State and ING agree on sale of Alt-A portfolio
Jeroen Dijsselbloem, Minister of Finance, and ING have agreed on the unwinding of the Illiquid Assets Back-Up Facility (IABF). This facility involves a portfolio of US Alt-A mortgage-backed securities. The termination of the IABF is in line with the government vision of unwinding government interventions in the financial
Read MoreLabour’s economic strategy is outdated. I can fix that | Jagjit Chadha
The last thing we need from Wednesday’s spring statement are incremental changes to tax and spending. Let’s have a clear plan Jagjit Chadha is professor of economics at Cambridge University and a former academic adviser to HM Treasury, the Bank of England and the Treasury select committee Britain
Read MoreDutch government to tackle international tax avoidance
The Netherlands will improve tax transparency and update tax treaties with low-income countries and low middle-income countries. Tax treaties with Zambia and 22 other poor countries will be revised to allow the incorporation of anti-abuse clauses where necessary. This was announced by Ploumen, Minister for Foreign Trade and
Read MoreBank of England in no hurry on interest rates – but cuts will come
Despite the decision to hold at 4.5%, businesses and households can take a confident view of the UK’s prospects Bank of England says companies freezing hiring plans as it keeps interest rates on hold Bank of England policymakers might be on a “go-slow” as they look forward to
Read MoreBank of England says companies freezing hiring plans as it keeps interest rates on hold
Rate-setting committee also points to mounting global uncertainty as it pauses its cycle of reductions Business live latest updates The Bank of England has said UK businesses are freezing their hiring plans in response to Rachel Reeves’s tax increases and to mounting global uncertainty as it kept interest
Read MoreUK pay growth remains high, making interest rate cut less likely
Unemployment was level in January, but has risen over the past six months Business live latest updates Pay growth remained high at 5.8% in the three months to January, according to official data, maintaining the pressure on Bank of England policymakers to keep interest rates elevated when they
Read MoreVan Dijkhuizen Committee: lower tax rates with a very long first bracket, fewer tax deductibles and simpler benefits will lead to more jobs
The Van Dijkhuizen Committee advises the government to opt for an improved tax system with lower rates and a very long first bracket, fewer deductible items and simpler benefits. According to the CPB Netherlands Economic Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, these structural reforms will lead in the long
Read MoreFormer Bank of England deputy warns Rachel Reeves against kneejerk cuts
Charlie Bean says OBR forecasts are ‘flaky’ and cautions against trying to hit targets five years away The former Bank of England deputy governor Charlie Bean has warned the chancellor against making kneejerk cuts in next week’s spring statement to try to hit fiscal targets that are five
Read MoreGovernment wishes to sell shares in URENCO
The Dutch government wishes to sell its interest in URENCO, which provides uranium enrichment services for nuclear power producers. The Cabinet has agreed to this intention. The sale of the Dutch shares in URENCO can only take place, when the public interest in terms of non-proliferation, nuclear safety
Read MoreFear of a tariff ‘Trumpcession’ puts pressure on Bank and Fed over interest rates
A trade war could push up inflation when both the UK and US economies really need cheaper borrowing. So what’s a central bank to do? Monetary policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic will be considering how seriously to take Donald Trump’s threats of an all-out trade war
Read More





