News And Announcements
S&P says UK sovereign debt rating might come under pressure in 'no deal' Brexit
One of the world's top three credit rating agencies said a 'no deal' Brexit could see its rating for the UK's sovereign debt come under pressure should it complicate the outlook for the economy and fiscal consolidation.
Google suffers worldwide outage
Google suffered a global outage on Monday, with Gmail, Google calendar, YouTube, Maps and Documents all affected.
Eurozone industrial production continues to improve
Eurozone industrial production continued to strengthen in October, official data published on Monday showed, despite a resurgence of Covid-19 cases across the continent.
UK house prices to rise 4% in 2021, Rightmove predicts
UK house prices will rise 4% in 2021 as values continue to rise modestly after the end of the stamp duty holiday that has fuelled a mini-boom, Rightmove predicted.
Ofcom fines BT £6.3m for breaking rules in NI tender
UK regulator Ofcom fined BT £6. 3m after it had failed to meet regulatory obligations during procurement for a major public sector telecoms services contract in Northern Ireland.
FTSE 250 could drop up to 10% in no-deal Brexit, says Morgan Stanley
As Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned there was a "strong possibility" of a no-deal Brexit, analysts at Morgan Stanley considered the near-term implications of such an outcome, suggesting up to 10% downside for the domestically-focused FTSE 250 and a decline of as much as 20% for UK domestic bank stocks.
BoE doing extensive work on possible impact of adopting negative interest rates
Extensive work was being carried out at the Bank of England on the possible implications and practicalities around adopting negative interest rates.
Car battery firm abandons plan to build first UK gigafactory in Wales
EV carmaker Britishvolt said on Friday that it had abandoned its plans to build the UK’s first gigafactory in Wales and has chosen a location in northern England instead.
Pound falls as Brussels warns talks likely to fail
The pound fell against the euro and the dollar after Ursula von der Leyen warned trade talks with the UK were likely to fail.
PRA says banks can resume dividend payments
The Bank of England’s Prudential Regulation Authority said on Thursday that banks can resume paying dividends, having pressured them in March to suspend payouts due to the coronavirus pandemic.
EU unveils plan to avoid disruption in case of no-deal Brexit
The European Commission has drawn up contingency plans to ensure both transport links and fishing access can continue in the case of a no-deal Brexit.
UK house market booms but outlook weakens - RICS
The UK house market continued to boom in November with prices at a 21-year high, industry research showed on Thursday.
UK GDP slows sharply in October amid new restrictions
The UK economy slowed sharply in October, dented by the reintroduction of certain Covid-19 restrictions, according to figures released on Thursday by the Office for National Statistics.
Port issues sees Honda temporarily close Swindon plant
Honda has temporarily shut its Swindon plant after parts scheduled to arrive via long-haul ships failed to arrive.
Pound rises as UK-EU strike deal over Withdrawal Agreement
The pound strengthened on Tuesday after the UK agreed with the European Union to drop controversial clauses from the Internal Market Bill.
German investor sentiment improves amid Covid vaccine hopes
German investor sentiment improved in December amid optimism over a Covid-19 vaccine, according to the latest survey from the ZEW Center for European Economic Research in Mannheim.
Bull market in European equities has legs, says Barclays
The bull market in European equities has legs, Barclays said in a strategy note on Tuesday, as it argued it will extend into 2021 and that investors should use potential dips as buying opportunities.
UK grocery sales boom in November to hit record £10.9bn
UK grocery spending surged to an all-time high of nearly £11bn in November, industry data showed on Tuesday, as the second national lockdown came into effect and shoppers began stocking up for Christmas.
UK high street struggles as lockdown closes stores - BRC
Retail sales came under pressure in November as the second national lockdown closed non-essential stores, industry research showed on Tuesday.
Barnier sets Wednesday as Brexit talks deadline - reports
The EU has set 9 December as its deadline for agreeing a Brexit trade agreement with both sides downbeat about the prospects for a deal, according to reports.