Week Ending 16th November 2018 U.S. stocks finished the day higher as trade hopes rose, but they couldn’t compensate for a rocky week in which the retail picture soured and technology shares languished. Treasuries advanced and the dollar retreated. Equity markets have reacted swiftly to trade-related headlines in recent days as investors look for any […]

The UK economy grew by 0.6% in the three months to September, with warm weather boosting consumer spending, the Office for National Statistics said. The figure for the third quarter is in line with predictions from the Bank of England and other forecasters. However, buoyant growth in July was offset by a slowdown in August […]

Wages in the US grew at their fastest pace for nine years last month, the latest official figures show. The US Labor Department said wages grew at an annual rate of 3.1% in October, accelerating from a rate of 2.8% the month before. The economy also added 250,000 jobs last month, beating expectations, while the […]

China has reported its slowest quarterly growth rate since the global financial crisis. The growth figure for the July to September quarter was 6.5% from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said. The result fell short of Reuters analyst forecasts of 6.6%. Policymakers have moved to support the cooling economy in recent months. […]

Government borrowing fell by more than expected last month, to £4.1bn from £4.9bn a year earlier. It was the lowest borrowing figure for the month of September since 2007, the Office for National Statistics said. Borrowing for the year to date is 35% lower at £19.9bn, potentially giving Chancellor Philip Hammond room for manoeuvre in […]

The US unemployment rate fell to 3.7% in September, the lowest rate since December 1969. Figures from the Department of Labor also showed the US economy created 134,000 jobs during the month, fewer than were expected. Significant jobs growth was seen in professional and business services, healthcare and construction. Average hourly earnings rose at an […]

The U.S. economy is on track for another solid quarter after the fastest growth since 2014, with upbeat consumers in the driver’s seat and factories providing support even amid trade headwinds. Data released Friday showed shoppers took only a slight breather in August after a bigger spending spree at retailers and restaurants in July than […]

Annual wage growth hit a nine-year high in the US last month as the economy created more jobs than expected. Average hourly earnings rose by 0.4% in August, pushing the annual rate of increase to 2.9% – the fastest pace since June 2009. Hiring in the construction sector and in professional services helped the economy […]

India’s economy has seen its fastest quarterly growth in two years, even as its rupee currency continues to fall. Gross domestic product expanded by 8.2% in the three months to June, compared with a 5.5% rise in the same quarter last year, reinforcing India as one of the fastest growing economies. In the January-March period […]

The “consensus view” at the US Federal Reserve is that gradual interest rate rises remain the best policy, the head of the US central bank has said. Federal Reserve chair Jerome “Jay” Powell made the remarks at an annual economic conference in Wyoming. He said the difficulties of interpreting data suggest the wisdom of a […]