United Kingdom

Early euro vote for UK in doubt

UK - Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the UK, Gordon Brown poured cold water yesterday on expectations the British government was leaning toward holding a referendum on joining the European single currency during the current parliament.

The future of online banking

ARTICLE - A letter published in the Financial Times London edition, 31 October, comments on a previous feature the paper reported on the outlook for online banking.

All taken in Goodhart

UK - Charles Goodhart, the London School of Economics professor of banking and finance, is to return to the Bank of England at the beginning of next year.

UK economy defies world slowdown in Q3

UK - Britain's economy grew at a much faster rate than expected in the third quarter of 2001, defying the global slowdown that has been exacerbated by last month's attacks on the United States, data showed on Friday.

Fourth Bank member alludes to rate cut

UK - Kate Barker last night became the fourth member of the Bank of England's monetary policy committee in a week to hint at approval for future interest rate cuts. Her hint came in a speech to bankers and economists in Edinburgh.

Euro campaigners point to inward investment fall

UK - Pro-euro campaigners yesterday claimed that exclusion from the single currency was beginning to hit the economy, with the news that Britain's share of European inward investment projects had fallen sharply to 21 per cent in the first half of this…

Bonds outperform T-notes on ECB monthly report

UK - Bonds marginally outperform T-notes with the 10-year yield spread narrowing to 1 bps as euro debt laps up the ECB's monthly report which highlighted an economic rebound in Europe could be delayed by 11 September attacks on U.S. cities.

Financial regulator rejects Tory call for probe

UK - The City regulator has rejected Conservative calls for an investigation of the government's role in the collapse of Railtrack, and told MPs if impropriety were proven it would be up to the government to prosecute itself.