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Tuesday newspaper round-up: Investment in the UK, London productivity, EPC

(Sharecast News) - Investment in the UK has trailed other G7 countries including the US and Germany since the mid-1990s, according to a report that urges Labour and the Conservatives to reverse planned cuts to investment or risk long-term damage to economic growth. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) thinktank found the UK was bottom of the G7 league for investment in 24 out of the last 30 years, using figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). - Guardian The consumer group Which? has called for an overhaul of the energy performance certificates (EPC) system after an investigation found assessments riddled with inaccuracies and unhelpful advice that could cost homeowners thousands of pounds. The investigation, which included Which? securing EPC assessments for 12 homeowners, found in one case an assessor had failed to mention a property's solar panels or wood burning stove in their final assessment, while the cost of upgrades recommended to another owner would not have been recouped for 29 years. - Guardian

London is dragging down Britain's productivity growth as office staff continue to work from home, new figures show. Productivity in the capital tumbled in 2022, according to the Office for National Statistics, taking output per hour worked - a key tool to measure each employee's efforts - to its lowest level since 2009. London's productivity dropped by 2.7pc between 2019 and 2022, the ONS said, with Wales the only other region to fall. - Telegraph

Britain has failed to improve on its disappointing record for business investment after ranking lowest among the G7 nations for a third consecutive year. According to new analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research, Britain came bottom of the league table of the group of seven leading economies in terms of investment by private companies in 2022. It was 28th out of 31 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, with only Greece, Luxembourg and Poland below it. - The Times

A Labour government risks fuelling inflation and job losses with its plan to introduce a "genuine living wage" for workers, economists at HSBC have warned. Sir Keir Starmer's party has pledged to overhaul the remit of the Low Pay Commission, the independent body that advises the government on the national minimum and living wages, to ensure that it considers the cost of living when it makes its recommendations. - The Times

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Thursday newspaper round-up: CMA, Riverford, Lloyds, Arm Holdings
(Sharecast News) - The appointment of the former boss of Amazon UK to lead the competition watchdog poses a threat to its independence and pledge to hold big tech to account, according to a group including tech companies and the former business secretary Vince Cable. The group - which includes the News Media Association, the Firefox developer Mozilla, the consumer group Which? and the Future of Technology Institute - has written to the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, to raise concerns about the appointment of Doug Gurr as the interim chair of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). - Guardian
Wednesday newspaper round-up: Thames Water, Johnson & Johnson, BoE
(Sharecast News) - Thames Water may need as much as £10bn in debt and equity investment to repair its finances, according to a representative of creditors hoping to lend the struggling utility another £3bn. London's high court heard evidence on Tuesday that suggested the UK's largest water company may need significantly more resources than the roughly £6.3bn it has previously indicated. - Guardian
Monday newspaper round-up: Zero-hours contracts, Barclays, Asos
(Sharecast News) - Hundreds of thousands of British workers are on zero-hours contracts despite being with the same employer for years, according to analysis from the TUC. The majority of zero-hours contract workers have been with their employer for more than 12 months, while one in eight have not been granted regular employment rights after more than a decade working in the same place, the organisation said. - Guardian
Friday newspaper round-up: Apple, Daily Mail, OpenAI, Homebase
(Sharecast News) - Apple slightly beat analysts' expectations in its first-quarter earnings for fiscal year 2025 on Thursday. The iPhone-maker's revenue rose by 4%, coming in at $124.30bn, barely above estimates of $124.12bn. Earnings per share were $2.40, just ahead of analysts' expectations of $2.35. Shares rose more than 8% in extended trading after CEO Tim Cook indicated in an earnings call on Thursday that Apple is on the trajectory for revenue growth next quarter. - Guardian

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

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