Our monthly read on what moved investment markets over the past month and what it could mean looking ahead. This issue looks back at January.
In this issue
The UK economy bounced back more strongly than expected, helped by a rebound in industry and a pick up in business activity. We cover a temporary looking rise in inflation, why most economists still expect price growth to slow, and a jobs market that stayed subdued with payroll numbers slipping. There is also a surprise rise in retail sales to round off the picture.
The month in numbers
Output rose 0.3 per cent in November, beating forecasts, lifted partly by Jaguar Land Rover returning to full production after its cyberattack. Business activity jumped to its fastest pace in almost two years. Inflation ticked up to 3.4 per cent in December, though tobacco and airfares did most of the lifting and the Bank’s Governor expects it back near target by spring. The softer note was the jobs market, where payrolls fell by 43,000 in a single month, even as retail sales managed a small surprise rise.
