ONS

UK retail sales slide in December

London - Muslimchronicle

British shop sales slid by much more than expected in December, capping off the weakest year for retail since 2013 as consumers squeezed by the Brexit hit to prices continued to keep a tight grip on spending. Retail sales volumes dropped 1.5 percent from November, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, well below economists' forecasts of a monthly dip of 0.6Read more

UK jobless rate holds at lowest since 1975

London - Muslimchronicle

Britain's unemployment rate remains at a 42-year low, official data showed Wednesday, but workers' wages are still being eroded by inflation. The jobless rate -- or the proportion of the workforce that is unemployed -- stood at 4.3 percent in the three months to the end of October, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement. That was unchanged fromRead more

UK exports to UAE rise amid Brexit fears

London - Muslimchronicle

UK exports to the UAE reached £5.24 billion ($6.9 billion) in the first eight months of 2017, an increase of 30 percent on the same period last year, according to official figures. The UAE market accounted for 2.3 percent of the UK’s total exports over the period, the statistics released Tuesday show. The UAE was the UK’s 11th top tradingRead more

British unemployment holds near 41-year low

London - Arab Today

Britain’s unemployment rate remains close to a 41-year low, official data showed Wednesday, as the labor market continued to show resilience following the Brexit vote. Unemployment for the three months to the end of February was about 4.7 percent, the same rate as in the three months to the end of January, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said inRead more

British unemployment hits 41-year low

London - Arab Today

Britain’s unemployment rate has struck the lowest level for more than 41 years, official data showed on Wednesday as the country prepares to trigger its exit from the EU. However, a drop in the jobless rate comes alongside news of slowing wages growth. Unemployment for the quarter ending Jan. 31 fell to 4.7 percent from a rate of 4.8 percentRead more

British consumers battered by Brexit inflation

London - Arab Today

British shoppers unexpectedly cut back on their spending in January as last year’s Brexit vote pushed up inflation, official data showed on Friday, the strongest sign to date that the country’s economy is heading for a slowdown. Consumers were barely fazed last year by June’s decision to leave the EU. But they are turning more cautious with prices rising quicklyRead more

Britain’s economic outlook brightens as Brexit looms

London - Arab Today

Britain’s industrial output grew and the trade deficit improved in December, official data showed Friday, signaling a brighter economic outlook ahead of Brexit. The news comes as The Times newspaper reported that the government has divided British industries into high, medium and low priorities in terms of its upcoming EU exit negotiations. Industrial output climbed 1.1 percent compared with activityRead more

British inflation jumps to 1.2%

London - Arab Today

British annual inflation jumped in November to the highest level in more than two years as a slide in sterling since the Brexit vote lifted fuel costs, data showed Tuesday. The 12-month inflation rate hit 1.2 percent compared with 0.9 percent in October, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in a statement. Analysts’ consensus forecast had been for aRead more

UK Economy Grows by 0.5%

London - QNA

The UK economy grew by 0.5% in the third quarter, official figures have confirmed, helped by export growth and stronger consumer spending. In its second estimate of the health of the economy, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also said business investment grew by more than expected. That was up 0.9% following the Brexit vote, against the second quarter, althoughRead more

British inflation surges as weak pound starts to bite

London - AFP

British annual inflation surged to a near two-year high of 1.0 percent in September, official data showed Tuesday, as a tumbling pound raised prices of imported goods and attracted tourists. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the jump in the rate, from 0.6 percent in August, was mainly the result of significant increases to prices of women's outerwear, althoughRead more