Budget 2013
With growth halved, Chancellor Osborne turns to Bank of England for help
Chancellor George Osborne turned to the Bank of England on Wednesday to help galvanise a stagnant economy which he said would grow this year at just half the rate previously expected. Full Article
UK manufacturing firms less confident about future
LONDON - British factory orders barely picked up this month and firms grew less confident about the future, an industry survey showed on Thursday.
Bank of England's King makes last call for more stimulus
LONDON - Britain's economic recovery is not yet secure and more needs to be done to ensure the country's banks no longer pose a threat to taxpayers, Bank of England Governor Mervyn King said in his final speech on Wednesday.
Bank of England, still divided, flags market impact of Fed uncertainty
LONDON - Bank of England policymakers acknowledged earlier this month that further market volatility could be on the way because of uncertainty about the direction of U.S. monetary policy, but came no closer to shifting their own stance.
Royal baby to give bump to British economy
LONDON - From Union Jack booties to "Born to Rule" sleepwear, the royal family has joined retailers in offering baby products to mark the arrival of the royal heir.
Inflation rebounds more than expected
LONDON - British inflation rebounded more than expected in May, data showed on Tuesday, primarily because of rising air fares and in contrast to April's seven-month low.
Barriers to homeownership dividing Britain, youth say
LONDON - Most young Britons say rising barriers to home ownership are dividing the country socially and economically, and one in five has abandoned the dream of ever owning a property, a survey by mortgage provider Halifax said.
Annual decline in UK construction output slows sharply
LONDON - British construction output posted the smallest annual fall in almost a year and a half in April, non-seasonally adjusted data showed on Friday, raising hopes that construction might contribute to economic growth in the second quarter.
No quick fix for corporate tax take as pressure to act builds
BRUSSELS/LONDON - Europe's leaders are talking tough about making companies pay more tax but they are expected to take only baby steps for fear of alienating big business during an economic slump.
Britons' net incomes fall to lowest since 2001-02
LONDON - Britons' real net incomes fell to their lowest level in a decade in the year ending in March 2012, annual data from the country's labour ministry showed on Wednesday.
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Dear BoE - please help
Chancellor George Osborne looks to the Bank of England for more help. Full analysis from the NAB trading floor with currency strategist Nick Parsons and head of market economics Tom Vosa. Video
Opinion
Britain’s fiscal failure
We’re now in a world where the wonkiest columnist in the driest newspaper in Britain is stating his case far more simply and clearly than a populist PR man turned PM. Commentary
Policy rhetoric flies in the face of reality
When words and actions don’t match up, the problem is usually overly ambitious promises. In the debate on economic policy in the UK, the failure is in the present – the government’s description of fiscal and monetary policy flies in the face of reality. Commentary
A devalued pound can’t save the economy
Does devaluation still work? In the era after the financial crisis of 2007-08, there is mounting evidence that devaluation may not be able to help kick-start a stalled economy as readily as it may once have done. Commentary
Homeowner tax switch would help
To tackle debt Osborne needs to protect tax revenue. To maximise revenue, and appease recession-restless voters, he needs to promote economic growth. He could do all three by stamping on the UK’s property transaction tax and closing a crucial loophole. Commentary
In defence of Osborne
You may say that our dreadful growth is the result of a lack of fiscal strategy, but this would be wrong. The trouble is that the economic strategy Osborne has adopted takes a long time to bear fruit and is fairly anti-growth, at least for the first few years. Commentary
Budget day cheer is here again
Budget Day again, and the pressure on Chancellor George Osborne is rising ominously. There is little agreement about what needs to be done, but complete agreement that something has to change because the state of Britain’s economy is simply awful. Commentary
Factbox
Traditions, gaffes and quirky facts
William Gladstone drank a mixture of sherry and beaten egg during his nearly five-hour speech, and 21-stone George Ward Hunt turned up for his without his notes. Click for more traditions, gaffes and quirky budget facts. Factbox
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