Consumer card spending growth remained flat in December, at 0.0 % year-on-year – significantly lower than the latest CPIH inflation rate of 3.5 %. Cutbacks in essential categories were offset by growth in discretionary spending, supported by another “Wicked” performance from entertainment (up 6.0 %) and holidaymakers booking trips for 2025, boosting travel 4.7 %. […]
The global M&A landscape is poised for a year of dynamic change and as macroeconomic disruptions dominate the markets, PE investors must adapt, according to CIL, the global management consultancy. Predictions for strong economic growth in the US of 2.5% to 3% are tempered by more protectionist policies under the new administration of president elect […]
Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets, Hargreaves Lansdown: “Inflation concerns have stoked fresh wariness on the markets, with worries that a pressure cooker of prices increases is heating up again. The FTSE 100 has opened slightly higher but gains are likely to be held back as investors assess data indicating that interest rates may […]
Are you interested in exploring ways to elevate your business to the next level? If so, then there are various steps you can explore. One of the best options is to pinpoint your target audience. So, let’s look at how to do this and how it will help you in the future. Research First, you […]
Aspen Bridging has enhanced its market proposition with its new 2025 Rate Card showing reductions of up to 80bps for all new applications and a higher maximum loan size of £15m net. The cut sees Flat Rates starting from 0.79% per month, a further decrease of 60bps. Stepped Rates are now from an initial rate […]
UK hotel occupancy levels saw a year-on-year boost in November, helped by the start of the Christmas party season, according to the RSM Hotels Tracker. The data, which is compiled and produced by Hotstats and analysed by RSM UK, shows occupancy of UK hotels was up from 76.6% to 79.1% in November year-on-year, while London […]
Buy-to-let lender Landbay has reduced rates across its new limited edition range, which is now available for remortgage and for new purchases too. All eight products in the range have seen a 0.10% reduction in rates. This includes the standard five-year fixed rate products – available at up to 75% loan-to-value (LTV), as well as […]
Assetz Capital has announced the launch of 9.35%+ development rates via a renewed partnership with Brickflow, the digital marketplace for specialist property finance. Brickflow’s interface with advanced search and application capabilities helps brokers quickly and clearly identify the best funding options for bridging, development and commercial projects UK wide. Andrew Fraser, chief commercial officer at […]
People in London (66 %) are twice as likely to hold a degree than rural regions such as Greater Lincolnshire (33 %), fuelling a growing skills divide across the UK, warns the Learning and Work Institute. The Institute’s latest report highlights that economic growth in the UK is at risk due to a stark skills divide among […]
Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown: “UK markets look set to open on the back foot, marrying expected moves across Europe as investors prepared for the release of key economic data, including the December Eurozone inflation report and November unemployment figures. Back at home, UK retail sales bounced back in December 2024, jumping 3.2% after November’s […]
