Phillip Inman

Poor start to year comes after bounceback in last three months of 2024 fizzled out

The forecast said low growth would place the Bank of England in difficult position ahead of next interest rate decision

Surveys show employer confidence at record low, prompting job cuts and hiring freeze

Effects of chancellor’s measures evident as companies reduce hiring and push down on wages

Bank of England’s Catherine Mann wary of firms looking to rebuild profit margins after a squeeze

Rate-setters would fuel growth by clarifying policy and bringing rates low enough to boost growth

Report suggests Rachel Reeves could be forced to spend £5.1bn if last year’s downward trend continues

The chancellor, Rachel Reeves , could be forced to spend more than £5bn and employ 92,000 extra workers across the public sector if declines in productivity continue until 2030, according to analysis of official figures.

Impact of tariffs demands ‘considerable downgrade’, to 0.9% this year and 1.4% in 2026, says European Commission

Phillip Inman 3 min read The pace of UK interest rate cuts has been “too rapid” at a time when pay packet increases remain strong