Market Reports

3 min read

IFX Market Report: Thursday 3rd August 2023

In July, the UK manufacturing industry experienced a further decline as output, new orders, and employment all saw accelerated falls, as per the most recent economic data. This downturn marked the sector's worst performance (accounting for 10% of the UK economy) since May 2020, according to the highly regarded Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) from S&P Global/CIPS UK Manufacturing. The UK economy has shown sluggish growth since 2019, even before the pandemic, leading one economist to describe it as "listless." In...
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IFX Market Report: Tuesday 29th August 2023

This morning, the UK experienced a decrease in shop price inflation during August, marking the lowest point in nearly a year. This shift was attributed to a reduction in the pressures on food costs, as indicated by industry data. According...
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IFX Market Report: Wednesday 6th September 2023

The recent increase in oil prices has sparked concerns that interest rates may need to remain elevated for an extended period to combat inflation, which could negatively impact economic growth. One economist noted that the market sentiment remains pessimistic, with...
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IFX Market Report: Wednesday 13th September 2023

In July, the UK's economy saw a 0.5% contraction, which was influenced by factors such as strikes and unfavorable summer weather, according to initial official reports. This decline, which was worse than anticipated by many economists, followed a previously unrevised...
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IFX Market Report: Wednesday 27th September 2023

According to a report from a prominent US thinktank, the UK's economy is expected to contract in both the current year and 2024. The report suggests that stubborn inflation and a shortage of workers will have a more detrimental impact...
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IFX Market Report: Monday 9th October 2023

According to a survey conducted by the British Chambers of Commerce, UK businesses are hesitant to make significant investments in machinery and new technology. They cite the ongoing trade barriers with the EU and high interest rates as the main...
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IFX Market Report: Thursday 19th October 2023

In a surprising turn of events, the UK saw no change in inflation for September, with it remaining at 6.7%. This was due to a sharp increase in fuel prices, which offset the first monthly drop in food prices in...
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IFX Market Report: Tuesday 24th October 2023

According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the UK's unemployment rate increased by 0.2% in the three months ending in August. During the same period, the employment rate decreased by 0.3 percentage points to 75.7%,...
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IFX Market Report: Wednesday 1st November 2023

The Bank of England is likely to maintain its current interest rates, which are at their highest levels since before the financial crisis, this week. This indicates that the battle against persistent inflation is ongoing, even though there are signs...
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IFX Market Report: Tuesday 14th November 2023

Rightmove reported that home asking prices in Britain have experienced the most rapid decline in five years for this time of the year. Despite the housing market performing better than anticipated, average asking prices dropped by 1.7% last month, resulting...
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IFX Market Report: Wednesday 8th November 2023

At the end of the previous week, the US stock markets experienced a boost as recent data revealed a significant slowdown in job growth in the past month compared to September. The unemployment rate also saw a slight increase, indicating...
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IFX Market Report: Tuesday 21st November 2023

Rishi Sunak has committed to initiating tax reductions as he prepared for this week's Autumn Statement and outlined strategies for the upcoming UK general election. The prime minister expressed optimism that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt would unveil cuts to personal taxation...
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IFX Market Report: Thursday 30th November 2023

Andrew Bailey has underscored the challenging road ahead in returning inflation to the 2% target. He emphasized that there is currently no immediate likelihood of the Bank of England reducing interest rates, countering speculations in financial markets about an imminent...
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IFX Market Report: Wednesday 6th December 2023

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt attributed years of political instability to Brexit, acknowledging its adverse impact on the UK's economic stability. He likened the economic challenges to a "sprained ankle," disputing the characterization of a "broken leg," and defended the tax cuts...
4 min read

IFX Market Report: Thursday 21st December 2023

The past week has seen some of the usual ‘festive’ volatility creep into the markets, mainly fuelled by a conflict of data vs political commentary. The Bank of England maintained its current interest rates for the third consecutive meeting last...
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IFX Market Report: Tuesday 9th January 2024

Rishi Sunak, set out on Monday that the country is heading in the right direction as it enters an anticipated election year. He has placed the commitment to tax cuts at the forefront of his efforts to rejuvenate the Conservative...
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IFX Market Report: Thursday 1st February 2024

The IMF has cautioned the UK against implementing additional tax cuts in its latest evaluation of the global economy. The organization emphasized the need for higher spending to preserve public services and investment, suggesting that the government's current plans underestimate...
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IFX Market Report: Wednesday 21st February 2024

The governor of the Bank of England has indicated that the UK recession may have already concluded, citing "distinct signs of an upturn." Andrew Bailey stated that, compared to historical standards, this recession is notably weak, despite the 0.3% contraction...
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IFX Market Report: Wednesday 27th March 2024

The head of the Bank of England indicated that interest rate cuts are imminent, following a decision to maintain rates at 5.25%, their highest level in 16 years. Governor Andrew Bailey emphasized the need for further inflation reduction, but deemed...
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IFX Market Report: Friday 2nd August 2024

Thursday saw the bank of England drop interest rates for the first time since March 2020. Yesterdays 0.25% cut saw the BOE base rate fall from 5.25% to 5%. Rates in 2020 were 0.1% and remained there until rate hikes...