Afternoon summary
Time for a recap….
The price of crude oil has topped $95 a barrel for the first time this year.
The rise threatens to push up petrol prices at the pump, undermining efforts to bring down inflation.
The CBI has scrapped its annual meeting scheduled for tomorrow, as it battles a cashflow crisis, and replaced it with a fireside chat with members.
The move comes after the business lobby group tried to raise £3m from members, amid talks with manufacturers body Make UK over a possible merger.
The UK’s financial regulator has found no evidence showing banks have shut or denied accounts to customers based primarily on their political beliefs, according to a preliminary review launched in the wake of the Nigel Farage debanking row.
Inflation in the eurozone has dropped, bringing some relief in the cost of living squeeze. Consumer prices in the euro area rose by 5.2% in the year to August, down from 5.3% in July.
The OECD has raised its forecast for global growth this year. In its latest economic forecasts, the OECD also predicted Germany’s economy will shrink in 2023, and warned that the UK will have the highest inflation among G7 members this year.
BP has appointed its first female CFO, Kate Thomson, as it reshuffles its top executives following the departure of Bernard Looney last week.
The boss of Cboe Global Markets, which owns the Chicago Board Options Exchange and the stock exchange operator BATS Global Markets, has also resigned today after not disclosing personal relationships with colleagues.
In the UK corporate world, online retailer Naked Wines has warned of a “material uncertainty” that may cast “significant doubt” on the group’s ability to continue as a going concern….
…while Kingfisher has reported that British consumers are continuing to spend on improving their homes and gardens as an alternative to moving home amid soaring mortgage rates and a surge in household bills….
…and holiday operator TUI has extended the season for Greece and Turkey to November in response to increased demand, after extreme temperatures over the summer disrupted some holidaymakers’ plans.
And Avanti, one of Britain’s least reliable train operators, has been awarded a long-term contract to keep running intercity services on the west coast main line.
The CBI, the ailing business group, has acknowledged its financial travails for the first time as it postponed what was set to be a crucial annual meeting this week, says Sky News’s Mark Kleinman.
He adds:
The AGM postponement is the latest chaotic chapter in a dire year for what was once Britain’s most influential business group, which was brought to its knees in the spring by a wide-ranging sexual misconduct scandal.
Revealed: The CBI, the stricken business group, has acknowledged for the first time that it is facing financial difficulties but insists it is "in positive dialogue over finalising financing options" and is "confident" it will resolve its funding shortfall. Full story here soon.
— Mark Kleinman (@MarkKleinmanSky) September 19, 2023
Updated
Instead of holding their annual meeting, the CBI are instead offering members an audience with its president, Brian McBride and director general, Rain Newton-Smith, tomorrow morning.
In what looks to be a fireside chat with members, McBride and Newton-Smith will:
Outline the work we’re doing to advocate on your behalf through the autumn.
Share their thoughts on the current political and economic environment, and what it means for your business.
Update you on the latest developments at the CBI.
CBI postpones annual meeting at last minute amid cash flow problems
Newsflash: The Confederation of British Industry has postponed its annual meeting which had been scheduled for tomorrow, as it battles cashflow problems.
The CBI has told its members that it has taken the decision to move the AGM, saying:
“At the CBI, we’re serious about our commitment to you, to be more accountable and transparent in our decision-making and work. As has been reported, the CBI has experienced some short term cashflow challenges.
To reassure members, we are in positive dialogue over finalising financing options and are confident that we will be able to resolve this short-term issue and secure the footing of an organisation that remains in a strong medium to long term position.
But given the significant interest in the CBI right now, we are opening-up and refocusing our previously planned AGM.”
Over the weekend, it was reported that the CBI was seeking £3m from its members to tide itself over.
It had been due to present its accounts at the annual meeting, meaning it was under pressure to come up with a plan to show that it can continue operating, following an exodus of members earlier this year.
The CBI, which is Britain’s largest corporate lobbying organisation, has been in discussions with manufacturing group Make UK about a tie-up, in an unexpected twist to its battle to recover from sexual misconduct allegations revealed by the Guardian.
But, the CBI’s pension scheme may be an obstacle to a deal.
Updated
Online specialist Naked Wines has warned of a “material uncertainty” that may cast “significant doubt” on the group’s ability to continue as a going concern.
Chairman Rowan Gormley said:
“Make no mistake, trading conditions are tough.”
Gormley said high inflation, higher taxes on alcohol and falling disposable incomes had put pressure on sales, costs and cash flow while the number of new customers signing up had fallen as shoppers return to high streets and supermarkets after the pandemic lockdowns.
Naked said trading in the three months from April 2023 was below expectations, with total sales 18% lower than the same period a year before, sales to new customers 41% down and repeat customers falling 15%. The company said that if trading worsened it may not be able to generate sufficient cash to meet the conditions on some of its debts.
The listed wine merchant had a $60m lending facility – half of which was provided by the failed Silicon Valley Bank - which has now been taken on by First Citizens Bank - which requires it to have a minimum cash balance of $20m.
Naked said if could foresee a potential “severe but plausible downside” of not enough customers making repeat orders so that it would not have enough cash to meet its lenders’ requirements. It said the scale of the asset-backed lending facility could also be limited because it is partly based on the value of its US-based wine stocks.
Henry Boot has become the latest construction, land promotion and housebuilding company to feel the hit from a slowing housing market and economy.
It has reported a 38% slump in profits for the six months to the end of June. Its construction division is “trading below management’s expectations” as projects have been delayed.
All new construction work fell by 2.1%, including a 6.7% drop in private housing. However, revenues rose by a quarter to nearly £180m as the company sold more land and built more houses. Its Stonebridge Homes division builds upmarket five-bedroom homes priced at £500,000, on average, in Yorkshire, although some cost over £800,000.
It is on track to build 250 homes this year, up from 180 last year, and wants to ramp this up to 600 homes a year, eventually. Tim Roberts, the chief executive, said its customers tend to be partners of accountancy firms, lawyers and successful businesspeople.
Since the Covid pandemic, which led to more people working from home, the builder has been installing pitched roofs on detached garages to create an office space – although one customer chose to turn this into a James Bond-themed room.
Kemi Badenoch, secretary of state for business and trade, is up in front of MPs on the business and trade committee.
She has been discussing the £500m UK government support package agreed last week, which will secure the future of the huge Port Talbot steelworks in south Wales, but could lead to up to 3,000 workers losing their jobs.
The deal will also see owner Tata also put in about £725m to help it transition to greener production methods.
Badenoch said:
“The problem we are trying to solve is how do we make sure we don’t create a catastrophe in Port Talbot where everybody loses their jobs, that includes not just the 8,000 people that work for Tata but the rest of the supply chain, how do we regenerate the area, how do we make sure that we’re hitting carbon emissions. And this deal was the one that ticked all those boxes.”
David Bickerton, director general of the business group at the department for business and trade, said Tata expected to close the plant, so UK officials worked to create a “model which an economically rational investor would remain invested in for the long term”.
Tata bosses are due to meet with unions in London tomorrow (as we flagged earlier)
In New York, shares have opened a little lower as investors await tomorrow’s interest rate decision from the US Federal Reserve.
The Dow Jones industrial average, which tracks 30 large US companies, has slipped by 48 points or 0.14% to 34,576.
The broader S&P 500 is 0.15% lower.
But shares in energy producers are getting a boost from the rising oil price, with Exxon up 0.5% and Chevron gaining 0.8%.
Cboe chief resigns after failing to disclose personal relationships with colleagues
Newsflash: Another chief executive has fallen on his sword for not disclosing personal relationships with colleagues.
Cboe Global Markets, which owns the Chicago Board Options Exchange and the stock exchange operator BATS Global Markets, has announced that chairman and CEO Edward Tilly has resigned.
The company’s Board of Directors determined that Tilly did not disclose personal relationships with colleagues, which “violated Cboe’s policies” and was “in stark contrast to the company’s values”.
The conduct was “not related to and does not impact the company’s strategy, financial performance, technology and market operations, reporting, or internal controls,” Cboe adds.
William M. Farrow, III, who has been named non-executive Chairman, says:
“Cboe strives to uphold the highest ethical standards across the organization, and fully investigates and takes appropriate action when it determines that any of its policies have been violated.”
Cboe Global Markets said Edward Tilly has resigned following an investigation that determined the CEO didn’t disclose personal relationships with colleagues https://t.co/K3BFzBJlH2
— Bloomberg Crypto (@crypto) September 19, 2023
Updated
Canadian inflation rises to 4%
Canada has just bucked the trend of lower inflation, reporting its second monthly rise in the cost of living in a row.
Canada’s annual consumer prices index has risen to 4% in August, up from 3.3% in July.
This was largely the result of a 0.8% increase in gasoline prices, year-on-year, in August, after they fell 12.9% in the year to July.
Statistics Canada adds:
In addition to facing higher energy prices, Canadians paid more for rent and mortgage interest in August.
Moderating the all-items CPI were declines in prices for travel-related services and a smaller increase in food prices compared with the previous month.
🔥
— Michael Brown (@MrMBrown) September 19, 2023
*CANADA INFLATION QUICKENS TO 4% Y/Y IN AUG. VS. 3.8% EST.
U.S. housing starts drop to lowest level since June 2020
Over in the US, housebuilding stumbled last month.
The number of new house-building projects, or ‘housing starts’, fell by 11.3% in August compared to July, to an annualised rate of 1.283 million homes.
That’s the lowest level since June 2020, implying a weakening in the US housebuilding sector last month.
🚨Housing Starts:
— HaiKhuu (@HaiKhuuTrading) September 19, 2023
Number 1.283M (Forecast 1.439M, Previous 1.452M)
Change MoM -11.3% (Forecast -0.9%, Previous 3.9%)
🚨Building Permits:
Number 1.543M (Forecast 1.44M, Previous 1.443M)
Change MoM Actual 6.9% (Forecast -0.2%, Previous 0.1%) pic.twitter.com/iprhqCM9Mv
But the number of building permits, giving permission to kick off a new build, rose 6.9%, suggesting the housing market is absorbing the impact of higher interest rates.
Housing starts fall sharply - by 11% - but permits rise. pic.twitter.com/LqyGMiluoB
— Kathy Jones (@KathyJones) September 19, 2023
Updated
In a boost to consumers, the corn price has dropped to a three-year low today.
The most-active corn contract on the Chicago Board of Trade has dipped by 0.7% today to around $4.68 a bushel this morning, after touching a near three-year low for a second straight session.
Reuters has the details:
Chicago corn slipped on Tuesday to remain at its lowest levels since December 2020 as an advancing U.S. harvest kept attention on ample international supply following a record Brazilian crop.
Wheat futures extended losses from Monday as competitive Russian prices and moves to load grain from war-torn Ukraine underscored ongoing competition from Black Sea supplies.
Soybeans slipped to a one-month low, pressured by the early stages of the U.S. harvest as well as monthly crushing data that disappointed traders.
Consultancy Agritel said.
“Corn and soybeans are slipping back as harvest pressure begins in the United States.”
🇺🇸U.S. #corn and #soybeans are maturing faster than normal, though harvest is still in the early stages. Spring #wheat harvest is nearly wrapped up and winter wheat is 15% planted. pic.twitter.com/z9pOpLbYvZ
— Karen Braun (@kannbwx) September 18, 2023
🌽#CropWatch23 #corn is either at maturity or almost there. No reductions in yield expectations this week, but favorable filling weather last week may have added in Ohio and W Iowa. Kansas field is done and SE IL is in progress. pic.twitter.com/zLqqCRiZEW
— Karen Braun (@kannbwx) September 18, 2023
Just hours after publishing its scoop on the FCA’s inquiry into debanking, the Financial Times now have a column on the issue from the regulator’s CEO himself.
Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority, writes that the regulator “decided to revisit the issue” of debanking after a flurry of reports that banks were closing accounts based on their customers’ political beliefs.
Rathi says the FCA will carry out more work, having its initial review found politicians were not being denied accounts because of their views.
So far, data from 34 banks, building societies and payment companies does not point to a systemic problem of people being de-banked because of their political views. According to that information it has not been the primary driver for any personal account closures.
We will undertake further checks to be doubly sure and to understand more about what are described as “reputational” factors behind a number of closures.
Rathi says banks need to get the balance right, when considering concerns about financial crime and their tolerance for risk.
He warns:
In the face of rising financial crime, the FCA is working with the government and others to clamp down on the misuse of financial services. There is a risk, however, that as parliament introduces measures such as a new offence of failing to prevent fraud, banks err on the side of caution.
Our work has shown that financial crime and risk tolerance are the main causes of closure for active accounts. We need an open conversation about getting the balance right.
— Financial Conduct Authority (@TheFCA) September 19, 2023
Read the @FinancialTimes's article with our Chief Executive, Nikhil Rathi.https://t.co/gk1clSZHxQ
It’s official: The UK’s financial regulator has found no evidence showing banks have shut or denied accounts to customers based primarily on their political beliefs.
That’s according to a preliminary review launched in the wake of the Nigel Farage debanking row, which has just been published.
As flagged this morning… despite growing concerns that customers have been quietly discriminated against due to their political views, the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) said initial findings showed the primary reason for accounts being closed, suspended, or denied was either that the account was inactive, or that they had concerns that the customer was involved in financial crime.
The FCA’s chief executive Nikhil Rathi said.
“While no bank, building society or payment firm reported to us that they had closed accounts primarily due to someone’s political views, further work is needed for us to be sure.
That will involve verifying the initial data gathered from 34 banks, building societies and payment companies, covering the year to June, including cases where accounts were closed because the customers posed a “reputational risk”.
Conservative MP Danny Kruger, though, isn’t impressed with the FCA’s work:
So the regulator who presided over the political debanking scandal has failed to find evidence of it. They simply asked banks if they were guilty without asking those who thought they might be victims to come forwards. We now need to ask serious questions about the FCA itself https://t.co/E2UhJrpWDu
— Danny Kruger (@danny__kruger) September 19, 2023
We’ll find out tomorrow morning how the UK’s inflation rate compared with that of the eurozone.
The UK’s annual CPI index is expected to rise to 7.0% in August, up from 6.8% in July, driven by an increase in clothing costs and higher wages.
In terms of actual data …
— Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) September 19, 2023
Eurozone inflation down a touch to 5.2% last month… core inflation down too but a little higher at 5.3%
EU-wide inflation down to 5.9%.
UK inflation in July was 6.8%, and August figures will be released tomorrow morning. Some fears it might go up.
Tata execs due to discuss steel job cuts
A trio of top bosses from Indian conglomerate Tata are to meet with unions in a plush London hotel to determine the future of thousands of UK steelworkers tomorrow morning.
Last week it emerged that, as part of a £500m UK government support package, as many as 3,000 workers at Tata Steel could lose their jobs across three sites, including the vast Port Talbot steelwork in south Wales.
The Tata execs – finance chief Koushik Chatterjee; Raghav Sud, its chief of financial strategy and governance, and Rajesh Nair, who is a UK director – will meet with representatives from the Unite, GMB and Community unions.
It is understood they will meet in the luxurious surroundings of St James’s Court Hotel – a five star hotel near Buckingham Palace, a world away from the grit of industrial steel production.
Unions are expected to push against any compulsory redundancies being enforced, with many employees already expected to take voluntary redundancy. About 2,000 jobs expected to come from Port Talbot’s 4,000-strong workforce.
The decarbonisation plans for the steelworks are also expected to be discussed.
As part of the deal, Tata is expected to inject about £725m to help the company transition to greener production methods.
Here’s Charles Hepworth, investment director of GAM Investments, on this morning’s eurozone inflation data:
“The final reading for EU CPI in August slowed just a little bit more than the previous initial estimate, which indicated inflation on an annualised basis fell to 5.2% versus the initial reading of 5.3%.
It still remains stubbornly above the European Central Bank’s target rate of 2%, and with an accompanying oil price spike seen over the last few months, this will continue to raise headaches for the ECB’s Governing Council. The direction of travel however in inflation will undoubtedly be the welcome silver lining amid this cloud of inflation uncertainty.
Rates are now at the expected peak level in the Eurozone and we should expect them to remain at this level for some time.”
Full story: Germany will suffer worst from world economic slowdown, says OECD
Germany is expected to experience the heaviest blow from a slowdown in the world economy driven by higher interest rates and weaker global trade, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has warned.
In downbeat forecasts for the world economy, the Paris-based organisation said Europe’s largest economy was likely to be the only G20 country apart from Argentina to shrink this year during a wider international slowdown.
After a stronger-than-expected start to 2023, helped by lower energy prices and China’s easing of Covid restrictions, the OECD said activity across leading countries was slowing towards the end of the year before a weaker 2024.
The impact of higher interest rates to tackle sky-high inflation after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has added to pressure on households and businesses, while Germany’s manufacturing-heavy economy grapples with weaker global trade volumes.
The OECD has also predicted that the UK will see the highest inflation rate of the world’s G7 advanced economies this year.
In its new forecasts, just released, the OECD predicts UK inflation of 7.2% for 2023, increasing its previous forecast of 6.9% from June.
This would be the fastest rate across the G7 and third fastest across the G20.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:
“Today the OECD have set out a challenging global picture, but it is good news that they expect UK inflation to drop below 3% next year.
“It is only by halving inflation that we can deliver higher growth and living standards.
“We were among the fastest in the G7 to recover from the pandemic, and the IMF (International Monetary Fund) have said we will grow faster than Germany, France and Italy in the long term.”
But Liberal Democrat spokeswoman for Treasury and business Sarah Olney is unimpressed by the OECD’s prediction that the UK will only grow by 0.3% this year (the third slowest in the G20, after Germany and Argentina).
Olney says:
“This damning report shows that under the Conservatives the UK economy is stuck in the slow lane.
“We’ve had zero apology from Liz Truss for trashing the economy, and now zero plan from Rishi Sunak to fix it.
“It’s time for a proper plan to grow the economy and tackle the cost of living.”
The rising oil price threatens to undermine the falling inflation rate in the eurozone, warns Richard Flax, chief investment officer at Moneyfarm.
Flax says:
Eurozone inflation fell faster than initially expected in August 2023, with the final data reading 5.2%. This is down from 5.3% in July and lower than the initial estimate of 5.3%. Compared to July, inflation fell across 15 countries, rose in 11, and remained stable in one. The significant contributors were food, alcohol, and tobacco (9.7% in August vs 10.8% in July) and services (5.5% in August vs 5.6% in July), while energy prices declined by 3.3% YoY.
However, a fresh inflationary headwind is on the horizon globally with oil prices continuing the climb towards $100 a barrel for the first time in a year. Brent crude is currently at an upwards of $95 a barrel, driven by concerns of a supply constrains after output reductions from Saudi Arabia and Russia have been extended to the end of the year. With OPEC+ announcing a deficit of 3 million barrels for Q4 2023, $100 per barrel remains very much in sight.
The elevated cost of energy will be concerning for central banks as this can add to the inflationary pressures at a time when they are aiming to end the tightening cycle.
There is a strong consensus that the Fed may leave borrowing costs unchanged tomorrow and not rule out a future hike, but the BoE may favour a rate hike on Thursday.
The drop in eurozone inflation to 5.2% last month could encourage the European Central Bank to stop raising interest rates, having lifted them to record highs last week.
Craig Erlam, senior market analyst for UK & EMEA at OANDA, says:
Eurozone headline inflation was slightly lower than initially reported in August while core was unrevised and is now modestly higher.
Both are expected to fall going into next year and today’s revisions are unlikely to alter the view of the ECB which has already decided that no more rate hikes will likely be needed. As with all favourable data though, it may come as a small relief that surprises in the data are finally in the right direction.
Euro-area inflation slowed last month after all, according to revised data that will support European Central Bank officials saying no more interest-rate hikes are needed https://t.co/XeP5EKt3Ph
— Bloomberg Economics (@economics) September 19, 2023
Updated
OECD lifts global growth forecast
The OECD has raised its forecast for global growth, thanks to a stronger than expected US economy, and despite a weakening German economy.
The Paris-based body has lifted its forecast for global GDP growth to 3.0% this year, up from the 2.7% forecast in June, but still slower than the 3.3% expansion in 2022.
But, global growth is expected to slow to 2.7% in 2024 – down from its estimate of 2.9% in June.
The OECD is rather more upbeat about the US economy than three months ago – it now predicts US GDP will grow 2.2% this year rather than the 1.6% it forecast in June. That’s because America’s economy has been more resilient than expected as US interest rates have been raised higher.
But China’s growth forecast for 2023 has been cut to 5.1% this year, down from 5.4% earlier forecast, with a slowdown to 4.6% next year.
Germany’s economy is now expected to shrink by 0.2% this year, down from a previous forecast of flat growth, followed by 0.9% growth in 2024 (down from 1.3% previously).
The UK economy is still expected to grow by just 0.3% this year, with 2024’s growth forecast revised down to 0.8% from 1%.
The OECD warns there is a risk that inflation will be ‘more persistent than expected”:
Headline inflation has continued to come down in many countries, driven by the decline of food and energy prices in the first half of 2023. However, core inflation – inflation excluding the most volatile components, energy and food – hasn’t significantly slowed. It remains well above central banks’ targets.
A key risk is that inflation could continue to prove more persistent than expected, which would mean interest rates need to tighten further or remain higher for longer.
Core inflation across the eurozone, which strips out energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, dropped to 5.3% per year in August, from 5.5% in July.
🇪🇺 Euro area inflation declined slightly on a YoY basis but remains elevated and far from the ECB's target
— Nikolay Kolarov, CFA (@libertniko) September 19, 2023
Aug-23 HICP:
➡️ EA: 5.2% headline YoY (down from 5.3% in July and from 9.1% Aug-22) and 0.5% MoM; Core HICP is at 5.3% YoY
➡️ EU: 5.9% headline YoY (down from 6.1% in July… pic.twitter.com/znyLs5Lm1A
Updated
Although the rate of eurozone inflation fell last month, that doesn’t mean prices are falling, of course.
On a monthly basis, eurozone consumer prices rose by 0.5% during August.
🇪🇺 Eurozone CPI (yoy) for August actual: 5.2% vs 5.3% previous; est 5.3%. Eurozone CPI (mom) for August actual: 0.5% vs 0.6% previous; est 0.6%. #stockmarkets
— Millions Capital (@Millionscapital) September 19, 2023
Updated
Eurozone inflation falls to 5.2%
Newsflash: inflation across the eurozone fell last month.
Consumer prices across the single currency area rose by 5.2% in the year to August, down from 5.3% in July, and lower than the 5.3% initially estimated for August.
The highest annual rates were recorded in Hungary (14.2%), Czechia (10.1%) and Slovakia (9.6%), while the lowest annual rates were registered in Denmark (2.3%), Spain and Belgium (both 2.4%).
Compared with July, annual inflation fell in fifteen Member States, remained stable in one and rose in eleven.
But this still leaves inflation well over the European Central Bank’s inflation target of 2%.
Euro area annual #inflation at 5.2% in August 2023, down from 5.3% in July https://t.co/Zk9TgHmKhd pic.twitter.com/k06nSdcWVL
— EU_Eurostat (@EU_Eurostat) September 19, 2023
Food, alcohol & tobacco prices were 9.7% higher than a year ago, down from 10.8% in the year to July.
Services inflation dipped to 5.5% from 5.6%, while industrial goods inflation dropped to 4.7% from 5%
Energy prices continued to pull inflation lower; they were 3.3% lower than a year ago.
Updated
BP appoints first female CFO
Oil giant BP has appointed Kate Thomson as interim chief financial officer, stepping into the role after Murray Auchincloss left the post to become interim chief executive.
She will be BP’s first female CFO, a company spokesman confirmed.
The reshuffle at the top of the oil giant’s leadership team follows the shock exit of Bernard Looney last week amid an ongoing investigation into his undisclosed personal relationships with BP staff.
Auchincloss and Thomson, previously BP’s finance boss for production and operations, are under pressure to assure investors that the company’s sex scandal will not derail its ability to deliver on its strategy.
Auchincloss said Thomson brings “deep technical knowledge together with a detailed understanding of BP, and has a first-class track record of leadership across our finance function”.
On the rising oil price, Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, says:
Oil prices are still staying stubbornly high, with the benchmark Brent Crude creeping up further, hovering around $95 a barrel as concerns wash around about just how tight supply will be over the coming months, particularly if China’s economy stops stumbling and gets on a more even footing.
Forecasts from the US Energy Information Administration that shale production is set to fall for a third month in a row in key regions is adding to the upwards pressure on oil prices.
Full story: Farage row: no evidence of politicians being debanked, watchdog set to find
The UK’s financial regulator is expected to say it found no evidence that UK politicians are being denied bank accounts or other financial services, after launching a review in the wake of the Nigel Farage debanking row.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is due to release the results of its review by the end of the week, after contacting banks last month.
The review is expected to say there is no evidence to show that individuals are being denied services primarily on the basis of their political views.
Updated
The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are pressing on with their plan to meet in Marrakech next month, despite the devastating earthquake that has killed almost 3,000 people.
The meeting will take place from October 9th to 15th in Marrakech, just 45 miles (72 km) from the site of the 6.8-magnitude earthquake.
In a joint statement, World Bank President Ajay Banga; International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director Kristalina Georgieva; and Kingdom of Morocco minister of economy and finance Nadia Fettah Alaoui, says:
“Since the devastating earthquake in Morocco on September 8, the World Bank and the IMF staff have worked in close coordination with the Moroccan authorities and a team of experts to thoroughly assess Marrakech’s capacity to host the 2023 Annual Meetings. In undertaking this assessment, key considerations were that the Meetings would not disrupt vital relief and reconstruction efforts, and that the safety of the participants can be assured.
Based on a careful review of the findings, the Managements of the World Bank and IMF, together with the Moroccan authorities, have agreed to proceed with holding the 2023 Annual Meetings in Marrakech from October 9 to 15, adapting the content to the circumstances.
As we look ahead to the Meetings, it is of utmost importance that we conduct them in a way that does not hamper the relief efforts under way and that is respectful to the victims and the Moroccan people. At this very difficult time, we believe that the Annual Meetings also provide an opportunity for the international community to stand by Morocco and its people, who have once again shown resilience in the face of tragedy. We also remain committed to ensuring the safety of all participants.”
Together w/ the @WorldBank and the Moroccan government, we are announcing today that our Marrakech Annual Meetings (Oct 9-15) will take place. We have been assured that the city can host the Meetings safely & they would not hamper recovery efforts. [1/2] pic.twitter.com/a2ZielyOjT
— Kristalina Georgieva (@KGeorgieva) September 18, 2023
We commend the Moroccan authorities who have worked very hard on these Mtgs for several years & now under more challenging conditions than ever. We will come to🇲🇦with all our hearts, eager to make a success of the Mtgs & to highlight 🇲🇦’s resilience. [2/2]https://t.co/SQBh8P3UAY
— Kristalina Georgieva (@KGeorgieva) September 18, 2023
In the City, B&Q owner Kingfisher has cut its full-year earnings outlook after being hit by wet weather and low consumer confidence.
Pre-tax profits at Kingfisher dropped by a third in the six months to 31 July, the company reported this morning, to £317m from £474m. Like-for-like sales were down 2.2%.
Thierry Garnier, chief executive officer, says:
“Our LFL sales in H1 were slightly ahead of expectations, against a backdrop of unseasonal weather and ongoing macroeconomic challenges in our markets.
Although sales in the UK & Ireland were up 1.7%, they fell 3.8% in France and by almost 11% in Poland.
Josh Warner, market analyst at City Index, says:
Kingfisher missed the mark in the first half and warned profits will fall further than previously anticipated over the full year. Analysts already had doubts over its annual goal but the cut today was much sharper than hoped thanks to tepid sales and because the inflationary environment is weighing on margins.
Updated
The options markets are now pricing a 45% probability of Brent staying above $90/bbl by January 2024, reports Stephen Innes, managing partner at SPI Asset Management.
There is also a tail risk that oil is repriced higher, Innes says, adding:
Still, many in the oil markets think OPEC+ is unlikely to pursue prices over $100/bbl, but they see near-term bullish risks to their forecasts from recent developments.
The recent surge in oil prices, which have reached a 10-month high of $95 per barrel (bbl), is causing ripples across the global economy and financial markets. One of the contributing factors to this surge is the extended unilateral output cuts implemented by major oil-producing nations like Saudi Arabia and Russia. These cuts have effectively tightened the global oil supply, pushing prices higher.
This rise in oil prices carries significant implications for inflation. Oil plays a crucial role in various industries, and as energy costs increase, it tends to lead to higher prices for goods and services. Consequently, there’s a growing concern about the potential inflationary pressures this could exert on the global economy, potentially leading to an unfavourable shift in the global growth/inflation balance.
The main story at the start of this week has been the “relentless rise” in the oil price, says Jim Reid, strategist at Deutsche Bank.
Reid told clients this morning:
The recent rises are already filtering through into retail gasoline prices, with the US daily average from the AAA at an 11-month high of $3.88/gallon on Sunday.
Given those fresh signs of inflationary pressures, investors moved to price in that interest rates would remain higher for longer into 2024.
For instance, the rate priced in for the Fed’s June 2024 meeting hit a new high for this cycle at 5.16%, suggesting that investors don’t expect much in the way of cuts anytime soon. It was the same story for other central banks, with the June 2024 rate for the ECB (+7.9bps) and the BoE (+2.2bps) also moving higher.
FT: UK regulator finds no evidence of politicians being ‘debanked’ over views
A review by the chief UK financial regulator has reportedly found no evidence that politicians are being denied bank accounts because of their views.
People briefed on the findings has told the Financial Times that the Financial Conduct Authority’s probe into ‘debanking’ has not found any cases where political views were the “primary” reason for personal account closures.
The investigation was launched in August, called by chancellor Jeremy Hunt in the furore over the closure of Nigel Farage’s Coutts bank account.
Farage had claimed that Coutts decided to close his account because his views “did not align” with the lender, sparking a row over free speech in the UK, and claims of discrimination.
The FCA is aware the data used in its review was compiled quickly and that not all banks have good systems for monitoring and recording why accounts are closed or refused, said two people briefed on its work.
They added that the regulator would carry out further work to ensure that banks and payment companies are not unfairly denying access to services.
A 40-page document compiled by Coutts showed that the bank decided to put Farage on a “glide path” to be exited as a customer once his mortgage expired, as that put him below the qualifying threshold to be a customer.
But the Coutts dossier also warned of an “increased reputational risk” of continuing to bank Farage. It said his opinions did not align with the bank’s own views, and that Farage was “considered by many to be a disingenuous grifter”.
Farage is not happy about the FCA’s findings, telling the Financial Times last night:
“This is farcical. There are plenty of examples of prominent Brexiteers being debanked. The FCA are part of the problem.”
New - This will be a big story tomorrow. FCA review finds no evidence of politicians being "debanked" for their views. @Nigel_Farage tells the @FT: "This is farcical. The FCA are part of the problem." Scoop with the excellent @LauraNoonanFT https://t.co/w2eswK8EPb
— George Parker (@GeorgeWParker) September 18, 2023
Introduction: Oil hits $95 per barrel amid supply worries
Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy.
The oil price is continuing its march towards $100 a barrel for the first time in almost a year, creating new inflationary headaches for central bankers.
Brent crude, the international benchmark, has pushed over $95 per barrel this morning, the highest since November 2022.
Oil is being driven up by concerns of a supply deficit, following recent output cuts by Saudi Arabia and Russia, which have been extended until the end of this year.
Kyle Rodda, senior financial market analyst at capital.com, says:
Despite looking technically overbought, the upside momentum looks strong, with a combination of supply and demand drivers supporting the rally. Of course, the big story here is the expected shortfall in supply flagged by OPEC+ last week.
The cartel says it sees a deficit of 3 million barrels per day in the final quarter of this year, which would be the largest since 2007. The increase in oil price is fuelling higher yields, especially at the long end, although equity markets have proven surprisingly resilient.
Brent crude began 2022 below $80 per barrel, before soaring to around $130/barrel after Russia invaded Ukraine last March – fuelling the surge in inflation last year.
Oil did then fall back, but has been climbing since the end of June, pushing up petrol and diesel prices in the UK, for example.
Higher oil prices risk making inflation more persistent, just at a time when central bankers are inching towards ending their cycle of rising interest rates. The US Federal Reserve may leave borrowing costs on hold tomorrow, though the Bank of England may vote to hike again on Thursday.
$100 per barrel is in sight now. And Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodity analyst at SEB, predicts that oil demand will weaken should prices continue to rise, over $100/barrel.
Schieldrop says:
“The overall situation is that Saudi Arabia and Russia are in solid control of the oil market. The global market is either balanced or in deficit and both crude and product stocks are still low.
Thus we have a tight market both in terms of supplies and inventories, so there should be limited downside in oil prices. We are highly likely to see Dated Brent moving above USD 100/b. It is now less than USD 5/b away from that level and only noise is needed to bring it above.
The agenda
10am BST: OECD’s global economic outlook
10am BST: Eurozone inflation report for August
2.15pm BST: Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch appears before the Business & Trade Committee
