Latest News
Rise in UK borrowing limits Hunt's scope for tax cuts
Britain's budget deficit in August was slightly higher than expected, according to official data published on Thursday, meaning Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt will have less scope for tax cuts ahead of the General Election.
![dl bank of england boe b of e interest rates pound sterling gbp building city of london pb dl bank of england boe b of e interest rates pound sterling gbp building city of london pb](https://img.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/d/2/dl-bank-of-england-boe-b-of-e-interest-rates-pound-sterling-gbp-building-city-of-london-pb_285x185.jpg)
London pre-open: Big falls expected as Fed sets hawkish tone
UK stocks are expected to retreat from a fresh four-month high on Thursday after comments from the Federal Reserve sunk indices on Wall Street the previous evening.
![dl papers newspapers paper newspaper round up generic newsagent view wikimedia cc by sa 2 0 dl papers newspapers paper newspaper round up generic newsagent view wikimedia cc by sa 2 0](https://img4.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/4/3/dl-papers-newspapers-paper-newspaper-round-up-generic-newsagent-view-wikimedia-cc-by-sa-2-0_285x185.jpg)
Thursday newspaper round-up: Wilko, green targets, inflation, Nationwide, high street
Wilko’s administrators are to question majority shareholder Lisa Wilkinson on the £77 million in dividends paid out to investors in the decade before the retailer’s collapse, as calls grow for the Wilkinson family to plug a £56 million hole in workers’ pension pots. The Times understands that PwC will conduct a review into the dividends paid out to the Wilkinson family and the retailer’s other directors as part of a wider investigation into company transactions in the years building up to the administration.
Next lifts guidance again, Halma flags good underlying growth
London open The FTSE 100 is expected to open 64 points lower on Thursday, having closed up 0. 93% on Wednesday at 7,731. 65.
![worker hatch halma jobs worker hatch halma jobs](https://img6.s3wfg.com/web/img/images_uploaded/8/b/worker-hatch_halma_285x185.jpg)
Halma sticks to full-year targets after solid H1 progress
Safety equipment group Halma said it expects deliver good underlying growth in the first half, as it maintained full-year guidance.