THE DAILY BRIEFING
WEEKEND WASHOUT Britain’s battered high streets endured a torrid Easter as sales were blown off course by the bad weather.
Retail specialists Springboard said the number of people out shopping on Good Friday was 9.2pc higher than l ast year. As bad weather swept in on Saturday trading took a turn for the worse. Shopper numbers were down 6.4pc and 10.5pc early yesterday.
PERFECT STORM Banks and other financial firms are facing a ‘perfect storm’ as worries about China, the markets and Britain’s future in the European Union take their toll.
The CBI said optimism has fallen to its lowest level since 2011. The pro-EU lobby group said the ‘perfect storm’ meant some firms are delaying investment decisions until after the referendum in June.
HINKLEY PRESSURE MPs have called on the Government to ramp up the pressure on EDF to move forward on Hinkley Point, and demanded the UK draws up a Plan B in case the project flops.
EDF was grilled by the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee last week over delays to the £18bn project, and concerns over a shortfall in funding, which has left EDF relying on its 85pc stakeholder, the French government.
SKILLS SHORTAGE British manufacturers are being held back by a shortage of skilled workers.
Nearly three-quarters of factories surveyed by the manufacturers group EEF reported difficulties in finding new recruits over the past three years and it criticised ministers for failing to tackle the problem.
RATE WARNING The Bank of England has been accused of being ‘complacent’ for not raising interest rates. Rates have been frozen at 0.5pc since March 2009 despite the economy recovering and employment reaching record highs.
Richard Woolnough, one of Britain’s most successful fund managers, said: ‘It seems complacent not to raise rates.’
PUB CHEER The number of new breweries opening in London has reached a new high of 36, according to accountancy group UHY Hacker Young. The 24pc increase in the past year reflects the growing popularity of craft beer and ‘boutique’ food and drink products.
PAY CHEQUE Workers are being urged to make sure they are paid the new national living wage from April 1 after research revealed a third of people never check their payslips.