News
Chief Economist's Weekly Brief 19-10 2009
Inflation was the main economic news last week across the UK, US and euro area. The UK remains the only one of the three...
19th October, 2009 • more >
Firms expect recovery
A survey of some 7,200 firms has found that 75% of small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) expect the UK economy to improve by the beginning of next year. Conducted by BT, the study also found that over six in ten (61%) of SMEs professed to be...
19th October, 2009 • more >
Firms unprepared for recovery
British businesses are ill-prepared to face a return to economic growth, despite being aware of the need to take action, a new study from Lloyds TSB Commercial has revealed. Around a third of firms have not taken any steps to prepare their business...
18th October, 2009 • more >
Consumer confidence growing
Optimism on the high street is growing after annual UK retail sales rose 2.8% on a like-for-like basis in September. The latest BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor also revealed total sales rose 4.9% against a 1% gain a year earlier, the best figure...
16th October, 2009 • more >
BTL optimism returns
Landlords expect the value of their property portfolios to increase over the next 12 months, the first positive prediction for more than two years, Paragon Mortgages has revealed. In its latest quarterly survey, landlords predicted, on average, a...
16th October, 2009 • more >
Warning over housing recovery
The Government has been urged to extend the stamp duty holiday if the recent recovery in the housing market is to be sustained. The Home Builders Federation (HBF) said it was vital that support is maintained for housing development in the Pre-Budget...
15th October, 2009 • more >
Businesses looking to borrow
Businesses are looking to increase their borrowing as their future outlook brightens, research from Santander Corporate Banking has revealed. Three quarters of businesses said they were confident about their prospects in the next six months, with...
15th October, 2009 • more >
RBS eyes 300 branches sell-off
Royal Bank of Scotland is exploring a government-backed plan to give up all of its 312 RBS-branded branches in England and Wales, in a radical move to satisfy Brussels state aid authorities. Officials close to the negotiations say...
14th October, 2009 • more >
BREAKING NEWS: Link Lending put into liquidation
One of the major short term finance companies, Link Lending, has fallen into administration. According to a source at the firm, Barclays Bank unexpectedly pulled the plug after negotiations to renew the bridging lender’s funding fell...
14th October, 2009 • more >
NACFB warns brokers that TCF is still paramount
The National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB) has issued a warning to brokers that even in hard times, the client and the ethos of ‘Treating the Customer Fairly’ must come above all other considerations. Chief...
14th October, 2009 • more >