~theguardian-world | Bookmarks (16)

Shoppers spend more on promotions as Easter lifts sales of chocolate eggs and hot-cross bunsBusiness live – latest updatesGrocery price inflation in Great Britain has slowed to 3.2%, the lowest since November 2021, as the cost of toilet rolls, butter and milk fell and people spent more on store promotions.The decline in the four weeks to 14 April marked the 14th monthly drop in...

Predictions for when Bank of England will start lowering cost of borrowing pushed back Business live – latest updatesThe UK’s annual inflation rate fell by less than expected in March to 3.2%, complicating the timing of a first Bank of England interest rate cut.Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show inflation continued to fall from 3.4% in February to reach the lowest...

Profits near £2.3bn for supermarket, which says it is ‘conscious things are still difficult for many customers’Business live – latest updatesTesco has said inflationary pressures in the UK grocery sector have “lessened substantially”, as it announced plans to make £500m in efficiency savings in the year ahead.As expected, the country’s biggest supermarket chain revealed pre-tax profits of almost £2.3bn, up 159% on the previous...

Waitrose and Ocado win new shoppers while a quarter of households are feeling the squeezeBusiness live – latest updatesGrocery price inflation in Great Britain has slowed to 4.5%, its lowest level since February 2022, but one in four households are still struggling financially, retail researchers have found.The upmarket retailers Waitrose and Ocado were the only grocers to win new shoppers in the past three...

Shares hit new high as chain says consumer backdrop is improving and ‘feels like it is now entering a new era’Next said the prices it charges customers are falling this year, as the fashion and homeware retailer reported bumper profits and said the UK consumer backdrop was improving.Simon Wolfson, the group’s chief executive, said that after a positive year of sales and profit growth...

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as exchange-traded funds help biggest cryptocurrency rallyThe European Commission’s use of Microsoft email and office software broke its own privacy rules, an EU privacy watchdog has ruled.Microsoft’s software transferred personal data outside the EU, breaching privacy rules, according to the European Data Protection Supervisor. Continue reading...

Democratic senator Sherrod Brown endorsed the Sesame Street star’s complaint on products getting smaller as prices remain sameThe Ohio Democratic senator Sherrod Brown endorsed a key voice in the American public square – Cookie Monster – in a complaint about shrinkflation.“Me hate shrinkflation!” the Sesame Street character posted on social media on Monday, referring to an economic phenomenon Merriam-Webster defines as “the practice of...

Plummeting food prices feed steep annual drop amid renewed calls to stimulate economy and offset weakening demandBusiness live – latest updatesChina’s consumer prices fell at their fastest pace in 15 years in January, as the world’s second-largest economy sank deeper into deflation amid weakening demand.Data released on Thursday showed that China’s consumer price index tumbled last month, falling by 0.8% compared with a year...

From food, alcohol and tobacco to fuel prices and holidays, how the cost of everyday items variesUK inflation rises as cost of tobacco and alcohol increasesAnalysis: Inflation rise complicates outlook on interest ratesThe UK’s annual inflation rate unexpectedly increase to 4.0% in December, up from 3.9% in November.The Office for National Statistics compiled the overall reading using the consumer prices index but also logs...

Surprise increase is blow to Bank of England’s fight against rising prices –but could be followed by fallsUK inflation rises as cost of tobacco and alcohol increasesWhich UK goods and services have changed most in price?Inflation went in the wrong direction at the end of 2023. It might seem like a small, possibly insignificant, reversal of a downward trend, but December’s rise in the...

Surprise uptick to 4.0% complicates forecasts that Bank of England will cut interest ratesAnalysis: inflation rise complicates outlook on interest ratesWhich UK goods and services have changed most in price?UK inflation rose unexpectedly to 4.0% in December in the first increase for 10 months, complicating the timing of interest rate cuts from the Bank of England this year.The Office for National Statistics said annual...

Reduced cost pressures and popular festive bakes and chocolate orange muffins boost bakery chainBusiness live – latest updatesGreggs has hailed easing inflationary pressures after the UK’s biggest bakery chain rang up bumper Christmas sales amid less travel disruption and enthusiasm for seasonal specialities such as festive bakes and chocolate orange muffins.The company said sales at established stores had risen 9.4% in the three months...

Prime minister pledged to halve inflation, grow economy, cut national debt, lower NHS waits and ‘stop the boats’This article is extracted from our First Edition newsletter. Sign up hereOne year ago today, Rishi Sunak made five pledges that he said were a straightforward yardstick for his government’s success: “No tricks. No ambiguity. We’re either delivering for you or we’re not.” Here’s a report card...

In today’s newsletter: Guardian experts assess the government’s progress on the prime minister’s key promisesSign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. After Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year, the last great festival of the season: Rishi Sunak’s five pledges anniversary day. The prime minister is marking the occasion with a trip to the east Midlands, while Keir Starmer is making a...

Drivers in Brisbane bear brunt of record petrol prices this year – ‘only now are we starting to see some relief’Australian motorists are copping the cost of volatile world oil prices but relief could be in sight.Drivers in Brisbane bore the brunt of record petrol prices this year, making the Queensland city the nation’s most expensive capital to put fuel in the tank. Regular...

The £62m dispensed on last Friday before Christmas beat £51m record set in 2022 to reflect sharp annual rise in inflationMore than £62m in cash was withdrawn from Post Office branches on the Friday before Christmas, the most ever in a single day, as people rushed to finish their festive shopping.The record withdrawals on 22 December from the 11,500 Post Office branches across the...