Showing posts with label CBI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CBI. Show all posts

Monday, 13 February 2012

Britain will avoid recession - CBI

Link to the article Channel 4

The CBI employers' body says Britain will avoid recession but other forecasters are less opimistic, with one economist telling Channel 4 News that "the economy is going nowhere".

Monday, 28 September 2009

CBI sets out plan for economic growth

Link to the article: Channel 4 News

By Channel 4 News

The CBI put forward a 12-point agenda today, setting out what any new administration should do to help put the economy on a path to sustainable growth.

The CBI said that whichever party wins the next general election, a new government should act quickly, and establish clear timetables for putting the 12 points into place within 100 days of taking power.

The business group particularly emphasised the need for a new government to commit to getting the public finances balanced by 2015 with a clear and credible plan for doing so.

This target year would require a new explicit commitment by the main political parties.

The CBI has launched the plan, titled New Government in Action: The Business Agenda, during the party conference season that precedes the next election, which must take place by June.

Its 12 priorities range from tackling youth unemployment because of its potential to scar a generation, to developing a stronger banking system.

John Cridland, CBI Deputy Director-General, said: "Any new government will have a lot to do in its early days, but the economy must be central to its plans, especially given the state of the public finances and the global downturn.

"Our proposals make clear what the priorities should be to help put our economy on the road to sustainable growth.

"The major political parties really need to focus on the public finances, even though this requires tough decisions. They should make it their ambition to set out a clear, credible plan that would return the budget to balance by 2015.

"We also emphasise the need for speed. A new administration should act quickly and decisively. This will not only put the right priorities in place quickly, but also help win confidence.

"Some of the priorities may surprise people. Not everybody expects youth unemployment to be a particular priority for business, but we know from previous recessions that it can scar generations and create lasting problems for young people as they make the transition to the world of work."

The 12 priorities spelt out in the CBI agenda are:

- Set out a sustainable path for the public finances

- Establish competitive business taxes

- Develop a strong banking system

- Prioritise energy security

- Work towards a low-carbon economy

- Develop the infrastructure for economic growth

- A global voice for UK business

- Skill students for the future

- Tackle youth unemployment (including a £2,500 subsidy for firms giving offering apprenticeships)

- Attract and cultivate enterprise and industry

- Reforming services to improve the economy

- Address public sector pensions

Monday, 16 February 2009

How will your spending change?

Link to the article

Last Modified: 16 Feb 2009
By: Channel 4 News

Buisness leaders predict that household spending will fall, unemployment will rise to three million, and wage increases will shrink as the economy falls deeper into recession.

In its latest dire warning on the economy, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) - which represents 240,000 firms in the UK - said the economy will shrink by 3.3 per cent in 2009, compared with its November forecast of a 1.7 per cent contraction.

As part of its forecasts, the CBI also says that government will have to borrow almost £100bn more than previously forecast as it tries to bring a deeper-than-expected UK recession under control.

See below for the CBI's predictions of how the recession will affect your money:



* Household will spend less with consumption falling by 2.7 per cent in 2009 and a further 0.2 per cent in 2010, compared to a 1.7 per cent increase in spending in 2008.

* Household will save more with the ratio of income saved increasing from 0.8 per cent in 2008 to 2.8 per cent in 2009 and 4.5 per cent in 2010.

* Inflation is predicted to fall with the Consumer Price Index predicted to be 1.0 per cent in 2009 compared to 3.6 per cent in 2008. The Retail Price Index is expected to fall to -2.9 per cent in 2009 compared with +4.0 per cent in 2008, which may affect pensions and wage negotiations.

* Unemployment will increase to 2.59 million in 2009 and hitting 3.00 million people in 2010.

* Average earnings will increase at a smaller rate, with earning including bonuses increasing by 1.7 per cent in 2009 compared to 3.5 per cent in 2008.