Business and Economics

Sterling fell to a new 20-month low against the Dollar on Tuesday and it looks like the on-going turmoil is not going to steady the currency for the foreseeable future. Compared to the Euro it was at a three and a half month low. Now with the PM facing a vote of no confidence, the stormy financial weather looks set to continue. Commenting on Sterling’s performance in the wake of the no-confidence announcement, Andy Scott, Associate Director at JCRA, the...

The pound fell to an 18 month low against the dollar after Theresa May called off a vote in Parliament on her Brexit plan. May is now seeking to reschedule the vote on the terms of the U.K.'s exit from the European Union. However, the uncertainty meant the pound fell 0.5% versus the dollar to $1.2664. Commenting on the fall in Sterling following Theresa May’s plans to delay Parliament’s meaningful vote on her Brexit deal, Andy Scott, Associate Director at JCRA,...

Half of employers say Brexit will harm young people’s economic prospects in the short-term – twice the number that think it will be helpful, according to a YouGov survey for the charity Young Women’s Trust.  Many employers also expressed concern about the longer-term financial impact on young people of the UK leaving the EU. 50 per cent of those with responsibility for hiring staff say that the economic implications of Brexit will negatively affect 18 to 30 year-olds in the long-term. This compares to 33 per cent who think it will have a positive effect. One in four (27...

The pound is shackled by Brexit drama, is locked in a holding pattern, and nothing is currently priced in, warns the CEO of one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory organisations. The warning from Nigel Green, founder and chief executive of deVere Group, comes as sterling remains vulnerable to every twist and turn to the political saga over the UK’s exit of the European Union. Mr Green comments: “The pound has been and remains the primary market bellwether since...

The warning came after four gangsters were jailed for 15 years after tricking Chinese students into giving them access to their bank accounts.

Workers who are offered the option of flexible working are benefitting UK business, taking less leave and working at increased levels of productivity, according to research. A study compared the productivity of 1,500 workers who set their own hours or working location against 500 who are not doing so. Flexible workers said they felt they worked effectively for more of a typical working day than those working a traditional ‘nine-to-five’. However, three-quarters of flexi workers say they’d be reluctant to...

It is that time of year again, how much are rail passengers going to be ripped off next year. Well it is going to be a hike of 3.1 per cent in the New Year. After another year of chaos on the railways (and the weather hasn't even gone bad yet) this will anger, well pretty much everyone, apart from shareholders in these rail companies. The rise, is lower than the 3.4% average rise for fares in 2018 (not really...

Ending the free movement of labour from Europe could create a major shortage of workers, especially in South-East England, according to a new study on the impact of Brexit. Researchers also found existing employment rights are likely to remain “more or less intact” after Brexit, as many UK laws exceed the minimum standards required by EU employment directives, while leaving the EU is unlikely to have a large impact on UK employment policy or collective representation by trade unions. Both...

Nearly nine in 10 Brits aren't working in their 'dream job'. A study of 2,000 employees found 85 per cent are working in a position which isn't ideal for them. And nearly two-thirds don’t think they will ever land their 'dream job'. Millennials are the most optimistic generation, as 64 per cent of 18-35s think they will be in the perfect role in an average of six years from now. Despite four in five saying they enjoy their current role,...