UK household worries mount amid job, price and interest rate concerns

Households' worries about their future finances have risen to the highest since last December.

Global growth lifted by rising consumer and business spending

Global economic growth showed tentative signs of emerging from the doldrums in March, with a broad-based improvement across consumer and corporate markets, according to the latest release of PMI numbers from Markit.

Chinese GDP slowdown brings steepening job losses

China's economy expanded by 6.7% on an annual basis in the first quarter of 2016, down from 6.8% in the final quarter of 2015. This was the slowest expansion of GDP since the global financial crisis in early-2009, adding to evidence that economic growth looks set to slow for the sixth successive year in 2016.

Saudi Arabia and UAE prove resistant to headwinds in March

Latest PMI data from Emirates NBD and Markit pointed to ongoing growth of non-oil private sector output in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Business conditions improved in both economies, despite both facing headwinds of a strong US dollar and low oil prices.

Global economic growth weakest since late-2012

Global economic growth was running at its weakest for over three years in Q1, according to the JPMorgan Global PMI™, compiled by Markit. Despite rising slightly in March, the PMI is broadly consistent with global GDP growing at an annual rate of just over 1% (at market prices) compared with a long-run average of 2.3%. Subdued developed world growth was, however, accompanied by tentative signs of renewed life in emerging markets. The weak global PMI data were promptly followed by a downward revision to the IMF's global outlook.

Weak global PMI for March rounds off worst quarter since 2012

Global economic growth was running at its weakest for over three years in the first quarter, according to PMI data. The JPMorgan Global PMI, compiled by Markit from its worldwide business surveys, rose to 51.3 in March, but the latest reading represented only a minor improvement on February's 40-month low of 50.8. At 51.6, down from 53.1 in the fourth quarter, the average PMI reading for the first three months of the year was the weakest calendar quarter since the end of 2012.

Global manufacturers see worst quarter for almost three years

Global factory growth remained near-stagnant in March, according to PMI survey data. The JPMorgan Global PMI, compiled by Markit from its worldwide business surveys, rose from the no-change level of 50.0 seen in February, but at just 50.5 signalled only a marginal improvement in overall conditions.