News

RATES CUT TO RECORD LOW The Bank of England (BoE) sanctioned two emergency rate cuts during March in a bid to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving interest rates at a historic low of 0.1%. Amid growing concerns surrounding the economic repercussions of the COVID-19 outbreak, the BoE announced an unexpected half a […]

The week everything changed We saw a different face on the Downing Street podium on Friday afternoon, as Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove took centre stage, while the Prime Minister self-isolated after testing positive for COVID-19. Gove announced plans to begin a large-scale testing programme of health workers and the construction of two […]

SPRING BUDGET: WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE HOUSING MARKET? While it is true that this year’s highly anticipated Spring Budget speech, delivered by new Chancellor Rishi Sunak, was understandably dominated by the government’s emergency measures to protect the British economy and population from the impact of COVID-19, there were other positives to be gleaned […]

< 2020 Budget prioritises relief for struggling businesses As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage, many businesses are struggling to cope financially – but small businesses (those with a rateable value of less than £51,000 per year) are deemed to have been the worst hit. In his Budget speech, the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, […]

  Baptism of fire (for Sunak and Bailey) When Andrew Bailey accepted the job of Governor of the Bank of England last year, he probably didn’t expect the first week or so in his new job would play out as it did. He certainly had no option but to hit the ground running. Following the […]

Acronyms Take Over Many Investment Concepts From ASOS to Zoopla, acronyms, abbreviations and made-up names are everywhere in the digital age. It may seem like a phenomenon largely confined to online marketing and, though there has been an eruption of new monikers in that arena, the process of shortening or updating ordinary corporate names, regulators’ […]

“WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER“ Newly appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, delivered his first Budget on 11 March, against a backdrop of uncertainty following the COVID–19 outbreak and subsequent financial losses. It was the first of two Budgets to be delivered in 2020, with the second to follow in the autumn. COVID–19 […]

THINK-TANKS ISSUE BUDGET WARNING The new Chancellor has been warned he will either need to increase taxes or break the government’s borrowing rules when he delivers the country’s first post-Brexit Budget on Wednesday 11 March. Rishi Sunak was installed as Chancellor of the Exchequer following Sajid Javid’s shock resignation during the mid-February cabinet reshuffle. Mr […]

GROWTH IN UK GROCERY SECTOR Colliers International annual UK Grocery Report has revealed that property investors put £1.78bn into the UK grocery sector in 2019, which is 80% up on volumes in the previous year. Investment in this sector has jumped due to improvements in financial performance by the UK’s grocery operators and is in […]

FAMILIES RELYING HEAVILY ON GRANDPARENTS FOR FREE CHILDCARE For many families, childcare is a significant expense that often eats a good chunk out of their monthly income. It’s no surprise then, that many parents are turning to their own parents for help. Recent research1 shows that 85% of grandparents offer some kind of support with childcare, […]