Rail hits to UK economy on business confidence data; CBI elders push for policy steer and living-standards focus. Brief: British business lobby group, 190k member firms.
The Confederation of British Industry has warned that the record tax take from business is not free money and warns against further burdening firms. Rain Newton-Smith says the government cannot tax its way to growth as the Iran war and other shocks weigh on UK prospects. The comments come ahead of the CBI’s annual dinner in London.
Private credit funds have seen significant redemption requests in Q1 2026: Blackstone reported nearly 8% of investors asking for cash, while Apollo, Ares and Blue Owl have seen double-digit outflows. Managers are blaming news "noise," but withdrawals are resembling a slow-motion run that will increase liquidity stress on funds.
UK consumer confidence and business sentiment have deteriorated in May as inflation and energy costs weigh on households and firms. Surveys point to softer spending across services and manufacturing, with costs rising and rate expectations lingering.