Downbeat speech from a resolute chancellor
Economics Editor Faisal Islam reflects on a low-key Conservative conference speech from George Osborne – one which nonetheless contained a few nuggets of new government policy.
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Figures showing a shock fall in manufacturing activity last month fuel fears that Britain is heading for a triple-dip recession.
The Office of National Statistics reports a budget surplus of £11.4bn, boosted by tax receipts and the first payment of interest from the Bank of England’s quantitative easing program.
The UK economy contracted by 0.3 per cent in the final quarter of 2012, according to official figures, increasing the likelihood of an unprecedented triple-dip recession.
Economics Editor Faisal Islam reflects on a low-key Conservative conference speech from George Osborne – one which nonetheless contained a few nuggets of new government policy.
Economics Editor Faisal Islam blogs on his meeting with George Osborne – and the five key areas where the chancellor has ‘refined’ his views on the economy.
The future of the euro is under the spotlight again, as EU officials visiting Greece cast doubt on its ability to repay its debts and Spain sees its borrowing costs soar.
After triumphing in the first round of the French presidential elections, Francois Hollande is now favourite to move into the Elysee Palace. Channel 4 News looks at what he stands for.
A second ratings agency has effectively lowered their assessment of Britain’s creditworthiness, just days before an important Budget.
The bigger picture here: why on earth are credit ratings elevated to this hallowed status? Moody’s pulled off the spectacular intellectual feat of rating the Bank of England as a lesser credit than the European Financial Stability Facility. The answer is that it has been an important piece of marketing for George Osborne, to communicate a tangible benefit from unpopular austerity.
If rumours of a potential downgrade of France’s AAA credit rating are true, it is of huge significance to the eurozone’s fitful efforts at a long-lasting rescue, writes Economics Editor Faisal Islam.
“One would rather be French than British at the moment,” Baroin said. FactCheck knows the situation is bleak, but does Britain deserve the cold shoulder from France or should we issue them a Gallic shrug?
The entente is anything but cordiale as the Banque de France lays into the UK over its economic record.
French banks can “withstand whatever development” the country’s central bank chief Christian Noyer tells economics editor Faisal Islam.
Who are the “grey men” who decide this stuff for S&P? People are beginning to ask. For in their draft assessment of the US economy sent to the US Treasury before publishing the downgrade, S&P made – according to the US Treasury – a staggering error of some $2 trillion MORE than the debt actually added up to…
All eyes turn to the opening bell of the stock markets, due just hours after leaders from the world’s major powers stage emergency meetings, Economics Editor Faisal Islam reports.