Being a lot lower in 02 this year than they were last year. As we well remember, they were running up sharply by last year. Bp has realised that prices were down by just under 40 year on year and a biggerfall, they realise just under 40 year on year and a bigger fall, they realise that gas price, 45 and also down by a 30 , that explains why the puppet are lower this year than last year. Lower, but still quite an impressive number nonetheless. It will always raise criticisms about windfall tax with big energy firms doing well on the back of these prices, though as you have said, they have come down from their peaks. Bp is not a big player in the uk any more. Its from their peaks. Bp is not a big player in the uk any more. Its not a big player. Player in the uk any more. Its not a big player. But player in the uk any more. Its not a big player, but reasonably a big player, but reasonably important. They pay tax there and i think, looking at figures, it is gone away, given the price of co
lower but to put that into context it was at zero in europe this time last year. and in the world s largest economy the us, the cost of borrowing is at 5% to 5.25%. but critics point out rising interest rates is a blunt tool that comes with its own set of dangers that can pose further risks to the economy. so what else can be done? well, central bankers are getting together today in portugal to chew over this challenge. joining me now isjennifer mckeown chief global economist at capital economics. good morning to you, jennifer. so it s a lovely location, portugal, you got christine lagarde there, andrew bailey, jerome powell among others, what do you think they will chew on? of course they re all increasing the cost of borrowering and in some places like the uk, so far it s having little effect. little effect. yeah, you re ri . ht. little effect. yeah, you re right. beautiful little effect. yeah, you re right. beautiful location, | little effect. yeah, you rel right. be
to boost foreign investments in the country as its own economic engine slows. for clues on what we can expect. mattie bekink of the economist intelligence unit spoke to us. i think one of the reasons that this meeting and the stream of executives and world leaders turning to china in the last few months since the very surprisingly exit from the zero covid and the reopening is because there has been a perception gap that has only widened in the three years that china was close. but i mean by thatis china was close. but i mean by that is the perception of china from outside even those who have businesses here and for whom china is a very important market and the lived reality on the ground. that is true anywhere in the world but i think some of the geopolitical tensions and confusion during the pandemic. particularly contributed to this perception 93p- contributed to this perception gap. so what they will find is, one, but they will discover is a chance to revisit their own tea
if you have joined if you havejoined us, you are welcome and we are looking at the top business stories. we start here in the uk, where there is some relief for millions of people facing soaring housing costs. lenders have started the new year by slashing the cost of mortgages as financial markets bet the bank of england will soon begin to cut interest rates from their 15 year high. from today banking giant hsbc becomes the first major lender to bring back mortgages below 4% since last march. it comes as rival halifax slashed almost a percentage point off some of its mortgage rates this week. and it s raised hopes of a price war between banks. hsbc is offering a five year fixed rate mortgage at 3.94%. it s only available to people remortgaging their home not to first time buyers. but it s far below rates of almost 6.5% that borrowers were facing just a few months ago. and it will be a welcome development for many uk households as our cost of living correspondent kevin peach
let s update you on the fallout following the collapse of silicon valley bank. injapan today shares in its biggest banks have dropped sharply as global markets react to the banking sector sell off in the us. despite a promise from us president biden that his government would do everything needed to maintain stability. on monday americans were lining up outside their branches to access their funds. some venture capitalists in california were seen taking out their money in cashier cheques worth millions of dollars. the volatility sparked by the collapse of svb has led to speculation the federal reserve will now pause its plans to keep raising interest rates, designed to tame inflation. our north america business correspondent, michelle fleury, reports from new york. what the hammock in the us banking sector means for the broader economy is to be seen but it s taking calculations about how america s fight against inflation maeve plouffe. economists at goldman sachs no longer exp