Podcasts related to Economics

The pound has climbed a little on the same day that latest UK inflation data was released, showing consumer prices rose 2.3% in March, holding steady from February. To understand the latest currency market moves, Ed Bowsher spoke to Dennis de Jong, Managing Director at UFX.com.

Barclaycard has published its consumer spend data for March today showing spending up 4.6 per cent year-on-year last month. The first quarter saw record rises in supermarket spending in January - 2.9 percent - and in the amount spent on petrol - 19.2 percent in February. To find out more about the figures Sue Dougan was joined by Paul Lockstone, Managing Director at Barclaycard.

UK inflation has kept steady at 2.3% the latest data reveals. To understand the impact this will have on UK prices, and more of the big news of the day, Ed Bowsher was joined by David Stubbs, Global Market Strategist at JP Morgan Asset management.

Today on the agenda, Sue Dougan and Personal finance expert Kevin White discussed the latest inflation figures. Plus they look into why drivers are paying over 100 pounds more for their car insurance on average this year - compared with 2016. All these stories and more on The News Review.

Boris Johnson has asked G7 to consider fresh sanctions against Russia and Syria, claiming Putin is ‘toxifying’ Russia’s image and says Kremlin has to choose between withdrawing support for Assad or facing penalties. And Theresa May and Donald Trump have agreed a "window of opportunity now exists" to persuade Russia to drop its links with the Syrian government.

Joining Sue Dougan for the latest market headlines was Nigel Cassidy, starting with some inflation figures this morning. Plus, JD Sports has reported record profits with an 81% increase in pre-tax profits last year to £238.4m. And around 700 jobs are under threat at luxury fashion chain Jaeger.

Fresh details on price rises and wage growth this week are expected to underline the rising pressures on UK household budgets as the pound’s sharp fall since the Brexit vote continues to stoke inflation. The Bank of England has warned the economy’s main engine of growth, consumer spending, will lose momentum this year as rising living costs eat into people’s budgets. Economists expect official figures on Tuesday will vindicate those worries, with inflation forecast to have reached its highest level for more than three years in March.

New evidence suggests the Bank of England may have been involved in the Libor rigging scandal. A secret recording from 2008 uncovered by the BBC suggests that the UK's central bank pressured commercial banks to push Libor rates down during the Financial Crisis. Libor is the rate at which banks lend to each other, setting a benchmark for mortgages and loans for ordinary customers. In one section of the recording, Senior Barclays manager Mark Dearlove speaks to Libor submitter Peter Johnson, telling him: "The bottom line is you're going to absolutely hate this... but we've had some very serious pressure from the UK government and the Bank of England about pushing our Libors lower." Ed Bowsher was joined by Chris Justham of 7IM.

New evidence uncovered by the BBC implicates the Bank of England in the Libor rate-rigging scandal. To discuss this and more of the day's big macro news stories, Ed Bowsher was joined by Ken Odeluga of City Index.

Today on the agenda, Sarah and personal finance journalist Rosie Taylor discussed changes in the rules imposed by the financial regulator, the FCA, mean that many find it harder to qualify for a mortgage deal. Plus they look into why parents spend an average of more than £2500 when their children leave home. All these stories and more on The News Review.