UK Government Appoints Experienced Economist to Budget Responsibility Committee
The UK’s pursuit of economic stability takes a step forward as Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt nominates Tom Josephs for a vital role in the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). Josephs’s diverse background, including his current position as Director of Private Pensions at the Department for Work and Pensions, makes him a prime candidate to join the Budget Responsibility Committee (BRC). His experience in domestic and international economic analysis and history at the OBR positions him to provide valuable insights into the country’s fiscal planning. With approval from the Treasury Committee, Josephs’s potential appointment adds a knowledgeable voice to the economic forefront.
Sri Lanka announces budget aimed at clinching IMF deal, sees recovery by end-2023
The crisis-hit Sri Lankan economy can turnaround by end of 2023 if budget policies, which are not limited to the International Monetary Fund’s recommendations, are followed, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said in the budget speech on Monday.
UK banks start cutting ‘Truss premium’ from mortgage rates, but slowly
Having hiked mortgage rates after political turmoil drove up the cost of borrowing, British banks are now cutting home loan prices, albeit slowly, as markets calm since Liz Truss’s government collapsed and Rishi Sunak took power.
Japan ramps up intervention threats after yen slides past key 150 level
Japanese policymakers made fresh threats of intervention on Thursday after the yen tumbled past the key psychological level of 150 to the dollar, keeping investors on high alert in case Tokyo steps into markets again to support the fragile currency.
UK mortgage market faces ‘significant stress’ – Morgan Stanley
Britain’s mortgage market faces significant stress as households struggle to meet the surging cost of home loans, investment bank Morgan Stanley said in a research note on Monday.
Analysis: British banks’ mortgage payday comes with sting in the tail
While British households head into a winter of soaring energy costs, a tumbling currency and nearly double-digit inflation, the country’s banks are in line for a handsome payday as mortgage prices spike after a decade of stagnation.
Analysis: Sterling returns to the 1980s, and it may get cheaper still
Sterling’s slide against the dollar to a rate last seen in 1985 has sparked talk of a dramatic spiral downwards that ends in a collapse in confidence in British assets and a balance of payments crisis.
Factbox: What is in France’s new inflation-relief package
The French government is set to present a much-awaited package of inflation-relief measures on Wednesday in a first test of its ability to pass sorely needed legislation since it lost control of parliament.
Explainer: How Macron’s inflation relief law tests France’s new political order
President Emmanuel Macron’s government will get its first taste of life under France’s new political order in the days ahead when it tables a bill to help households cope with runaway inflation without a controlling majority in parliament.
Explainer: What would Japan’s currency intervention to combat a weak yen look like?
Japan’s government and the central bank are “concerned” about recent sharp yen declines and stand ready to respond as needed on currency policy, they said in a rare joint statement on Friday.
