This year has seen sentiment towards the UK economic outlook turn full circle, from worries about a triple-dip recession to talk of an unsustainable housing boom, writes Ian Kernohan, Royal London Asset Management economist.
Reacting on everything from the revisions to the UKs growth outlook to changes to VCT, ISA and tax rules, 12 experts have their say on the Chancellors Autumn Statement.
The OBR is widely expected to revise up its UK growth predictions in Thursday’s Autumn Statement, but are bullish investors too complacent about Britain’s recovery?
Concern over Mark Carney’s use of forward guidance leading to interest rates rising as early as next year should not hide the fact that the UK economy is growing which is surely what everyone wants.
UK Equity Income was the best-selling IMA sector in September but, in the weeks and months before Neil Woodford’s departure was announced, it seems investors were already looking elsewhere.
Mid-cap stocks look to be key beneficiaries following the encouraging UK GDP data from the Office for National Statistics, according to industry commentators.
Shoppers can finally begin loosening their belts but not if official data is to be believed.
UK dividends are set to break the £100bn mark in 2014 but they have missed expectations for the third quarter of this year.
So that was the UK recovery. Did you enjoy it? Recent industrial production figures show unpromising signs for the UK economy with manufacturing data falling and the jobless rate remaining high despite benefits claims coming down.
Old Mutual Global Investors’ Richard Buxton believes UK equities are in a new bull phase, forecasting the FTSE 100 could reach 7,300 points in 2014.
As fears of a triple dip recession begin to subside and stronger economic data emerges, the UK is once again becoming a more attractive investment proposition.
We Brits have plenty of reasons to be optimistic this summer. The sun is shining, we have a Wimbledon champion, the FTSE remains relatively resilient and the IMF has just topped it all off by raising its UK growth forecast from 0.7% to 0.9%.
