labor Department, United Kingdom’s, National Statistics, University of Michigan, . Chicago Fed, China’s National Bureau of Statistics Locations: Europe, China, United States, Spain, France, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, Israel, Gaza, Olesya, “ Turkey, Lyft, TripAdvisor

☆ UK property prices: Brits face biggest obstacles in 70 years to buying a first home
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“During some periods both the cost of buying (down payments) and the cost of owning (mortgage repayments) have been high. Mortgage rates biteThe average mortgage repayment has rocketed since late 2021 as the Bank of England, along with other major central banks, began jacking up official interest rates to bring down inflation. (The interest rate on some government bonds is used to set mortgage rates). On Monday, the average rate on a two-year fixed-rate mortgage stood at 5.82%, according to data from product comparison website Moneyfacts. “An election is due within the next year and a new government, committed to helping prospective first-time buyers, might start by acknowledging the challenges younger generations face not just in housing but more generally,” the BSA said.

Persons: Liz Truss, “ Organizations: London CNN, Building Societies Association, BSA, Office, National Statistics, Bank of England, UK Finance Locations: United Kingdom, London, England, Wales

☆ Inflation in U.K. Slows to 3.2%, Lowest in More Than 2 Years
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Gregory Schmidt | More About Gregory Schmidt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Consumer prices in Britain rose at the slowest rate in two and a half years, the country’s Office for National Statistics reported on Wednesday. Inflation was 3.2 percent in the year through March, down from 3.4 percent in February but a touch higher than the 3.1 percent economists expected, a sign that the path to cooler inflation could be bumpy. Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, was 4.2 percent, down from 4.5 percent the month before. Economists expect inflation to continue to slow over the next few months, possibly going below the Bank of England’s target of 2 percent, as household energy bills fall. Britain’s unemployment rate rose more than expected in its latest reading, published this week.

Organizations: National Statistics, Bank of Locations: Britain

☆ UK inflation eases less than expected to 3.2% in March, sparking concerns of U.S.-style stickiness
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Food prices provided the biggest downward drag on the headline rate, the ONS said, while motor fuels pushed it higher. The core figure, excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, came in at 4.2%, compared with a projection of 4.1%. Services inflation, a key watcher for U.K. monetary policymakers, declined from 6.1% to 6% — again above the expectations of both economists and the BOE. This week, investors have been monitoring signs of a cooling U.K. labor market, with unemployment unexpectedly rising to 4.2% in the period between December and February. The central bank's own forecast is for inflation to "briefly drop" to its 2% target in the spring before increasing slightly.

Persons: BOE, BOE Governor Andrew Bailey Organizations: National Statistics, Bank of England, Reuters, Federal Reserve Locations: U.S

☆ European markets set to open higher; UK GDP grows 0.1% in February
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index is expected to open 31 points higher at 7,949, Germany's DAX up more than 100 points at 18,051, France's CAC 47 points higher at 8,064 and Italy's FTSE MIB 150 points higher at 33,212, according to data from IG. European markets are set to open higher on Friday morning as investors parse through U.K. economic data and reflect on a somewhat murky U.S. inflation outlook. The market moves come after the pan-European Stoxx 600 index closed lower in the previous session. Stateside, investors digested fresh inflation data in search of clues on exactly when the U.S. central bank may start cutting interest rates. In Europe, Britain's economic output increased by 0.1% in monthly terms in February, in line with expectations, according to figures published Friday by the Office for National Statistics.

Persons: Germany's DAX, Dow Jones Organizations: CAC, IG, European Central Bank, U.S, U.S . Federal, Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics, Dow, Office, National Statistics Locations: U.S ., U.S, Europe

☆ UK economy posts 0.1% growth in February in further sign of recession rebound
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON — U.K. gross domestic product rose 0.1% in February, the Office for National Statistics said on Friday, providing another sign of a return to sluggish economic growth this year. The economy contracted in the third and fourth corners of 2023, putting the U.K. in a technical recession. Construction output, which boosted growth at the start of the year, fell 1.9% in February. The reading "all-but confirms the recession ended" last year, Paul Dales, chief U.K. economist at Capital Economics, said in a note. British inflation fell more than expected in March, to a nearly two-and-a-half year low of 3.4%.

Persons: Paul Dales Organizations: Street, LONDON, National Statistics, Capital Economics Locations: London, England, U.S

☆ Biden’s manufacturing industry is expanding, but that could be bad for inflation
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-07 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But a resurgence in the industry could complicate the Federal Reserve’s ongoing inflation fight, either delaying the first interest rate cut or resulting in fewer cuts this year, some economists say. Interest rates have been at a two-decade high since July, after the Fed raised rates aggressively over the prior year and a half. The economy picking up further strength would spook Wall Street because of what it means for interest rates — and some manufacturers say they’re optimistic about the future. The Bank of Canada announces its latest interest rate decision. China’s National Bureau of Statistics releases March inflation data.

Persons: Joe Biden, ”, Tom Barkin, “, Mary Daly, ” Daly, Jerome Powell, Neel Kashkari, ” Kashkari, ” Richard de Chazal, Blair, they’re “, Amazon’s, It’s, Ramishah Maruf, Amazon, haven’t, Read Organizations: Washington CNN, Institute for Supply Management, Congress, Fed, ” Richmond Fed, ” San Francisco Fed, Minneapolis, Dow, Blair Equity Research, Amazon, Fresh, Delta Air Lines, US Labor Department, Index, Bank of Canada, Federal Reserve, National Bureau of Statistics, Constellation Brands, European Central Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, State, National Statistics, The University of Michigan Locations: Richmond , Virginia, ” San, Las Vegas, India, Wells Fargo, Progressive, BlackRock

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