The Weekly Briefing - 1 June

Headlines

BBC News

UK manufacturing growth at 30-year high, says PMI survey

UK manufacturing is growing at its fastest rate for almost 30 years as the easing of lockdown unleashes pent-up demand, according to a survey. The IHS Markit/CIPS Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) reached a high last month of 65.6, up from 60.9 in April. Any reading above 50 indicates growth, and April's figure was the highest since the survey began in 1992. But there are also signs that suppliers are struggling to keep up with demand. Read

The Guardian

UK facing ‘perilous moment’ as Indian Covid variant spreads

Uncertainty surrounds England’s 21 June lockdown lifting date with Delta variant now making up 75% of cases. Read

TfL gets £1bn bailout in return for making case for driverless trains

London mayor says funds are a ‘sticking plaster’ and he will fight introduction of driverless tubes. Read

The Independent

WHO renames ‘stigmatising’ Covid variants using Greek alphabet

Covid variants should be named after letters of the Greek alphabet to avoid "stigmatising" the countries which first reported them, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Read

The Fashion Roundtable Focus

Fashion United

British Fashion Council announces talent support initiatives

The British Fashion Council has unveiled its annual talent support and impact program. The foundation revealed it raised 2.4 million dollars for its charity and will support 34 designers and a number of students through mentoring and financial support grants. Read

Reuters

British retail faces "tsunami of closures" without rent help

Britain's retail sector will endure a "tsunami of closures" if the government does not extend a moratorium on aggressive debt enforcement, industry lobby group the British Retail Consortium (BRC), said on Sunday. Citing survey data it said two thirds of British retailers have been told by landlords they will be subject to legal measures to recover unpaid rent from July 1 when the moratorium ends. Many UK retailers deemed "non essential" had to close their stores during multiple COVID-19 lockdowns over the last 15 months, accruing total rent debt of 2.9 billion pounds ($4.1 billion), the BRC said. Read

Forbes

How We’re Shopping Now: 5 Retail Trends And The Required Rethink

Following the reopening of retail across England and other parts of the UK in April, what are we learning from the crucial first weeks of trading? The ONS has reported that retail sales volumes grew in April 2021 with a monthly increase of 9.2%, which reflects the easing of coronavirus restrictions and the re-opening of all non-essential retail from 12 April in England and Wales and from 26 April in Scotland. Read