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Economy and business environment articles

Read our latest features and articles on the economy and business environment.
Displaying 1-30 of 524 results
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ICAEW: business confidence triples in Q1
  • Article
  • 24 Apr 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
The latest Business Confidence Monitor finds UK business confidence on the rise, signalling a rebound from pandemic lows
A pair of hands typing on the laptop keyboard
Public finances end financial year in weak position
  • Article
  • 24 Apr 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Net debt represents a growing fiscal mortgage of £92,000 per UK household as a difficult financial year comes to a close.
‘Boring’ policies will address economic challenges
  • Article
  • 19 Apr 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
New policy solutions to problems facing the UK economy will be prosaic but important, Conservative Party Forum Chair John Penrose MP told a round table this week.
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Chart of the week: IMF Fiscal Monitor
  • Article
  • 19 Apr 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Our chart this week finds that the UK is ranking highly in the IMF’s latest five-year forecasts for general government net debt.
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Chart of the week: Public spending crunch
  • Article
  • 12 Apr 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Public spend as a share of the economy must fall over the next five years to make the sums add up – a big challenge for the next government.
Economic update: why the recession may soon be over
  • Article
  • 08 Apr 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
The UK’s recession appears to be ending with cuts to summer interest rate likely. ICAEW’s Economies Director Suren Thiru discusses the key points to watch.
ICAEW member insights: March 2024
  • Article
  • 04 Apr 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
The Chancellor’s much anticipated Spring Budget dominated feedback from ICAEW members in March, although many were left underwhelmed by its content.
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Chart of the week: Retail sales
  • Article
  • 28 Mar 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Our chart this week looks at how retail sales have increased by 19.5% over the past five years, comprising a 1.4% fall in volumes and a 21.2% increase in prices.
Fiscal deficit still too high for comfort
  • Article
  • 25 Mar 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Only a small improvement in the year-to-date deficit of £107bn reported in the penultimate monthly public finance release for 2023/24, over the same period a year ago.
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Chart of the week: Core inflation
  • Article
  • 21 Mar 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee held interest rates constant at its latest meeting, despite CPI falling to 3.4% in February and core inflation dropping to 4.5%.
Accountancy jobs market buoyant despite slump
  • Article
  • 20 Mar 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Job confidence growth sits at near record high since research began in 2009 regardless of current economic conditions, new analysis reveals.
Councils in North twice as likely to fail
  • Article
  • 15 Mar 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Without extra funds, more English councils are set to go bankrupt – but those in the North are more at risk than councils in the South as regional inequalities are exposed.
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Chart of the week: wage inflation
  • Article
  • 14 Mar 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Our chart this week takes a look at how average earnings have risen over the last decade and how they compare with the headline rate of inflation.
ep 70
Budget 2024: does it change anything?
  • Podcast
  • 08 Mar 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
In this Insights In Focus episode, we discuss the contents of the 2024 Spring Budget and their likely impacts on the UK economy.
ep 71
Does Britain have a farming problem?
  • Podcast
  • 08 Mar 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
In this Insights In Focus episode, we discuss how changes to the funding of British farms could affect the UK’s broader economic resilience.
Outlook for public finances broadly unchanged
  • Article
  • 07 Mar 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Chancellor cuts national insurance again but defers difficult decisions on public spending until after the general election.
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Chart of the week: Spring Budget 2024
  • Article
  • 07 Mar 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Our chart this week takes a look at the effect of the Spring Budget 2024 on the public finances.
Government aims for Year of the SME in 2024
  • Article
  • 07 Mar 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
The UK government has relaunched the Help to Grow campaign, which offers resources to help SMEs get started, devise growth strategies and identify funding options.
A pre-election Budget lacking in rabbits or hats
  • Article
  • 06 Mar 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
An extension of full expensing to leases is welcome news for businesses in a Budget that delivers nothing unexpected.
UK exporters must switch to CDS by June
  • Article
  • 04 Mar 2024
  • ICAEW
The deadline to transition from using CHIEF to CDS for export declarations has been extended to 4 June 2024. Businesses are advised to switch early to avoid potential disruption.
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Chart of the week: Pre-Budget deficit forecast
  • Article
  • 29 Feb 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
While tax cuts will likely headline next week’s Spring Budget, debt markets will be questioning plans to reduce the deficit by constraining public spending.
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Economic update: when will the UK exit recession?
  • Article
  • 29 Feb 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
The unwanted recession tag creates a headache for UK policymakers as the economy continues to struggle. ICAEW’s Economies Director Suren Thiru discusses the implications.
ICAEW Member Insights: February 2024
  • Article
  • 28 Feb 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Despite the emergence of hopeful signs for the UK economy, regulation and employment challenges dominate member concerns.
Government’s response ‘disappointing’ on local authority recommendations
  • Article
  • 23 Feb 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Department keeps under review or rejects several recommendations made by the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee inquiry into financial reporting and audit in English local authorities.
Budget: ICAEW calls for bold action to secure UK's future
  • Article
  • 22 Feb 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
In the run-up to the Budget, ICAEW is urging the government to take bold decisions on simplifying taxes, removing obstacles to growth, tackling skills shortages and embracing the opportunities offered by moving to a net-zero economy.
Baker Tilly investment puts partnership model under spotlight
  • Article
  • 20 Feb 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
The private equity investment will reshape Baker Tilly US into two separate organisations – but this latest foray by PE into the accountancy market doesn’t yet mark the end of the partnership model.
ICAEW manifesto: shadow minister discusses SME investment
  • Article
  • 20 Feb 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
ICAEW has been presenting its manifesto for a more resilient and economically healthy UK to ministers of all parties in the run-up to its official launch, including Shadow Small Business Minister Rushanara Ali.
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Chart of the week: dismal times (per capita)
  • Article
  • 15 Feb 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Two quarters of shallow negative GDP growth may be just enough for the UK to be in a mere ‘technical’ recession, but seven successive quarters of negative GDP growth per capita present a more worrying picture.
Profit warnings in 2023 exceed financial crisis peak
  • Article
  • 12 Feb 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
There were 294 profit warnings from UK-listed companies last year, with high interest rates and wavering consumer and business confidence among the key drivers.
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Chart of the week: IMF World Economic Outlook Update
  • Article
  • 08 Feb 2024
  • ICAEW Insights
Our chart this week illustrates how countries rank in the IMF’s latest forecasts for economic growth over 2024 and 2025.
Displaying 1-30 of 524 results
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