In September 2024, the U.S. economy saw a significant increase in job additions, substantially surpassing expectations and contributing to a robust employment landscape as the unemployment rate declined, according to the U.S. Labor Department’s report issues Friday 4th October 2024. U.S. Non-farm payroll numbers rose by 254,000 in September 2024,Read More →
Tax Reforms Increase in VAT: Adjusting the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate could generate substantial revenue. Pension Tax Relief: Limiting pension tax relief to the basic rate of income tax could raise around £15 billion per year. Pension tax relief raid. Windfall Tax: Increasing the windfall tax on the profitsRead More →
Shares of many Chinese property stocks listed in Hong Kong soared to their highest levels in more than a year, propelled by the ongoing stimulus rally in China The real estate sector emerged as the top performer in the Hang Seng Index on Wednesday 2nd October 2024. Chinese stocks experiencedRead More →
In September 2024, inflation in the Euro zone fell to 1.8%, falling below the European Central Bank’s target of 2%, according to early data from Eurostat released on Tuesday 1st October 2024 Excluding the more volatile prices of energy, food, alcohol, and tobacco, the core inflation rate stood at 2.7%,Read More →
In September 2024, the German consumer price index softened to 1.8%, falling below expectations based on preliminary data from Destatis, the national statistics office. Month-on-month, the preliminary harmonized CPI saw a slight decrease of 0.1%. According to recent analysis, the last instance of the German harmonized CPI falling below 2%,Read More →
The Swiss National Bank on Thursday 26th September 2024 took another step to loosen monetary policy this year, bringing its key interest rate down by 0.25% to 1.0% The cut in interest rates occurs against a backdrop of muted domestic inflation and a surge in the Swiss franc’s value. Notably,Read More →
Lord Mervyn King, the former Governor of the Bank of England, has been a prominent voice in the ongoing debate about interest rates and inflation. His insights are particularly valuable given his extensive experience in central banking and economic policy King has been critical of the Bank of England’s approachRead More →
The UK’s economic growth for the period between April and June 2024 was lower than initially estimated, as reported by the ONS The Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which quantifies the economic activity of companies, governments, and individuals within a country, increased by 0.5%, a revision from the preliminary figure ofRead More →
In August 2024, U.S. inflation edged closer to the Federal Reserve’s target, potentially paving the way for future reductions in interest rates, according to a report from the U.S. Commerce Department released Friday 27th September 2024 The personal consumption expenditures price index (PCE), which is the Fed’s preferred gauge forRead More →
Chinese technology stocks, such as the previously underperforming Alibaba, have surged this week, reaching peaks not observed in over a year The stock surge follows the announcement of stimulus measures by China’s central bank to boost the world’s second-largest economy. On Thursday 26th September 2024 in the U.S., Alibaba’s sharesRead More →
China’s yuan hit its strongest level in over 16 months on Wednesday 25th September 2024 after Beijing unveiled a slew of stimulus measures to shore up the slowing economy on Tuesday 24th September 2024. The Chinese yuan had weakened against the U.S. dollar over the last several weeks, as theRead More →
Chinese stocks continued to rise following state media reports that China’s top leaders have endorsed the government’s recent measures to bolster their economy. The CSI 300 index in Mainland China continued its rally for a seventh consecutive day, reaching its highest point in about four months, subsequent to a meetingRead More →
In September 2024, consumer sentiment plummeted, marking the most significant drop in over three years, driven by escalating concerns over employment and business conditions, according to a report by the Conference Board released on Tuesday 24th September 2024. The consumer confidence index reportedly fell to 98.7 from 105.6 in AugustRead More →
Labour’s proposal to dismantle the UK’s non-dom tax system may lead to an exodus of the ultra-wealthy, as advisors and research bodies have cautioned. Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, Greece, Malta, Dubai, and the Caribbean are becoming popular relocation destinations, sensing the apprehension among affluent investors. Meanwhile, London’s super-prime real estate marketRead More →
Bank of England holds UK interest rate at 5% Interest rates are “now gradually on the path down”, the Bank of England governor reportedly said after borrowing costs were held at 5%. He later reportedly remarked that inflation had “come down a long way” but warned the Bank would needRead More →
The London Stock Market has recently been hailed as Europe’s best stock market! According to a survey by Bank of America, Wall Street says that the UK is now the most preferred equity market in Europe. This positive sentiment comes as the FTSE 100 hit recent highs, reflecting a shiftRead More →
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) has voted to reduce the interest rate by 0.50% after having maintained its benchmark rate within the range of 5.25% to 5.50% since July 2023 The previous rate was the highest seen for 23 years and remained unchanged even though the Fed’s favoured inflationRead More →
UK inflation was reported at 2.2% for August 2024, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data released on Wednesday 18th August 2024 The consumer price index (CPI) figure aligned with the forecasts of analysts and remained consistent with July’s inflation rate of 2.2%. Previously, the headline CPI hadRead More →
In the first half of this year, pharmacies, pubs, and banks accounted for half of the closures on Britain’s High Streets, according to data. A total of 6,945 stores have shut down in 2024, averaging 38 closures per day Taking new store openings into account, the net closure rate standsRead More →
In August 2024, wholesale prices saw an increase that was roughly in line with expectations, marking the final inflation data point before the Federal Reserve’s anticipated interest rate cut due on 18th September 2024 The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced on Thursday 12th September 2024 that the producer price indexRead More →
On Thursday, 12th September 2024, the European Central Bank announced a 0.25% interest rate cut, its second reduction of the rate this year This expected decision follows a period of sluggish economic growth in the eurozone and a decrease in inflation, which approached the central bank’s 2% target in August.Read More →
As anticipated in the U.S., prices rose in August 2024, while the annual inflation rate fell to its lowest point since February 2021, according to a Labor Department report on Wednesday 11th September 2024. This development likely now paves the way for a Federal Reserve interest rate reduction next weekRead More →
The UK’s economy did not experience growth in July 2024, continuing the stagnation from June 2024, as indicated by official data Analysts had anticipated a modest growth of 0.2% for July. However, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) fell short of the expectations set by economists surveyed by Reuters, who hadRead More →
August 2024 saw China’s exports increase more than expected however, imports fell short of forecasts Exports expanded by 8.7% in U.S. dollar terms compared to the previous year, while imports saw a marginal increase of 0.5%. The export volume of China’s rare earths decreased by 1% from the previous year,Read More →
On Monday 9th September 2024, China announced that its consumer price index (CPI) increased by 0.6% year-on-year in August 2024, falling short of expectations and due mainly to decreasing costs in transportation, home goods, and rents. The consumer price index was projected to rise by 0.7% year-on-year in August 2024,Read More →
The stock market is often seen as a barometer of economic health, but its relationship with the broader U.S. economy is more nuanced than it might appear. Although there are links between the two, they do not always correlate. The intricacies of this relationship and its implications for investors andRead More →