Sam Coventry

London

Writer at Pound Sterling Live

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Articles

Innovation Amidst Funding Challenges

3 weeks ago | poundsterlinglive.com | Sam Coventry

Image © Adobe Images UK tech startups are pushing forward in 2025 with bold tech startup ideas in artificial intelligence, green energy, and fintech, even as they face tightened access to capital and increased market competition. Despite being home to over 80,000 startups, total startup funding in the UK dropped to £16.2 billion in 2024, down 35% from 2022, marking the lowest level since 2020, according to Tech Nation.
Village Bank Drives Self-Sustainability

1 month ago | zddt.org | Sam Coventry

New solar system at Green Gardens. What began as a challenging concept to implement is now bearing fruit, both literally and figuratively, in the ZDDT/ Sally Foundation community gardens across Bulawayo. The 'village bank' model, which encourages each garden to save money collectively, has taken root and is transforminglives. These gardens primarily support vulnerable individuals, making the act of saving particularly difficult.
Trinity Tomato: A Game Changer

1 month ago | zddt.org | Sam Coventry

The Hlanganani community market garden has kicked off the first harvest of their vertically grown Israeli hybrid Trinity tomato crop, marking a significant milestone for local agriculture. The community is optimistic about the future yield as ninety-four per cent achieved an A-grade, and only 6% of the first harvest has been classified as B-grade due to slight deformities in shape.
OBR Raises Inflation Forecast But Halves Growth

2 months ago | poundsterlinglive.com | Sam Coventry

Image: HM Treasury. The developments presented the Chancellor of the Exchequer with a choice of either cutting spending or raising taxes to ensure she meets her rule that debt falls in the coming years. Rachel Reeves chose to cut welfare spending and, in doing so, regained a wafer-thin £9.9BN in headroom on her debt rule.
Markets to Welcome UK Welfare Budget Cuts

2 months ago | poundsterlinglive.com | Sam Coventry

Picture by Kirsty O'Connor / Treasury Financial markets will welcome a decision by the government to cut spending on welfare, say analysts. Welfare budget and departmental spending cuts now look certain to be announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Rachel Reeves is set to announce the moves in three weeks, when she presents the Office for Budget Responsibility's Spring Forecast.
NZ's SkyCity Records NZ$143M Loss

2 months ago | poundsterlinglive.com | Sam Coventry

Image © Adobe Images SkyCity records an NZ$143m loss, with the threat of NZ regulation and licensed competition looming. SkyCity, the only land-based casino chain in New Zealand, with five locations, has reported a significant financial downturn for the fiscal year ending 30 June 2024, with a net loss after tax of NZ$143.3 million.
Barclays Cuts U.S. Growth & Raises Inflation Forecast

2 months ago | poundsterlinglive.com | Sam Coventry

Image: Doug Turetsky. Sourced: Flikr, licensing: CC 2.0. Barclays has revised down its U.S. economic growth forecast for 2025 while raising its inflation projections, citing escalating trade policy uncertainty and higher tariffs under the Trump administration. The bank now expects U.S. GDP growth to slow to 0.7% (Q4/Q4) in 2025, down 0.8 percentage points from its previous projection.
Expect A Weaker Australian Dollar in the Coming Months

2 months ago | poundsterlinglive.com | Sam Coventry

Image © Adobe Images The Australian dollar is expected to weaken in the coming months as the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) finally embarks on a meaningful rate cutting cycle, according to a new report from Commerzbank Research. The RBA cut its cash rate for the first time in this cycle, bringing an end to the longest rate hike cycle in the past 30 years. The RBA's decision to lower rates follows 33 months of tightening, with a cumulative increase of 4.25%.
Pound-to-Dollar Uptrend Paused By U.S. Inflation Undershoot

2 months ago | poundsterlinglive.com | Sam Coventry

Image © Adobe Images The Pound-to-Dollar exchange rate has retreated to 1.2929 after U.S. inflation undershot expectations, but weakness should prove limited, and the uptrend remains firmly intact. The Dollar was higher alongside news U.S. inflation for February fell to 0.2% month-on-month from 0.5%, undershooting expectations for 0.3%. The annual rate fell to 3.1% from 3.3%, which was also below consensus expectations for 3.2%.
Chinese Growth Ambitions Help Stabilise Australian Dollar

Mar 5, 2025 | poundsterlinglive.com | Sam Coventry

Image © Adobe Stock The Aussie Dollar found some support following news that the Chinese government has set an ambitious GDP growth target of "around 5%" for 2025, marking the third consecutive year at this level. The AUD can gain support to the extent that these ambitions improve China's economic outlook.