General Financial News

• FSB criticises government policies on SME tax  (17 May 2007)
  The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has slammed the government's taxation policy, saying that it harms small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK.
• Business leaders cautiously acknowledge rate rise  (10 May 2007)
  Business leaders acknowledged that today's (May 10th) decision to increase interest rates by 0.25 per cent to 5.5 per cent was probably needed, but have urged caution in the future.
• SMEs 'throwing away free money'  (9 May 2007)
  Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are still missing out on financially lucrative research and development (R&D) tax relief, KPMG has suggested.
• Business insolvencies fall  (9 May 2007)
  Fewer companies - including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - went into liquidation in the first quarter of the year, new figures suggest.
• BCC: 'Keep up the good work MPC'  (8 May 2007)
  Ahead of this week's interest decision, the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) has praised what the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has achieved in the last decade.
• Regulator gets tough on financial SMEs  (16 April 2007)
  A regulator which monitors the activity of firms working in the financial services sector has revealed that it plans to focus its attention on the UK's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• Base Rate remains at 5.25 per cent for another month  (5 April 2007)
  In a move which is likely to please small and medium-sized businesses with extensive borrowing, the Bank of England has announced that interest rates will remain unchanged in April.
• CBI: Strong economic growth 2007  (15 March 2007)
  The UK economy will grow faster than anticipated this year, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
• Businesses welcome small minimum wage increase  (8 March 2007)
  The government's decision earlier this week to only increase the national minimum wage by 17p per hour is good news for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), says an industry body.
• Securing SME funding "relatively straightforward"  (16 February 2007)
  It is "relatively straightforward" to borrow money to finance a small business start-up, the head of business marketing at the Royal Bank of Scotland claims.
• Bank hints at fourth rate rise  (15 February 2007)
  The Bank of England has intimated that a fourth interest rate rise since August is in the offing.
• Wage demands lessen as inflation falls  (13 February 2007)
  Wage demands on employers have lessened following the news that inflation has dropped sharply.
• Bosses 'must give flexible working to all'  (12 February 2007)
  The minister for children, Beverley Hughes, has said that workers without children should be able to enjoy the same flexible working rights as parents.
• Rate rise 'unlikely but possible'  (5 February 2007)
  It is unlikely that the Bank of England (BoE) will raise interest rates this week, although it remains possible that it will do, financial analysts predict.
• UK breeding many new entrepreneurs  (31 January 2007)
  The UK is a breeding ground for new entrepreneurs, according to Ernst and Young.
• SMEs could suffer from under-skilled graduates  (30 January 2007)
  SMEs could be facing a dearth of skilled graduates, according to a new survey.
• Inflation will not drop as fast as anticipated  (30 January 2007)
  Inflation will not drop as quickly as it originally anticipated, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research has admitted.
• January business retail sales increase  (29 January 2007)
  Retail sales have increased at their fastest rate for more than two years this month, according to recently released figures.
• Working week shortens by six minutes  (19 January 2007)
  Employees are spending less time at work, official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.
• Inflation at decade high  (16 January 2007)
  Inflation has hit a ten-year high, figures released today confirm.
• Interest rates in early move to 5.25 per cent  (11 January 2007)
  The Bank of England voted today to increase interest rates to 5.25 per cent.
• Govt announces £200 fines for minimum wage evasion  (9 January 2007)
  SME businesses that fail to pay staff the minimum wage will now be liable for a £200 fine for each worker they underpay, the government announced today.
• BoE: Immigration 'good for economy'  (5 January 2007)
  Immigration to the UK is not artificially depressing wages or driving up unemployment, a report from the Bank of England (BoE) has concluded.
• Economic benefits of migration "very slight"  (3 January 2007)
  A pressure group has warned that the value of immigrants to the UK's economy is negligible.
• Extended Christmas break for 3m  (3 January 2007)
  Despite the official Christmas leave period having finished, many employees are still reluctant to return to work.