It’s traditional, at this time of year, to speculate about what the future might hold – even if making predictions is a notoriously tricky business.
No one, 12 months ago, forecast that teenage British tennis player, Emma Raducanu, would be lifting a Grand Slam event in 2021. As for ‘Omicron’, it was still best known as being the fifteenth letter of the Greek alphabet.
Not all forecasts hit the bullseye, especially ones to do with money. But predictions can fire up debate as we consider our own financial arrangements for the year ahead.
To mark the new year, we’ve asked commentators to share their thoughts on key financial areas including the economy, the stock market, the energy sector and the insurance industry
Interest rates & inflation
The recent decision by the Bank of England to raise UK interest rates to 0.25% caught City commentators on the hop. The move followed the latest inflation data that showed the UK’s cost of living grew by 5.1% in the 12 months to November this year, its highest level in more than 10 years.
Paul Craig,…