UK unemployment rate stabilised at 4.4% in the final quarter of 2024
Advertised behind the bus for free seating of staff at Ipswich, England.
Geographical Photography | Universal Image Group | Getty Images
The UK's unemployment rate has been stable at 4.4% for the three months leading up to December, with data from the country's National Bureau of Statistics Showed on Tuesday.
This figure was flat in the last quarter, when the UK's unemployment rate reached its highest level from the three months ended in May 2024. Every year, the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points.
Hiking of employers' national insurance contributions (tax on workers' income) announced by the UK government in October met the rebound after employers warned that employers would limit their ability to undertake new staff. It was done. in November Survey With the UK Industry Coalition, almost half of companies said they plan to organize their labor to deal with rising costs.
Finance Minister Rachel Reeves defended her fiscal policy, claiming that she “fights every day… to start the economy.”
– Chloe Taylor
UK Priority: Ukraine's “US Security Guarantee” Needed – But Europe must take a look at defense spending
British Prime Minister Kiel Prime Minister Stage during a conference on security issues held in Europe at Elise Palace in Paris on February 17, 2025.
Tom Nicholson | Getty Images
European leaders gathered in Paris on Monday to discuss Ukraine's path to peace. So far, it has been ahead of US-Russia talks to end the war that excluded representatives from Ukraine and other regions.
After an emergency summit in the French capital, British Prime Minister Kiel Starmer told reporters that the war in Ukraine was “an existential issue for Europe as a whole.”
“I am ready to consider putting the British troops on the ground with others, with a lasting peace agreement,” he said Monday evening. “But there must be a US backstop because US security guarantees are the only way to effectively stop Russia from attacking Ukraine again.”
The priorities also addressed Europe's role in strengthening its own defense, which has been pressured by the Trump administration to commit to regional leaders in the form of increased defense spending. On Monday, European defence stocks rose to record highs after authorities discussed hiking in the defense budget at the Munich Security Conference over the weekend.
“For a long time, President Trump has expressed his hope that Europe will meet his own safety demands,” Starmer said Monday. “Today's informal meeting was an important first step in addressing that challenge. As for defense, it's not clear that the US will leave NATO, but we Europeans must do more. Not… Europeans need to step up in both spending. And the features we offer.'
Priority told reporters he would travel to Washington to see Trump next week.
– Chloe Taylor
European Market: Opening Calls are as follows
The European market is expected to open significantly higher on Tuesday.
UK FTSE 100 The index is expected to open higher than 8,768, Germany's three points Dachshund France's 22,857 rises 64 points CAC Flat, 1 point of 8,194, Italy ftse mib According to IG data, 38,587 is 185 points higher.
The revenue comes from Capgemini and the Intercontinental Hotels Group. In terms of data, French inflation data has expired, similar to the latest ZEW survey on economic sentiment in Germany and Europe.
– Holly Eliatt
