UK retail sales stabilise; German confidence rises; Hong Kong shares surge – business live
Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news
- Latest: IFO survey shows German economy picking up
- Hang Seng index has jumped 1.5% today
- Pro-democracy party triumphs
- Full story: Hong Kong voters deliver landslide victory for pro-democracy campaigners
12.53pm GMT
Gareth Shaw, Head of Money, Which?, fears TSB customers will lose out once it shuts 86 of its branches across the UK:
“Bank customers are still enduring almost daily IT glitches, which is why everyday banking services and access to cash – which is a vital back-up – must be protected. The next government should urgently intervene with legislation that protects access to cash for as long as it is needed.
12.44pm GMT
Britain’s financial sector continues to shed staff at a heady rate, as banks try to slash costs and keep up with technological changes.
Today the ace is hovering over TSB, which is planning to shut 86 branches – one in seven of its estate – just six years after being spun out of Lloyds.
Related: TSB to close 86 branches with loss of up to 400 jobs