Cost of living crisis hits household confidence; UK trade with Germany falls; FTSE 100 at two-year high – as it happened | Business

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UK corporations have missed out on a rebound in commerce with Germany final 12 months, as Brexit frictions and the pandemic proceed to weigh on the economic system.

New knowledge from the Federal Statistical Workplace reveals that imports from the UK into Germany tumbled by 8.5% throughout 2021, the primary 12 months for the reason that Brexit free commerce deal was agreed in late December 2020, to €32.1bn.

However different nations did a lot better. Whole items imports into Germany surged by 17.1% in the course of the 12 months to €1,202bn, because the easing of lockdown restrictions and vaccine rollouts spurred the worldwide financial restoration final 12 months.

That included a 16.8% rise in imports from Germany’s fellow European Union members, and a 20.8% rise in imports from China final 12 months.

In December alone, German imports from the UK had been down 18.2% year-on-year — as there was a rush of stockpiling in December 2020 as corporations ready for attainable Brexit disruption.

The EU launched checks on items from Britain getting into the bloc as quickly because the Brexit deal got here into impact, with consultants warning that UK corporations had been dropping their competitiveness.

The UK delayed its checks on items coming in till 2022. Besides, German exports to the UK fell by 2.6% throughout 2021, to €65.4bn. Whole German exports rose by 14% within the 12 months, even because the pandemic continued to trigger disruption to world provide chains.

Destatis says:

In contrast with the identical month final 12 months, exports to the UK dropped by 7.6% to five.0 billion euros in December 2021. Imports from the UK had been down 18.2% to 2.6 billion euros.

In distinction, Germany’s exports to the US jumped by 18.0% throughout 2021, because the restoration in America’s economic system spurred demand for industrial provides, equipment and shopper items.

This chart reveals the small print:

Destatis additionally experiences that total German exports had been up by 0.9% month-on-month in December, with imports rising 4.7% in contrast with November 2021.

After calendar and seasonal adjustment, exports had been 6.8% and imports 23.5% greater than in February 2020, the month earlier than restrictions had been imposed because of the Covid-19 pandemic in Germany.

In 2021 as an entire, exports elevated by 14.0% and imports by 17.1% in contrast with the earlier 12 months. Exports had been 3.6% and imports 8.9% above the extent of the pre-Covid 12 months 2019.

This knowledge fairly chimes with the message from a gaggle of MPs this morning, that the primary affect of Brexit on UK corporations had been “elevated prices, paperwork and border delays”.

There could possibly be worse to come back as new import controls are launched.

The cross-party Public Accounts Committee (PAC) reported that Brexit crimson tape has broken Britain’s commerce with the EU. The state of affairs may worsen until the federal government works with Brussels to scale back hold-ups at UK ports

German factories have additionally been hit by the availability chain disaster, so will probably be hoping the EU’s new multi-billion chip manufacturing plan can assist them.

The €43bn scheme goals to beat Europe’s dependency on Asian pc chip makers, as governments and companies around the globe battle shortages that consultants imagine may persist for a lot of the 12 months.

We’ll hear from Huw Capsule, the Financial institution of England’s chief economist, later when he speaks on the Society of Skilled Economists annual convention, on the “UK Financial Coverage Outlook.”

European markets have open greater, with the FTSE 100 close to a two-year excessive.

Some commodity costs are additionally underneath strain, with aluminium hitting its highest since 2008 on Tuesday.

The agenda

• 9am GMT: Italian industrial manufacturing report for December
• Midday GMT: US weekly mortgage functions
• 1.10pm GMT: Financial institution of England chief economist Huw Capsule speech: ‘UK Financial Coverage outlook”
• 3.30pm GMT: EIA weekly oil stock figures