Economic News
High street suffers worst February in a decade - BDO
There was little love for the British high street last month, as retailers suffered their worst February for a decade, data published on Friday showed.
Fashion retailer LK Bennett goes into administration
High-end fashion retailer LK Bennett has collapsed into administration on Thursday, putting 500 jobs at risk.
ECB front runs deteriorating macro backdrop, launches TLTRO III
The European Central Bank has unexpectedly gone ahead and unveiled a new round of cheap loans for the bloc's lenders and pushed back its so-called 'forward guidance', taking the possibility of interest rate hikes in 2019 off the table.
UK house prices rise in February - Halifax
UK house prices grew more than expected in February, according to the latest data from lender Halifax.
Govt prepares for Brexit defeat with plans for third 'meaningful vote'
Downing Street is preparing for a third meaningful vote in the House of Commons as it fears another big defeat for Theresa May's Brexit deal next Tuesday, as talks continue in Brussels with no signs of progress.
US Q4 labour productivity pleases, but some see reversal ahead
US labour productivity grew more quickly than expected at the end of 2018, helping to dampen the impact on companies' margins from higher wages.
Weekly US jobless claims dip, secondary filings continue to shrink
Initial unemployment claims in the US dipped last week, alongside a further decline in the number of people in longer-term unemployment.
Renewables to produce more power than fossil fuels by 2030 - UK government
Offshore wind farms will generate a third of British electricity in a little over a decade, the government claimed on Thursday, as it announced a new deal with industry.
France targets 30 tech giants with new internet tax rules
France said on Wednesday it plans to introduce 3% tax on tech giants with revenues over €750m including French revenue of over €25m, such as Google, Apple, Amazon and Facebook.
British consumers do not understand cryptocurrencies - FCA
A majority of British consumers do not know what cryptocurrencies are – and those who are buying the digital assets do not fully understand what they purchasing, according to Financial Conduct Authority.
Euro area GDP growth picks-up slightly in the fourth quarter of 2018
Economic growth in the euro area picked-up slightly at the end of 2018, official data confirmed, but the difference between the bloc's performance over the two halves of last year was stark.
Trump 'disappointed' as further evidence of North Korean nuclear activity surfaces
US President Donald Trump has said he will be "disappointed" if it is confirmed that North Korea has begun rebuilding one of its missile launch sites.
Chinese FX reserves edge higher in February, pointing to scant pressure on yuan
China's foreign exchange reserves were little changed last month, pointing to scant downside pressure on the country's currency, but some analysts believed that state-of-affairs would soon be put to the test.
Brexit backstop compromise 'blocked by Spain' - report
Attempts by the UK to reach a compromise with the European Union over the Irish backstop in order to agree a Brexit deal are being blocked by Spain as it makes a “land grab for Gibraltar”, according to reports.