7 h. ago Voices: Don’t panic, chancellor – there’s still hope for interest rate cuts

Forget homeowners with tracker mortgages or those desperate for a better deal – the person who’s hurting the most from the Bank of England’s decision not to lower interest rates is Rachel Reeves, says James Moore

Politics

13 h. ago Swiss cut key interest rate by a quarter percentage point, putting its target now at 0%

Switzerland’s central bank says it has cut its target interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point, adding inflationary pressures have eased

Events

13 h. ago UK interest rates expected to remain on hold; rate cuts in Norway, Switzerland and the Philippines – business live

Central bankers warn that trade war worries, and conflict in the Middle East, could hurt growthNewsflash: We have a third interest rate cut this morning!Norway’s central bank has surprised analysts by cutting its policy rate by a quarter of one percentage point, to 4.25%. The rate had been set at 4.5% since December 2023.“Inflation has declined since the monetary policy meeting in March, and the inflation outlook for the coming year indicates lower inflation than previously expected.A cautious normalisation of the policy rate will pave the way for inflation to return to target without restricting the economy more than necessary.”“The uncertainty surrounding the economic outlook is now greater than normal. If the economy takes a different path than currently envisaged, the policy rate path may be adjusted. But our objectives stand firm. We will finish the job and ensure that inflation is brought all the way back to 2 percent.”The Monetary Board also noted indications of a deceleratio...

Politics

14 h. ago Bank of England expected to leave interest rates on hold as Middle East conflict pushes up oil price – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as Switzerland and Philippines cut interest ratesNewsflash: We have a third interest rate cut this morning!Norway’s central bank has surprised analysts by cutting its policy rate by a quarter of one percentage point, to 4.25%. The rate had been set at 4.5% since December 2023.“Inflation has declined since the monetary policy meeting in March, and the inflation outlook for the coming year indicates lower inflation than previously expected.A cautious normalisation of the policy rate will pave the way for inflation to return to target without restricting the economy more than necessary.”“The uncertainty surrounding the economic outlook is now greater than normal. If the economy takes a different path than currently envisaged, the policy rate path may be adjusted. But our objectives stand firm. We will finish the job and ensure that inflation is brought all the way back to 2 percent.”The Monetary Board also noted indications of...

Economics

31 h. ago Donald Trump calls for huge rate cuts as he calls Fed’s Powell ‘stupid’

US president asks whether he can ‘appoint myself’ at the central bank hours ahead of policy decision

Politics

31 h. ago Donald Trump calls for huge rate cuts and says Fed chief is ‘stupid’

US president attacks Jay Powell and asks whether he can ‘appoint myself’ at the central bank hours ahead of policy decision

Politics

32 h. ago Trump calls Fed Chair Jerome Powell ‘a stupid person’ ahead of key interest rate decision

The Federal Reserve is set to keep interest rates the same despite Trump’s desire to see a rate cut

Politics

7 d. ago Slump fears fuel summer interest rate cut hopes as figures show economy shrank by 0.3% in April

Experts said the setback added weight to the case for a reduction in August. Rate-setters meet next week but few think a cut will come that soon.

Politics

7 d. ago UK’s FTSE 100 share index hits record closing high despite economy shrinking in April – business live

UK economy shrank by 0.3% in April, biggest fall since October 2023, as trade with the US slumped.. but FTSE 100 ends at new record closeFull story: UK economy shrinks by 0.3% as as exports hit by Trump trade warNicholas Hyett, Investment Manager at Wealth Club, blames “a cocktail of headwinds to growth” for the 0.3% fall in UK GDP in April.Hyett says:In the very short term the change to Stamp Duty rules have put the legal and property services on ice - with legal activities down 10.2% month-on-month.New barriers to trade with the US and changes to employment costs, from a higher living wage and increased national insurance contributions, are a longer term challenge.“The 0.3% m/m fall in real GDP in April supports our view that the strength in Q1 was unsustainable. This won’t prompt the Bank of England to cut interest rates next Thursday. But it is one more piece of news pointing to another cut in August.”We still expect the Bank Rate to be maintained at 4.25% in the June meeting, t...

Economics

7 d. ago Largest ever plunge in UK exports to US as Trump tariffs hurt growth; dollar hits three

UK economy shrank by 0.3% in April, biggest fall since October 2023, as trade with the US slumpedFull story: UK economy shrinks by 0.3% as as exports hit by Trump trade warNicholas Hyett, Investment Manager at Wealth Club, blames “a cocktail of headwinds to growth” for the 0.3% fall in UK GDP in April.Hyett says:In the very short term the change to Stamp Duty rules have put the legal and property services on ice - with legal activities down 10.2% month-on-month.New barriers to trade with the US and changes to employment costs, from a higher living wage and increased national insurance contributions, are a longer term challenge.“The 0.3% m/m fall in real GDP in April supports our view that the strength in Q1 was unsustainable. This won’t prompt the Bank of England to cut interest rates next Thursday. But it is one more piece of news pointing to another cut in August.”We still expect the Bank Rate to be maintained at 4.25% in the June meeting, to allow still troubling earnings growth ...

Politics

1 week ago Donald Trump calls for ‘full point’ rate cut after jobs report

Renewed attack on Federal Reserve comes after official data shows weakening employment growth

Politics

2 w. ago ECB cuts interest rates to 2% in effort to bolster flagging eurozone growth

European Central Bank makes eighth quarter-point cut in a year as bloc reels from impact of Trump’s trade warsBusiness live – latest updatesThe European Central Bank has cut interest rates to 2% in an effort to boost flagging economic growth across the eurozone.The ECB, making its eighth quarter-point cut in a year, said the 20-member currency bloc needed a reduction in the cost of borrowing as it reeled from the damage caused by Donald Trump’s trade wars. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Eurozone interest rate cut expected; Tesla’s UK sales fall by a third – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsStock exchange dealt another blow as £12bn fintech ditches main London listingUK trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds has also called for reforms of the WTO, including changes to the much criticised dispute resolutions system which can also take years to settle disputes between trading nations.Reynolds told the European Policy Centre security conference in Brussels:“We do recognise that reforming and repositioning the WTO so that it can respond more effectively to the challenges of today is the only way to safeguard long term stability and growth tomorrow.“Our eyes are fixed on greater flexibility in decision making, greater openness in the east of plurilaterals and building a fully functioning dispute settlement system,”“the trees that survive the storms aren’t the tallest. They’re the ones whose roots are intertwined with their lives.“Just in the past two days, during the OECD trade ministerial [summit] the message was clear a...

Economics

2 w. ago Construction firms cut jobs at fastest rate since 2020 despite signs of recovery

The latest S&P Global construction purchasing managers’ index (PMI) showed a reading of 47.9 last month, improving from 46.6 in April.

Society

2 w. ago Eurozone interest rate cut expected; Tesla’s UK sales drop by a third – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsThe UK car market has returned to growth, new data shows, but sales of Teslas have fallen by a third.Overall car registrations rose by 1.6% in May, to 150,070 units, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). That’s the strongest May for new car sales since 2021, but 18% below pre-Covid levels. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Eurozone interest rate cut expected; fintech Wise delivers blow to London stock market – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsMay was the busiest month for UK house sales since March 2022, new data from Rightmove this morning shows.Across Great Britain, the number of sales agreed is now 6% ahead of the same period last year, Rightmove reports. But London is lagging, with sales just 1% higher than a year ago. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Inflation slides to 1.9% in Europe, as worries shift from prices to Trump and tariffs

Inflation in the 20 countries that use the euro fell to 1.9% in May from 2.2% in April, helping clear the way for more interest rate cuts from the European Central Bank

Economics

2 w. ago Speed of UK rate cuts ‘shrouded in uncertainty’ after tariffs, Bank boss says

Andrew Bailey told MPs during a Treasury Committee session that the Bank had ‘genuine concerns’ about escalating trade tensions.

Economics

2 w. ago UK interest rate cuts hinge on slowing wage growth, Bailey says

BoE governor tells MPs that central bank expects to ‘see pay coming down this year’

Politics

2 w. ago Bank of England chief warns interest rate cuts now 'more uncertain' as OECD downgrades growth forecasts and says inflation will 'linger'

Andrew Bailey said the prospects for easing the burden on Brits was 'shrouded in a lot more uncertainty', largely due to Donald Trump 's trade war.

Events