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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2016/jul/20/uk-jobless-claims-expected-to-rise-business-live
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| UK jobless rate hits lowest in more than a decade - business live | UK jobless rate hits lowest in more than a decade - business live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 10.16am BST | |
| 10:16 | |
| Bank of England agents: no clear sign of Brexit slowdown | |
| There is “no clear sign” that a UK slowdown is underway since the Brexit vote, according to the Bank of England’s network of regional agents. | |
| Bank agents talk to businesses around the country to gain clues about how the economy is really doing, and the July report is the first since the 23 June referendum. | |
| The agents reported that while business uncertainty had “risen markedly”, there was little evidence that consumers were spending less. | |
| A majority of firms spoken with did not expect a near-term impact from the result on their investment or staff hiring plans. | |
| But around a third of contacts thought there would be some negative impact on those plans over the net 12 months. | |
| As yet there was no clear evidence of a sharp general slowing in activity. | |
| Updated | |
| at 10.21am BST | |
| 10.06am BST | |
| 10:06 | |
| The jobs figures suggest employers were not rattled enough in the run-up to the EU referendum to freeze hiring or cut jobs on a major scale. | |
| The big question is whether that will change following the Brexit vote. | |
| 10.03am BST | |
| 10:03 | |
| The UK unemployment rate has fallen to 4.9% in the three months ending May, from 5%. The last time it was as low as that was 2005. | |
| He's hardly flavour of the month - but today's unemployment figs are one hell of a sign off for George Osborne | |
| Updated | |
| at 10.04am BST | |
| 9.55am BST | |
| 09:55 | |
| Chancellor: strong jobs figures prove UK strength | |
| These better-than-expected jobs figures are a gift to the new chancellor, Philip Hammond, who wasted no time commenting on them: | |
| Today’s employment and wage figures are proof that the fundamentals of the British economy are strong. | |
| In the months before the referendum, employment in the UK reached a new record high, unemployment fell to its lowest in a decade and wages continued to rise. | |
| As the economy adjusts to the effect of the referendum decision, it is doing so from a position of economic strength. | |
| While the decision to leave the European Union marks the beginning of a new phase for our economy, the message we take to the world is this: our country remains open for business and we are the same outward-looking, globally-minded, big-thinking country we have always been. | |
| 9.46am BST | 9.46am BST |
| 09:46 | 09:46 |
| UK jobs figures stronger than expected | UK jobs figures stronger than expected |
| The pound rose back above $1.31 after better-than-expected figures from the UK jobs market. | The pound rose back above $1.31 after better-than-expected figures from the UK jobs market. |
| The headline figures: | The headline figures: |
| Updated | |
| at 9.57am BST | |
| 9.26am BST | 9.26am BST |
| 09:26 | 09:26 |
| The Bank of England will shortly publish its agents’ summary of business conditions for July. | The Bank of England will shortly publish its agents’ summary of business conditions for July. |
| It will provide the first snapshot of how businesses around the UK have responded to Britain’s decision to leave the EU following the 23 June referendum. | It will provide the first snapshot of how businesses around the UK have responded to Britain’s decision to leave the EU following the 23 June referendum. |
| 9.20am BST | 9.20am BST |
| 09:20 | 09:20 |
| Figures published later today are expected to show consumer confidence weakened in the eurozone in July, following the Brexit vote. | Figures published later today are expected to show consumer confidence weakened in the eurozone in July, following the Brexit vote. |
| The ‘flash’ indicator from the European Commission is expected to fall to -8 from -7.3 in June. | The ‘flash’ indicator from the European Commission is expected to fall to -8 from -7.3 in June. |
| 9.09am BST | 9.09am BST |
| 09:09 | 09:09 |
| Nintendo shares fall for first time since Pokemon Go release | Nintendo shares fall for first time since Pokemon Go release |
| Nintendo has lost some of the gains made since the release of its hugely successful Pokemon Go game. | Nintendo has lost some of the gains made since the release of its hugely successful Pokemon Go game. |
| Shares were down almost 15% at one point on Wednesday following reports the release of the game might be delayed in Japan. | Shares were down almost 15% at one point on Wednesday following reports the release of the game might be delayed in Japan. |
| Nintendo’s market value had doubled since the launch of the game - which combines the virtual world with the real one - earlier this month. | Nintendo’s market value had doubled since the launch of the game - which combines the virtual world with the real one - earlier this month. |
| Asian markets were mixed on Wednesday. | Asian markets were mixed on Wednesday. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 9.12am BST | at 9.12am BST |
| 8.33am BST | 8.33am BST |
| 08:33 | 08:33 |
| FTSE is back above 6,700 | FTSE is back above 6,700 |
| The FTSE 100 is up 19 points or 0.3% at 6,716 in early trading. | The FTSE 100 is up 19 points or 0.3% at 6,716 in early trading. |
| The FTSE 250 is roughly flat at 16,902. | The FTSE 250 is roughly flat at 16,902. |
| Most other major European markets are up. | Most other major European markets are up. |
| 8.18am BST | 8.18am BST |
| 08:18 | 08:18 |
| Pound falls below $1.31; euro drops | Pound falls below $1.31; euro drops |
| The pound has dipped below $1.31. It is currently down 0.2% at $1.3085. | The pound has dipped below $1.31. It is currently down 0.2% at $1.3085. |
| The euro is down against both the pound and the dollar. It is down 0.3% against the pound at 83.93p, and hit a two-and-a-half-week low against the dollar of $1.0985. | The euro is down against both the pound and the dollar. It is down 0.3% against the pound at 83.93p, and hit a two-and-a-half-week low against the dollar of $1.0985. |
| The dollar is rising partly on the back of expectations that the Fed will raise interest rates before the end of 2016 following positive data from the US economy (including jobs and the housing market). | The dollar is rising partly on the back of expectations that the Fed will raise interest rates before the end of 2016 following positive data from the US economy (including jobs and the housing market). |
| 8.01am BST | 8.01am BST |
| 08:01 | 08:01 |
| UK jobless claims expected to rise in June | UK jobless claims expected to rise in June |
| Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of the world economy, the financial markets, the eurozone and business. | Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of the world economy, the financial markets, the eurozone and business. |
| At 9.30 the Office for National Statistics will publish latest figures from the UK jobs market. | At 9.30 the Office for National Statistics will publish latest figures from the UK jobs market. |
| The figures are expected to show the number of people claiming unemployment benefit rose by 3,500 in June, following a drop of 400 in May. | The figures are expected to show the number of people claiming unemployment benefit rose by 3,500 in June, following a drop of 400 in May. |
| The headline unemployment rate will cover the three months to the end of May and is expected to be unchanged at 5%. | The headline unemployment rate will cover the three months to the end of May and is expected to be unchanged at 5%. |
| Wage growth including bonuses is expected to pick up to 2.3% from 2%. Excluding bonuses growth is expected to be unchanged at 2.3%. | Wage growth including bonuses is expected to pick up to 2.3% from 2%. Excluding bonuses growth is expected to be unchanged at 2.3%. |
| The figures should provide some clues about how confident employers were feeling in the run-up to the 23 June referendum. | The figures should provide some clues about how confident employers were feeling in the run-up to the 23 June referendum. |
| Any shock to the downside would undoubtedly trigger a few alarm bells about the outlook for UK jobs in the aftermath of the Brexit vote. | Any shock to the downside would undoubtedly trigger a few alarm bells about the outlook for UK jobs in the aftermath of the Brexit vote. |