Speaking before squeezed by massive bills, there is still Spending Power out there. A lot of our customers are probably a bit older, so we dont feel the mortgage rate, although it creates uncertainty for them and that does and we do notice when there is a rate rise, everyone gets a bitjittery. Does it feel like we are getting green shoots . I dont feel that there is green shoots, no, no. I dont feel that there is green shoots, no, no. I feel we are in a holding pattern. It could go either way. Today, the Bank Of England said the tough medicine was beginning to work. Less tha n less than two years they have over 14 steps raised Interest Rates to the highest level in 15 years in an attempt to drain Spending Powerfrom the Spending Power from the economy. The period of near zero Interest Rates now consigned to history with the bank warning that rates could remain at this level for some time. If you asked the question, yes, and when are rates going to come down . My answer is we are going t
is to close blast furnaces in port talbot with 3,000 jobs to go. the union plan to savejobs has failed. so what does it say more generally about the green transition? also in the programme. a walk out in northern ireland. no government, no funding, no pay rises. is the standoff over stormont now a constiutional crisis. a constiutional crisis? and is it the demand for cocaine europe that has turned ecuador into a war zone with the drug cartels? is there a future for steel making in the uk? and if there is then what sort of sector does it become. that very issue has been under discussion today between unions representing the steel workers of south wales and the bosses of the tata steel making company. no official word of what has been agreed but we understand tata steel is to close both blast furnaces at its port talbot works with the loss of up to 3,000 jobs. instead of blast furnaces, tata have a plan backed by the british government to invest in a new, greener, electric ar
secret core of apple. it makes many of the components that go into apple, we ve been speaking exclusively to the bus to see how it navigates tensions between the two superpowers. the changing of the guard at taiwan s national shrine. this is an island that has always been on edge. it is a self ruled territory with democratic elections but china sees it as a rebel region that must be reunited with the mainland by force if necessary. which has led to companies like foxconn, headquartered in taiwan, having to rethink their operations. you are a vital part of the taiwanese economy, what is the business contingency plan here? the business contingency plan here? tie: diversification business contingency plan here? tue: diversification is one business contingency plan here? tue diversification is one way. as a business, as a ceo, i had to think about what if the worst case happened. so we are doing something, some planning. hopefully it will not happen but we have to be prepared. fo
to reassure their tech start up sectors after the collapse of one of the main sources of funding, the silicon valley bank. the stars are gathering on the champagne coloured carpet at the oscars. we ll have the latest on hollywood s biggest night of the year. hello and welcome to bbc news. talks between the bbc and its highest paid presenter gary lineker are said to be moving in the right direction after a second day of scheduling disruption following his removal from the match of the day programme. bbc news understands there are hopes of a resolution soon but not all issues are fully resolved at this stage. the bbc had forced gary lineker to step back from his duties, after he posted a tweet criticising the government s language on migrants. our media correspondent, david sillito, has been looking at the weekend s events. have you spoken to tim davie yet, mr lineker? i i m going to walk my dog and i m going to do my shopping, so would you mind letting me do it on my o
Lets start in the eu, where Three Tech Giants the social media platform x, Tiktok Owner Bytedance and the travel website booking. Com, are waiting to find out whether they could face an Antitrust Crackdown under the eus new digital antitrust rulebook. The Eu Commission has until the end of today to decide whether those three companies would qualify as so called gatekeepers under the new Digital Markets act. The aim of the act is to help competition in the Technology Sector and to try to break down the stronghold of Big Tech Companies. Well, someone who knows a lot about this, because she co negotiated the eu ai act in her previous role in the German Federal chancellery, is kirsten rulf who now is partner and associate director at boston consulting group. A warm welcome to bbc news. Good to see you again. Good to see you again. Greg manning good to see you again. Greg manning 50 good to see you again. Greg manning. So lets good to see you again. Greg manning. So letsjust good to see you