Economics

Published: 15 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. UK wage growth has slowed to 3.9% as the labour market shows further signs of losing momentum, adding to a difficult set of choices for the Bank of England as it prepares for a closely watched interest rate decision. Official figures show that average total earnings, including bonuses, increased by 3.9% in the three months to July, down...

Published: 15 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. The North Sea oil and gas industry is urging the Labour government to bring forward the replacement of its windfall tax on fossil fuel companies, arguing that an earlier change could unlock billions of pounds in investment, protect industrial jobs and strengthen Britain’s energy security. Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), the trade body representing the sector, wants the existing...

Published: 15 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Fashion industry leaders, manufacturers and public figures are urging the UK government to ensure that uniforms for NHS workers and the armed forces are made domestically, arguing that public procurement could play a major role in protecting British manufacturing, supporting jobs and strengthening supply chains. The campaign, led by the thinktank Fashion Roundtable, comes as the UK fashion...

Published: 15 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Parents and carers across the UK are cutting back on school uniform spending as household budgets remain under pressure, with families increasingly turning to promotions and second-hand clothing to manage the cost of sending children back to school. Average spending on school uniform fell to £54.53 in the four weeks to 6 September, down 12.5% from £62.29 during...

Published: 15 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Millions of pensioners across the UK are on course for another significant increase in their state pension after official wage figures indicated that payments could rise by 3.9% next April under the government’s triple-lock system. The latest earnings data show that total pay increased by 3.9% over the year, making wage growth the leading candidate for determining next...

Published: 14 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Thames Water has revised plans for a major reservoir in Oxfordshire as the struggling water company attempts to move forward with one of the largest water infrastructure projects ever proposed in the south-east of England, despite strong opposition from local councils, residents and campaigners. The White Horse reservoir, planned near Abingdon, is designed to hold around 150 billion...

Published: 14 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Oil prices moved higher on Monday after a series of drone attacks forced Saudi Arabia to shut its strategically important East-West crude pipeline, intensifying concerns over the security of global energy supplies at a time when oil and gas markets are already facing significant disruption across the Middle East. Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil prices, rose...

Published: 10 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. John Lewis Partnership, the retail group behind John Lewis department stores and Waitrose supermarkets, has reported a significant widening of its first-half losses as higher operating costs and weaker consumer confidence continue to put pressure on the business. The group recorded a pre-tax loss of £124m for the six months to 1 August, compared with a loss of...

Published: 08 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. Global oil prices have moved sharply higher towards the psychologically important $100-a-barrel level after attacks on energy facilities in southern Saudi Arabia added to concerns about disruptions to supplies across the Middle East. Brent crude, the international benchmark, climbed above $99 a barrel during Tuesday trading, putting prices at their highest level since July. The latest increase came...

Published: 07 September 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online. UK house prices have fallen on an annual basis for the first time in almost three years, highlighting growing pressure on the property market as higher mortgage costs, persistent inflation concerns, geopolitical uncertainty and stretched household finances weigh on prospective buyers. According to Lloyds, the average UK property was worth £298,468 in August, representing a 0.4% decline compared...