Fidelity Top Stories
Supermarkets savour happy Christmas as households spend £1bn more
UK supermarkets had a very merry Christmas as they notched up the busiest shopping day ever recorded on the Friday before Christmas and in the run-up to the big day sold £1bn more groceries than the year before.
UK retail sales remain lacklustre amid household income squeeze - BRC
UK retail sales remained lacklustre in the industry's vital festive period, a widely followed survey showed on Tuesday, with non-food sales growth the lowest in five years.
May's pledge to 'refresh' Cabinet results in few changes at the top
Prime Minister Theresa May's attempt on Monday to "refresh" her ministerial team ended smelling like a pub before the smoking ban took force, as several refused to go and one resigned rather than move.
European consumer, business and investor sentiment surveys all impress
European consumer, business and investor sentiment surveys were all better than expected on Monday, though expectations for inflation and therefore interest rates remain low.
December decline in consumer spending caps 2017's five year low
Consumer spending in the UK fell in December and 2017 was the first full year to show a decline for five years, according to credit and debit card data revealed on Monday.
US tax cuts may unleash a lot of investment, Fed's Bullard says
A top US central banker and one of the foremost 'doves' in policy-making circles in the States said the recently enacted tax cuts should not force the monetary authority to tighten policy more quickly.
Christmas high street sales fall for fifth year in a row - BDO
High street sales in December were lower than the previous year, with clothing and footwear suffering the most.
US jobs fall short of forecasts in December, economists still see 4 Fed hikes
US job growth fell short of forecasts at the end of 2017, contrary to the findings of a widely-followed survey of hiring conditions published the day before.
North Korea agrees to talks after the South and US postpone military drills
North Korea has agreed to hold the first official talks in more than two years with its neighbour to the South after Seoul and Washington postponed their annual large-scale military exercises until after the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Shop prices dragged down by non-food cuts - BRC-Nielsen
Shop prices in the run up to Christmas fell at their steepest rate in eight months, led entirely by price cuts by non-food retailers as food prices continued to rise.
Economists divided after November UK consumer credit, mortgage data
The pace of lending to individuals picked-up slightly in November on the back of stronger mortgage approvals, but remained below the average for over the previous six months, leaving economists divided on the implications of the data for the economy.
Services PMI beats forecast, but new business slows and inflation rises
UK services firms reported slightly stronger growth than expected in December but growth in new orders fell to a 16-month low, a survey on the dominant sector of the economy revealed on Thursday.
Trump's lawyers hit Steve Bannon with cease-and-desist over tell-all book
Lawyers representing Donald Trump have issued former chief strategist Steve Bannon a cease-and-desist notice, accusing him of having violated a non-disclosure agreement when speaking to author Michael Wolff.
Mifid II starts smoothly after late exemptions for futures exchanges
Implementation of new rules governing European financial markets went smoothly after the UK and Germany gave the continent's biggest futures exchanges last-minute leeway.
Next provides festive boost as it sees industry headwinds easing
Next has nudged up its full-year profit target after a better online sales performance in the run up to Christmas, but the clothing retailer said it expects profits to fall in the coming year.
RBS sells offshore leasing assets to Investec and Shawbrook - report
Royal Bank of Scotland has agreed to sell off its offshore leasing businesses to Investec and Shawbrook due to new regulatory pressures around 'ring fencing', a report revealed on Wednesday.
UK construction survey disappoints, growth outlook gloomy
UK construction firms reported a worse month of December than the market had expected and expectations for the year ahead were the worst for four and a half years.
Day of the Mifid: warning for financial firms as new regulation begins
Mifid II, a new regulatory regime governing the European financial sector, will come into effect on Wednesday 3 January 2018 with new rules that are expected be "somewhat negative" for brokers, most investment banks and asset managers, analysts have warned.
Tehran regime cracks down on protests, oil prices little moved
Clashes between protestors and police across Iran have moved into a sixth day on Tuesday, with more than 450 arrests in Tehran over the past three days, with financial markets eyeing the impact on global oil prices.