News in Review
“In a world shaped by policy uncertainty and trade tensions, developing economies will need bold and far-reaching policies” The global economy is projected to expand by just 2.7% in 2025 and 2026, according to a report released last week by the World Bank, with developing countries set to bear the brunt of geopolitical and economic […]
Commercial Property Market Review – January 2025
Commercial property outlook for 2025 According to Savills, the outlook is for increased stability in the UK commercial property market for 2025, following a 20% rise in investment volumes for the office and industrial sectors in 2024. With two Bank Rate reductions and expectations of further cuts, borrowing costs look set to decrease, enhancing investor […]
News in Review
“Brits are planning to prioritise memorable moments in 2025” UK consumer card spending was flat in December 2024, according to a report released last week by Barclays Bank. With year-on-year growth at 0.0%, consumer card spending lags significantly behind the latest inflation figure of 2.6%. The report, which combines millions of customer transactions with consumer […]
News in Review
“The underlying pace of housing market activity is likely to continue to strengthen gradually as affordability constraints ease” House prices increased by 4.7% over the year to December 2024, to finish only slightly below an all-time high, according to new data released last week by Nationwide Building Society. Having accelerated by 0.7% month-on-month, the average […]
Economic Review December 2024
Headline inflation at eight-month high Release of the latest inflation statistics showed consumer prices are now rising at their fastest rate since March 2024, while last month also saw Bank of England (BoE) policymakers become more divided over the need to cut interest rates. Data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the […]
Commercial Property Market Review – December 2024
Robust demand for Scottish hotels The Scottish hotels market continued to show resilience in Q3 according to Colliers. Hotel investment in Scotland hit £110m in quarter three – £40m more than Q2 and 150% higher than the five-year quarterly average of £44m. The year-to-date investment total is £200m – up 18% when compared with the […]
News in Review
“The economy contracted slightly in October, with services showing no growth overall and production and construction both falling” Key takeaways The UK economy contracted again in October, according to official figures released on Friday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The unexpected fall of 0.1% marked two consecutive months of negative growth for the […]
News in Review
“Mark my words: with this Plan for Change, we will stick to it. Country first, party second” Key takeaways Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer delivered a speech last Thursday at Pinewood Studios on the government’s ‘Plan for Change.’ In it, he set out “six milestones” to be completed before the next general election, with new […]
News in Review
“Housing affordability has improved over the past year, thanks to stabilising property prices, strong wage growth, and easing interest rates” Buying a home is becoming more affordable relative to income, according to the latest Halifax Affordability Review released last Thursday, as the house price to income ratio continues to fall. Strong wage growth combined with […]
Economic Review November 2024
Interest rates set to fall more gradually Last month, the Bank of England (BoE) cut interest rates for only the second time since 2020 but also warned future reductions were likely to be more gradual due to the prospect of inflation creeping higher next year. Following its latest meeting, which concluded on 6 November, the […]