Costs

消费者洞察追踪显示，85% 的人对食品价格感到担忧，且大多数人认为经济将恶化。根据周四发布的 Which? 报告，随着消费者采取极端措施应对不断上涨的成本，300 万 UK 家庭正被迫省掉一餐。Middle East 冲突及随之而来的石油和原材料价格飙升，已导致企业准备提价，从而给家庭财务状况带来更大压力并打击了消费者信心。继续阅读...

• 由于美以对伊战争期间霍尔木兹海峡封锁影响能源市场，汽油价格已飙升至每加仑 4 美元以上，机票价格飞涨，削弱了特朗普的关键政治优势。 • 超过四分之三的登记选民——包括超过半数的共和党人和 82% 的无党派人士——目前将影响燃料、食品杂货、住房和医疗保健的生活成本危机归咎于特朗普。 • 在政府停摆、关税以及美以联合对伊朗发动袭击后，特朗普第二任期的支持率下降速度远快于历任总统，美联储主席 Jerome Powell 警告称战争正在推高通胀。

• 近三分之二 (64%) 的美国成年人担心无法承担医疗成本，其中 30% 表示非常担心，医疗负担已成为比油价更高的首要担忧问题。 • 尽管面临其他经济压力，医疗负担能力仍然是公众的主要担忧。 • 该民调凸显了在医疗费用上涨的情况下，家庭面临的持续财务压力。

Brown calls for police to look into former prince’s use of public funds as he says he had colleague raise issue in 2008Gordon Brown has revealed he ordered that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor be questioned about incurring “unacceptable costs” as a trade envoy in 2008, as he called for the police to widen their inquiry to include the use of public funds.The former prime minister said he asked a colleague from the business department to question Mountbatten-Windsor about his travel expenses. Continue reading...

Insolvency firm points to tax rises, staff costs and shaky consumer confidence after number increases to 62,193The number of UK businesses in “critical financial distress” has risen by more than a third over the past year, according to insolvency practitioners, as companies contend with a “slew of increased taxes” and the impact of the Middle East conflict.Hospitality and leisure firms have been faring particularly badly because of shaky consumer confidence, and rising taxes and staff costs, according to research by the restructuring company Begbies Traynor. Continue reading...

Fishing companies can also access up to 70% subsidies, in loosening of state aid rules for ‘most exposed sectors’Business live – latest updatesThe EU is to subsidise up to 70% of the extra cost of fuel and fertilisers caused by the Iran war for farmers, fishing businesses and road hauliers as part of a package of emergency measures unveiled on Wednesday.Individual companies can claim up to €50,000 each between now and the end of the year with minimum paperwork, a measure the EU hopes will remove what it sees as an existential threat to hauliers and farmers. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Report shows cost of first appointment rose $20 in one year, with steeper rises in Western Australia, South Australia and TasmaniaGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPatients are increasingly going without medically necessary dermatological care, the head of the Consumers Health Forum said, as new report reveals the rising cost of the specialty in Australia.Dermatology is expensive and getting pricier, with an average first visit now costing an adult patient without concessions $230 out-of-pocket, while follow-up appointments cost almost $190, the report from health directory Cleanbill found. Continue reading...