Author: INDEPENDENT

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsThe Bank of England is expected to hold interest rates again next week despite fresh uncertainty in the Middle East.Economists have said they still expect a majority of the Bank’s rate-setting committee to opt to keep the base interest rate at 3.75% despite attacks in the region and US threats reigniting some concerns over inflation.A number of economists, including experts at Oxford Economics and Nomura, have predicted another…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsA think tank has urged Andy Burnham to raise taxes or cut public spending to fund new cost-of-living and defence commitments, as it warned there was no scope for extra Government borrowing.The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (Niesr) said the new Government will be squeezed by more persistent inflation as a result of the Iran war.The organisation is expecting Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation to rise…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsShop price inflation slowed in July in positive news for households, but growing pressures remain on the horizon, the industry has warned.Shop prices are now 0.9% higher than a year ago, down from June’s 1.2%, according to British Retail Consortium (BRC)-NIQ figures.Inflation on products other than food also fell to 0.2% from June’s 0.6%.While food price inflation also fell to 2.2% from 2.4% a month earlier, fresh food…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsThe Bank of England is expected to hold interest rates again next week despite fresh uncertainty in the Middle East.Economists have said they still expect a majority of the Bank’s rate-setting committee to opt to keep the base interest rate at 3.75 per cent despite attacks in the region and US threats reigniting some concerns over inflation.A number of economists, including experts at Oxford Economics and Nomura, have…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSainsbury’s is to increase supplies of British tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers amid fears of drought affecting crops imported from abroad.The UK’s second biggest supermarket has signed new 10-year partnerships with UK producers Evesham Vale Growers and Thanet Earth to ensure it can keep a steady supply of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers on its shelves.The produce has been badly affected by weather-based shocks in the past.In early 2023, supermarkets…

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture emailGet the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter It’s nearly three decades since the British playwright Sarah Kane took her own life, at the age of just 28 – but directors are still in thrall to the five shocking plays she left behind. In her lifetime, she was a celebrated but deeply polarising figure in the world of theatre: her debut, Blasted (1995), and her third play, Cleansed (1998) were particularly incendiary, thanks in part…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsThere will be a “significant benefit” for Scottish producers as US tariffs on imports of Scotch whisky and lifted, John Swinney has said.The 10% tariff on whisky was lifted on Friday. However, Donald Trump’s administration imposed a new 10% tariff on UK imports for other goods.The US president announced in April that he would remove the whisky tariff, following the state visit by the King and Queen.Speaking on…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsFord is set to bolster its European vehicle offerings through a new joint venture with Chinese automotive giant Geely Auto.Announced on Thursday, the partnership will see the companies jointly manufacture low- and zero-emission vehicles at Ford’s factory in Valencia, Spain. This strategic move is designed to reignite Ford’s presence in the competitive European auto market, where the legacy carmaker faces increasing pressure from rapidly expanding Chinese companies that…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsEngland and Scotland World Cup matches helped drive stronger sales across British pubs last month while restaurants and bars suffered a weaker month, according to new figures.The latest monthly NIQ RSM hospitality business tracker showed that pubs were the standout performer across the hospitality sector during the month due to the boost from football fans.Experts have said they expect England’s progress to the semi-finals will have also driven…

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsUK inflation is set to have eased last month in a temporary boost for the new Prime Minister ahead of a jump in the household energy price cap.Official figures for June’s Consumer Prices Index (CPI) will be published on Wednesday, two days after Andy Burnham took the reins and formed a new Cabinet.Most economists think a sharp drop in petrol and diesel prices will have helped pull the…