Fidelity Top Stories
Ministry of Defence facing shortfall of nearly £21bn, audit office finds
Defence contractors such as Babcock, Ultra Electronics and QinetiQ were rattled by an official report that the budget to arm Britain's military could be facing a funding shortfall of anywhere between £4. 9bn and £20. 8bn.
European inflation remains well below target, unemployment unmoved
Eurozone inflation data was mixed on Wednesday morning, with the headline consumer prices falling less than expected but the core number strengthening in line with forecasts.
EU draws a line through City talks on bank passport rights
The European Union continued to maintain to a hardline approach to the British banking sector, after diplomats confirmed there was no room for discussion about passport rights.
UK watchdog sets out concerns over high overdraft fees
The Financial Conduct Authority has warned banks and other lenders it is concerned about fees they charge customers for unauthorised overdrafts.
Capita restructuring and contract delays spark wider concerns
Outsourcing group Capita has shelved its dividend and plans a rights issue this year, alongside select disposals as new boss Jon Lewis finds the business "too complex", inflexible and indisciplined in structure and "short-term" in focus.
Construction groups hit by threat of crackdown on property developers
The government is looking to crack down on property developers, including greater use of compulsory purchase powers and potentially removing planning permission if land is not developed in time.
BoE figures show drop in mortgages as housing market slows
The number of new mortgages fell sharply in December as the housing market slowed down, Bank of England figures showed.
Eurozone grows at strongest rate since before financial crisis
Eurozone economic expansion continued at a lively pace at the end of last year so that 2017 recorded the best economic growth in the region since before the global financial crisis, while a survey of economic sentiment indicated more is to come.
Brexit will make Britain worse off, government analysis shows
Britain will be worse off under all plausible scenarios when it leaves the EU, confidential analysis produced for the government shows.
US consumer spending rises in December as savings fall
US consumer spending rose solidly in December but shoppers' festive splurge was at the expense of the saving rate which fell to a fresh 12-year low.
EU pledges to hit back if Trump starts trade war
The European Union on Monday said it would hit back at any attempts by the US President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on its exports.
Bombardier wins case against Boeing over import tariffs
Plane maker Bombardier has won a legal battle in the US against import tariffs on its C-series aircraft, the company said on Friday .
Currency row rumbles at Davos as Trump and ECB's Coeuré wade in
Currencies are dominating the debate at the World Economic Forum, after European Central Bank board member Benoît Coeuré called on economies to stop using exchange rates for their own competitive advantage.
UK economic growth picks up pace to increase chance of BoE rate hike
The British economy grew more strongly than economists expected in the final three months of 2017, official data showed on Friday, increasing the chances that the Bank of England could raise interest rates again this year.
Bank of England's Carney sees UK 're-coupling' with global economy
The pound shot up on Friday morning as Bank of England governor Mark Carney said he could see a "conscious re-coupling" between the UK and the booming world economy and defended his gloomy Brexit predictions.
ECB keeps policy rates and guidance, euro spikes despite Draghi talk
The European Central Bank left interest rates and its forward guidance on policy unaltered on Thursday, pledging to keep its asset purchases running until inflationary pressures pick up.
High street bank mortgage approvals fall to near three-year low
UK mortgage approval numbers dropped off more than expected last month with approvals by the main high street banks falling to their lowest level since January 2015, data from the industry showed on Thursday.
Davis defends Brexit transition period
Brexit minister David Davis was forced to defend the UK's plan on a two year transition period after Britain left the European Union in March 2019.
European economy starts 2018 in good health, upping expectations on ECB
The eurozone has started 2018 strongly, with growth at a near 12-year high and the largest payroll gain since 2000, according to data published on Wednesday.
UK employment rises but wage growth erratic
UK wage growth picked up slightly as employment grew sharply in the three months to November, official data showed on Wednesday, helping lift the pound to a new 19-month high.