10 h. ago UK manufacturers hit by largest drop in orders since 2020; FTSE 100 hits record high – business live

Shares in oil companies jump after US sanctions Russian energy firms, while manufacturers see weak prospects aheadYesterday’s weaker-than-expected UK inflation report has sparked chat that the Bank of England could cut interest rates sooner than expected.Deutsche Bank say there is now an “interesting debate” on whether there may be enough ammunition for the Bank’s monetary policy committee to cut borrowing costs as soon as its next meeting in early November.What’s the case for November? Relative to the Bank’s projections, growth has surprised to the downside, private sector AWE growth has surprised to the downside, unemployment has risen in line with Bank expectations, and inflation now sits a healthy amount below the Bank’s projections. Indeed, one could make the argument that the ingredients for a November rate cut are there.So, why not November? We think three things will be important for the MPC to see before dialling down restrictive policy again. One, the MPC may want to see s...

Economics

11 h. ago UK manufacturers hit by largest drop in orders since 2020; FTSE 100 hits fresh record high – business live

Shares in oil companies jump after US sanctions Russian energy firms, while manufacturers see weak prospects aheadYesterday’s weaker-than-expected UK inflation report has sparked chat that the Bank of England could cut interest rates sooner than expected.Deutsche Bank say there is now an “interesting debate” on whether there may be enough ammunition for the Bank’s monetary policy committee to cut borrowing costs as soon as its next meeting in early November.What’s the case for November? Relative to the Bank’s projections, growth has surprised to the downside, private sector AWE growth has surprised to the downside, unemployment has risen in line with Bank expectations, and inflation now sits a healthy amount below the Bank’s projections. Indeed, one could make the argument that the ingredients for a November rate cut are there.So, why not November? We think three things will be important for the MPC to see before dialling down restrictive policy again. One, the MPC may want to see s...

Economics

12 h. ago UK manufacturers hit by largest drop in orders since 2020; Oil price jumps after Rosneft and Lukoil sanctioned – business live

British manufacturers see the weakest prospects for orders since Covid-19 pandemic, CBI reports, after demand weakened in last three monthsYesterday’s weaker-than-expected UK inflation report has sparked chat that the Bank of England could cut interest rates sooner than expected.Deutsche Bank say there is now an “interesting debate” on whether there may be enough ammunition for the Bank’s monetary policy committee to cut borrowing costs as soon as its next meeting in early November.What’s the case for November? Relative to the Bank’s projections, growth has surprised to the downside, private sector AWE growth has surprised to the downside, unemployment has risen in line with Bank expectations, and inflation now sits a healthy amount below the Bank’s projections. Indeed, one could make the argument that the ingredients for a November rate cut are there.So, why not November? We think three things will be important for the MPC to see before dialling down restrictive policy again. One, ...

Economics

9 d. ago US treasury secretary accuses Beijing of trying to damage global economy; silver hits record high – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsWhy has US-China trade war restarted and how have markets reacted?A flurry of takeover talk speculation has pushed up shares in budget airline EasyJet this morning.EasyJet’s shares are up over 7%, leading the risers on the FTSE 100 share index.“[The group] does not believe the redress methodology proposed by the FCA appropriately reflects actual customer loss or achieves a proportionate outcome.“...the FCA’s proposed approach to assessing unfairness does not align with the legal clarity provided by the supreme court judgement in respect of the “Johnson” case, which confirmed that the test for unfairness is highly fact specific and must take into account a broad range of factors. The group will continue to engage with the FCA in respect of these points.“Many motor finance lenders did not comply with the law or the rules. It’s time their customers get fair compensation. Recent court judgments show that liabilities exist no matt...

Events

2 w. ago Bank of England warns of risk of AI market correction; gold hits new $4,000 an ounce record – business live

Soaring tech valuations could drop amid potentially ‘disappointing’ progress on AI, central bank says; gold has doubled in two years and extends 50% rally so far this yearPeter Hargreaves, the billionaire co-founder of Hargreaves Lansdown, is retiring from the UK’s largest personal investment site, seven months after its £5.4bn acquisition by private equity firms. Hargreaves, 79, who set up the business in 1981 in the back bedroom of his house in Clifton with Stephen Lansdown, is handing his board position to his son Robert and said this “marks a proud new chapter in the family legacy”. His firm pioneered “DIY” investments, allowing people to invest directly in shares via its website without costly financial advisers.The Bristol-based company said he had rejoined the board earlier this year to “provide continuity and support through a period of change” following its takeover by a private equity consortium of Jersey-based buyout giant CVC Capital Partners, Sweden’s Nordic Capital and...

Events

2 w. ago London's FTSE 100 hits fresh high as banks gain, gold tops $4,000

London's FTSE 100 hits fresh high as banks gain, gold tops $4,000  Reuters

Economics

2 w. ago Bank of England warns growing risk AI bubble could burst; gold hits new $4,000 an ounce record – business live

Soaring tech valuations could drop amid potentially ‘disappointing’ progress on AI, central bank says; gold has doubled in two years and extends 50% rally so far this yearPeter Hargreaves, the billionaire co-founder of Hargreaves Lansdown, is retiring from the UK’s largest personal investment site, seven months after its £5.4bn acquisition by private equity firms. Hargreaves, 79, who set up the business in 1981 in the back bedroom of his house in Clifton with Stephen Lansdown, is handing his board position to his son Robert and said this “marks a proud new chapter in the family legacy”. His firm pioneered “DIY” investments, allowing people to invest directly in shares via its website without costly financial advisers.The Bristol-based company said he had rejoined the board earlier this year to “provide continuity and support through a period of change” following its takeover by a private equity consortium of Jersey-based buyout giant CVC Capital Partners, Sweden’s Nordic Capital and...

Events

2 w. ago FTSE 100 Live 08 October: Lloyds rallies on car loan update, index and gold at record

Lloyds Banking Group shares today rose during a record-breaking session for the FTSE 100 index.

Politics

2 w. ago FTSE 100 Live 08 October: Index at record as gold tops $4000, Lloyds shares rise

Lloyds Banking Group shares today rose during a record-breaking session for the FTSE 100 index.

Politics

3 w. ago UK’s FTSE 100 share index hits record high; US jobs market weakens as companies cut workers – business live

FTSE 100 hits record high as global stocks celebrate best September since 2013UK business confidence falls to record low amid rising employment costsOver in the eurozone, the manufacturing sector has slipped back into contraction.Data firm S&P Global reports that factory operating conditions across the euro area deteriorated in September, due to a reduction in new order inflows and a sharper rate of job shedding. Continue reading...

Economics