Wages Could Finally Outstrip Inflation
New research suggests that wages could rise by more than inflation for the first time in almost six years this month and that the UK economy will see “decent but unspectacular” growth this year.
New research suggests that wages could rise by more than inflation for the first time in almost six years this month and that the UK economy will see “decent but unspectacular” growth this year.
More than 600,000 people have changed their current account provider in the first six months of a scheme designed to make switching banks easier, a rise of 14 per cent on the same period a year ago.
The UK’s trade deficit narrowed more than expected in February, helped by a fall in imports, mainly in aircraft and aircraft parts, which fell 46.3 per cent, contributing to three-quarters of the total fall in imports in the month.
A new report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that UK economic growth will reach 2.9 per cent in 2014 and says that the country will be the fastest-growing in the G7 group of nations this year.
The UK services sector exports rose to an all-time high in the first quarter of this year according to the latest Quarterly Economic Survey from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
Pensioners over the age of 61 will be able to get higher pensions by topping up their payments by up to £25 a week from the autumn of 2015 under new Government plans.
Although house prices in the UK rose in March for the 15th consecutive month, taking the average value of a home in the UK to the highest since January 2008, the rise was only 0.4 per cent, compared with a 0.7 per cent rise in February.
House prices in the UK were 6.8 per cent higher in January than at the same time in 2013, a faster rate of growth compared with the previous month, which showed a rise of 5.5 per cent, according to official figures out this week.
Although shoppers reined in spending earlier this month, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is predicting a recovery for the retail sector in April, particularly with the later timing of Mother’s Day and Easter this year.
Figures out today (March 19) from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the unemployment rate held steady at 7.2 per cent in the three months to January.
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