UK Economics Rapid Response UK Retail Sales (Aug. 2023) The 0.4% m/m rebound in retail sales volumes in August isn’t as good as it looks as it partly reflected a pickup in sales after the unusually wet weather in July. And while the worst of the falls in... 21st September 2023 · 3 mins read
Asset Allocation Update The relative outlook for US and UK markets We think that both the Fed and the BoE are finished hiking interest rates and will cut by more than investors are discounting over the next couple of years. We also expect the US and UK economies to... 21st September 2023 · 4 mins read
UK Housing Market Update Interest rate hold won’t provide immediate relief Despite ending the interest rate hiking cycle today, the Monetary Policy Committee succeeded in convincing financial markets that interest rates will remain high for some time. As market interest rate... 21st September 2023 · 3 mins read
UK Economics Update Interest rates are at their peak The surprise decision by the Bank of England to leave interest rates unchanged at 5.25% today probably means that rates are already at their peak. We think rates will stay at this peak of 5.25% for... 21st September 2023 · 4 mins read
UK Commercial Property Update Financial conditions still point to weaker construction Commercial construction surveys have shown improving activity in recent months, despite high interest rates and a slowing economy. Our Financial Conditions Indices (FCIs) suggest that might be because... 21st September 2023 · 4 mins read
UK Economics Rapid Response Bank of England Policy Announcement (21st Sep. 2023) 21st September 2023 · 3 mins read
UK Economics Rapid Response UK Public Finances (Aug. 2023) August's public finances figures continued the recent run of better-than-expected news on the fiscal position. So while the Chancellor has ruled out tax cuts in the Autumn Statement on 22nd November... 21st September 2023 · 3 mins read
Climate Economics Update Rishi Sunak draws his UK climate battle lines The news that UK Prime Minster Sunak is set to further dilute the government’s climate policies demonstrates that when the political going gets tough, climate policies are the first to fall by the... 20th September 2023 · 4 mins read
UK Economics Rapid Response UK Consumer Prices (Aug. 2023) The unambiguously good CPI inflation figures for August increase the chances that the Bank of England decides to leave interest rates at 5.25% tomorrow, but we still think one final 25 basis point... 20th September 2023 · 3 mins read
UK Housing Market Chart Pack UK Housing Market Chart Pack (Sep. 2023) Our forecast that the Bank of England won’t start cutting interest rates until the second half of 2024 means mortgage rates are likely to stay between 5.5% and 6.0% until mid-2024. While transactions... 19th September 2023 · 1 min read
UK Economic Outlook A protracted peak A slower fall in core inflation than in the US or the euro-zone will mean that the Bank of England keeps interest rates on hold at the probable peak of 5.50% for longer than the US Fed or the ECB. But... 18th September 2023 · 19 mins read
UK Economics Weekly Employment starting to buckle We’ve been encouraged by the signs that employment is weakening and the labour market is loosening a bit more markedly. What’s more, forward-looking indicators point to employment growth deteriorating... 15th September 2023 · 9 mins read
UK Commercial Property Update Record fall in passing rents highlights office weakness The surprising strength of office market rents looks to reflect the increased use of incentives. Indeed, passing rents have seen a sharp decline, with all-office annual growth recently falling to a... 15th September 2023 · 4 mins read
BoE Watch One last hike We think that a 25 basis point (bps) rise in interest rates, from 5.25% to 5.50%, at the Bank of England’s policy meeting on Thursday 21st September will be the last hike in this cycle and that sticky... 14th September 2023 · 8 mins read
UK Housing Market Update RICS Residential Market Survey (Aug.) Depressed activity remains consistent with falling house prices. The further deterioration of the RICS survey figures in August suggest the peak in mortgage rates seen in July are continuing to... 13th September 2023 · 3 mins read
UK Economics Rapid Response UK GDP (Jul. 2023) The 0.5% m/m fall in real GDP in July could possibly mean that the mild recession we have been expecting has begun. Even so, with wage growth still uncomfortably strong, we suspect the Bank of England... 13th September 2023 · 3 mins read