Business Diary: Economic Indicators - March 2012
1st
Britain’s manufacturing sector grows to 51.2 in February 2012
Start Date: 1st March 2012
Project starts increase 17% in the three months to February 2012
2nd
Oil prices dip from 43 month high
Britons estimated to pay £12.6bn too much in tax this year
UK index jumped three points to 54.3 in February 2012
5th
Forecast cut to 0.6% down from 0.8% for 2012
Travel and tourism to boost UK economy by £35.6 billion in 2012
Retailers spend an estimated £15.6 million to comply with tobacco display ban
6th
Figures fall 0.3% last month compared with February 2011
Prices fall by 0.5% in February 2012
7th
Fraud falls by 7% to £341m in 2011
Shop price inflation drops to 1.2% in February 2012
Spending up 0.2% for February 2012
9th
Benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1%
Industry Indicators
Exports in the region grow to £42.8bn
Households with children set to lost most in tax and benefit changes for 2012-13
Quantitative easing knocks further £90bn off pension funds
Rates held at 0.5% for third year running.
13th
Property Indexes
UK house sales and mortgage lending increase in January 2012.
Business confidence nine month high of 98.0 for February 2012. Published: March 2012.
Start Date: 13th March 2012
14th
UK unemployment rises by 28,000 to 2.67m
15th
Industry Indicators
Car manufacturing figures grow 23.5% in February 2012
16th
Report warns of £190bn shortage in the next five years.
Rate falls from 4.3% in January to 3.5% in February 2012.
19th
Internet contributes to 8.3% of the UK economy
Start Date: 19th March 2012
20th
Business Activity - Risks
Rate down 20% on two years ago in first three months of 2012
Figures reach estimated total of £10.7bn in February 2012
Report on UK company growth and export areas.
Start Date: 20th March 2012
UK inflation rate falls to 3.4% in February 2012
21st
UK government borrowing rises to £15.2bn in February 2012
European airlines forecast losses of £378m this year
Start Date: 21st March 2012
22nd
Threat of a UK double dip recession has reduced
Economic Statistics
UK property sales up 7% in February 2012 to 65,000
UK retail sales fell 0.8% in February 2012
23rd
Business Activity - Opportunities
Outstrips new borrowing by £305m in February 2012
Retail Statistics
Percentage of vacant UK stores rises to 14.6% in February 2012.
Start Date: 23rd March 2012
Five million workers to pay higher rate of tax by 2014
25th
Property Indexes
House prices up 0.1 per cent since in February from January 2012.
26th
UK water bills doubled since 2001
27th
Value of rented homes rises by 40% to £840bn over the past five years.
Number of UK takeovers and mergers fell by 14% in the final quarter of 2011.
Public sector workers paid 8.2% more than private sector.
Public sector workforce expected to fall by 880,000 by 2017.
Fraud involving senior management rose to 18% in 2011.
Start Date: 27th March 2012
28th
UK economic growth for last three months of 2011 revised to -0.3%.
Start Date: 28th March 2012
Value of Scotch whisky exports rose to £4.2bn in 2011.
Start Date: 28th March 2012
Scottish Government supported 25,000 apprenticeship starts in 2011/12.
Industry Indicators
London and New York are the most important cities for the wealthy.
29th
Spending fell by £76m in 2010 compared to 2009.
Economic Statistics
Orders for US durable goods rose by 2.2% in February 2012.
Growth of 0.2% recorded in January 2012 compared to December 2011.
Start Date: 29th March 2012
30th
Fraud costs UK £37bn per year
World IT sales up 15% in Q4 of 2011.
UK gas imports outstrip production in 2011
