Retail sales in 2020 fall at fastest level in 23 years – ONS
UK retail sales volumes increased in December as stores were allowed to reopenbriefly, following the end of the second national lockdown in England, newfigures show.
Government minister Mel Stride insists that “we are seeing a resilient labour market,” despite official figures revealing that Britain’s unemployment rate has risen to its highest level for nearly a year as further cracks show in the jobs market. The Office for National Statistics said the rate of UK unemployment rose to 4.3%. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Jeremy Hunt has said it is "encouraging" that ONS figures show the UK economy has grown by 0.6% between January and March. The chancellor argues that Labour is the party "gaslighting" the public by saying everything is "going wrong with the British economy" and that the latest statistics show Britain's longer term prospects are "significant". Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Laura Trott says the drop in inflation is not an accident but the result of the government's 'hard work' and 'deflationary’ spring Budget.
New figures from the Office for National Statistics show the rate fell to 3.2% in the year to March. Report by Alibhaiz. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt says the latest GDP figures that show that 2023’s recession was slightly weaker than originally thought are a “testament to the resilience of the economy”. Figures released by the Office for National Statistic revealed the economy shrunk for two quarters in a row, but the total contraction over that six-month period dropped from 0.5% to 0.4%. Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Jonathan Reynolds says he welcomes last month’s drop in inflation but insists people are ‘still worse off after 14 years of Conservative government’. Speaking on the day the Office for National Statistics confirmed inflation fell to 3.4% in February, the shadow business secretary also suggested a cut in interest rates was unlikely, due to ongoing ‘uncertainty, particularly around the Red Sea’. Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
H&M reported an 88% fall in profit for the year through November on Friday and warned the pandemic was still hitting sales at the world's second-biggest fashion group. Ciara Lee reports
Japan's Toyota Motor Corp overtook Germany's Volkswagen in vehicle sales last year, regaining pole position as the world's top selling automaker for the first time in five years as the global health..