Day: May 19, 2017

    The pound on Thursday pushed above $1.30 for the first time in nearly 8 months, and analysts say the door looks open to further gains for the British currency. It took a blowout British April retail sales report the best since January 2016 to propel the currency above that round number for the first time since late September. The pound (GBPUSD) leapt to an intraday high of $1.3048 after failing since late September to surpass $1.30. Should the pair hold above here today, it could signal significant further upside in the pair in the coming weeks and months, said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA, in a note. Of course, sterling is always going to be vulnerable to Brexit-related news, but should we see a calm few months on this front and the data continue to perform...

    Jeremy Corbyn is attacking the Tory manifesto proposals on social care, claiming Theresa May's nasty party has launched a shameful attack on older people. The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, is also claiming the Conservative manifesto threatens the living standards of pensioners and working people. On Twitter, the Labour leader claimed: If you're a pensioner Theresa May is taking your vote for granted. She'll take away your winter fuel payment. Labour won't. And in a second tweet, he said: If you're a pensioner,Theresa May takes you for granted. She'll make you pay for visits from care workers if you own a home. Labour won't. But defending the social care proposals in her manifesto, the Prime Minister said her plans will ensure elderly people receive the dignified and h...

    It was never written down and never given a name, but France had a detailed plan to protect the Republic if far right leader Marine Le Pen was elected president, French media have reported. It was like a multi-stage rocket, an unnamed senior official told l’Obs magazine. The philosophy and the absolute imperative was to keep the peace, while also respecting our constitutional rules. News of the plan emerged as polls suggested support for the new centrist movement formed by Emmanuel Macron was growing ahead of parliamentary elections on 11 and 18 June. Macron defeated Le Pen in the presidential runoff. The survey showed his La République en Marche party on 32% of the vote, up six points since the 7 May election and pulling ahead of its centre-right Les Républicains rivals o...