The budget felt like a damp squib – and not just as it was leaked in advance by the Office for Budget Irresponsibility. Somehow the City seemed to like it: the FTSE was up, so was sterling. Even supermarket share prices rose, despite the Chancellor reneging once again on her promises to listen to their pleas on business rates. Somehow, the overwhelming impression was that it was neither one thing nor the other. Not as bad as had been feared in the long and chaotic build-up to the hopelessly late (and somehow early) announcement. Not as good as some hoped either.