News And Announcements
US preparing fresh sanctions on Chinese officials - report
Washington is looking to impose further sanctions on a number of Chinese officials over the political crackdown in Hong Kong, it was reported on Monday.
Johnson ready to scrap Brexit talks 'within hours' - report
The pound dropped against the euro and the dollar after Boris Johnson was reported to be close to pulling out of Brexit trade talks.
UK footfall bounces back as non-essential retail reopens - Springboard
Retail footfall bounced back last week as Britons flocked to shopping centres and the High Street in the run up to Christmas as non-essential retail was reopened.
Chinese exports surge amid global PPE boom
Chinese exports have surged following strong global demand for pandemic-related products, official customs data showed on Monday.
UK house prices rise 1.2% in October
House prices grew 1. 2% month-on-month across the UK in October, increasing the average price of a British home by roughly £3,000.
German factory growth beats expectations
German factory output rose faster than expected in October as booming car sales fuelled growth in Europe's biggest manufacturing sector.
Treasury committee quizzes DMO on gilt sales
The UK's Debt Management Office is facing political scrutiny over whether it achieved the best price when selling more than £300bn of government bonds during the past decade.
A government cut in universal credit could raise poverty numbers by 3.2m
UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak risks plunging around 3. 2m people into poverty if he goes ahead with plans to cut universal credit.
UK govt slashes £1bn from rail infrastructure budget
The UK government on Friday said it had cut Britain’s rail infrastructure budget by £1bn after its spending review.
Brexit trade deal 'imminent' - report
A negotiated trade between the EU and the UK was said on Friday to be "imminent".
UK construction order growth at six-year high - PMI
UK construction order books rose at the fastest pace for more than six years in November as more houses were built, a survey showed.
New car registrations tumble during November lockdown
Britain's new car market again declined in November, with registrations falling 27. 4% year-on-year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Heavy discounting pushes retail sales to 10-month high despite lockdown
Early Black Friday deals helped bolster retail sales in November, research showed on Friday, despite a second national lockdown closing non-essential stores.
Retail footfall plunges during second lockdown - BRC
Visits to Britain's shops plunged in November during a second Covid-19 lockdown imposed in the run-up to Christmas.
Business fears edge down but stay high - BoE survey
Business uncertainty edged down but remained high in November as good news on Covid-19 vaccines bolstered sentiment, a Bank of England survey showed.
Services sector eases but optimism hits fresh high on vaccine hopes - survey
The UK services sector eased in November, but optimism for the year ahead hit fresh highs as hopes grew that the Covid-19 pandemic would be soon brought under control, a closely-watched survey showed on Thursday.
Shrinking services drag eurozone into downturn
A sharp drop in services activity amid new Covid-19 restrictions dragged the eurozone economy to shrink for the first time in five months in November.
Green family to pay £50m contribution into Arcadia pension scheme
Philip Green’s family is to pay £50m into the Arcadia fashion group's pension scheme within the next 10 days, almost a year earlier than scheduled, after the company collapsed this week.
Monzo raises additional £60m in funding
Monzo, the UK challenger bank which now has more than 4. 8m customers, has raised another £60m in funding.
UK communities to enter bid to host prototype nuclear fusion power plant
Communities in the UK are being asked to enter a bid to host a prototype nuclear fusion power plant.