Even before he started work on Monday morning, Joe Little had sensed trouble was afoot in global markets. Like others, HSBC Asset Management’s chief global strategist had spent the weekend scrutinising data published the previous Friday showing a weaker than expected jobs market in America. It triggered what is known as the Sahm rule —…

Poor customer service and outdated technology have led to a deluge of complaints about National Savings & Investments. The Treasury-owned bank has 24 million customers and holds £231.3 billion of our savings, but more and more people are disappointed with its service. It has missed its own customer satisfaction targets for three out of the…

Fears over the health of America’s economy have rattled financial markets. Last Monday global stock indices suffered their biggest one-day fall in almost two years. Trading floors buzzed with speculation about an emergency interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve. By the end of the week a semblance of calm had been restored, but…

Rachel Reeves’s first budget, on October 30, is more than 11 weeks away. By then, the leaves will be falling and this summer will be but a distant memory. Yet it is already attracting more attention than is probably healthy, in which spirit let me add a little to it. On a visit to America…