Royal Bank Of Scotland

Lower growth forecasts meant the Chancellor had some tough choices to make in last week’s Budget. By pressing ahead with business and personal tax cuts now he chose to postpone a big chunk of...

‘Outlook materially weaker’ At the start of the year the Chancellor talked about a cocktail of risks impacting on the UK economy. It is therefore not surprising that he has downgraded his...

As we move into Budget week in the UK, both domestic and international data and policy actions paint a mixed picture of the health of the world economy. The wait to see what this means for the public...

Global growth is slowing. The latest PMI survey says that it was at an almost 4-year low in February. The Chinese Authorities have already taken action and the European Central Bank is expected to do...

We’re all at risk of robots stealing our jobs, or so futurologists are fond of saying. For now though the UK is creating plenty of jobs for humans. The problem remains woeful productivity and...

Stock markets fell last week, but not all was doom and gloom. Financial clouds can have silver linings too.Surplus to requirements. Forecasting changes by the Office for Budget Responsibility gifted...

Markets expect the first rise in Bank Rate in December 2018. And judging from the Inflation Report, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) members seem at ease with this. Their reason? Global economic...

Recent oil price falls partly reflect a malaise in the world economy: weak demand. And with disappointing data from the US, the UK and the Euro Area, market expectations of interest rate rises in the...

Crossroads. The Bank of England is charting the middle course between the ECB that cut rates last week and the Federal Reserve, which is expected to raise rates on Wednesday. This will be the most...

Structural reform. That’s when govenments reform markets – for example to boost competition – and invest in assets, from people to roads. Structural reform delivers faster growth but...

Slower, smoother. The Chancellor presented his Spending Review last week and took the opportunity to reshape the path for government spending. Better tax receipt projections and savings from lower...

On your marks. The US Fed has given its clearest sign yet that it will fire the starting pistol in December for a round of interest rate rises, the first since mid-2004. It reckons the economy is...

Britain’s job market is in rude, good health. Employment is at record levels. In the past that has led to concerns that inflation might start to rise. Yet wage growth gives no cause for concern...

If the UK was an economic island cut off from the rest of the world the Bank of England would be close to raising interest rates. The economy is growing at a decent pace, eating up spare capacity....

All eyes were on the US last week as the Fed decided to leave rates on hold. That decision was vindicated by news of weak growth between July and September and continuing evidence of subdued...

Big hint. European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi last week gave his biggest hint yet that he stands ready toexpand the Bank’s quantitative easing programme.The programme, currently...