Peace in Iran – but for how long? April 9, 2026 Markets are decidedly relieved at news that despite unhinged threats from the orange occupant of the White House, a civilisation has not in fact been wiped out and the US reached a temporary ceasefire with Iran. But as Trump gets around the negotiating table – let’s hope he can stay awake – how certain can [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks take a dip as Trump’s ceasefire in doubt April 9, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Hopes for peace in the Middle East are on thin ice with the ceasefire unveiled on Wednesday morning already seemingly in tatters. According to Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker, the US and Israel have already “violated” Iran’s 10-point ceasefire proposal in three ways. And [...]
Mood has shifted on housing market as rates rattle demand April 9, 2026 High mortgage rates are unlikely to deflate immediately even if the Iran ceasefire holds, property experts have warned, as rising rates stifle demand for houses. The number of Brits enquiring to buy a new home fell even further in March, down from negative 29 per cent in February to minus 39 per cent last month, [...]
Oil slides and stocks surge as US hails ‘chance at peace’ April 8, 2026 Global markets breathed a much-needed sigh of relief on Wednesday morning after it emerged Donald Trump reached a temporary ceasefire agreement with Iran, just hours before a high-stakes deadline in which the US president had threatened to destroy bridges, power plants and swathes of Iranian infrastructure. On Tuesday Trump set a dramatic ultimatum that “a [...]
Christian nationalism is a dead end for British conservatives April 8, 2026 JD Vance supports re-election of Viktor Orban because the Hungarian autocrat funds a network of think tanks and writers that are crucial to his own succession of Donald Trump. This is not the way forward for the British right, says Alys Denby “This is the horniest place I’ve ever been,” a fellow attendee said, noting [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Blue-chip stocks boom on Trump and Iran ceasefire April 8, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Markets are in line for a major boom this morning after Donald Trump confirmed a two-week ceasefire with Iran shortly ahead of his latest bomb threat deadline. Trump announced the two-week postponement by stating the US and Iran were “very far along” with a “definitive” [...]
‘A whole civilisation will die tonight’: Trump ramps up Iran threats as deadline draws nearer April 7, 2026 Donald Trump has dialled up his threats on Iran warning a “whole civilisation will die tonight” ahead of his latest looming deadline for Iran. The chaotic sentiment has rocked markets across Europe after indexes struggled to find direction during early trading. The FTSE 100 see-sawed between gains and losses as the City market returned from [...]
14 charts reveal the massive challenges facing UK and NATO defence spending April 7, 2026 Defence spending is casting a shadow over Downing Street. Military officers are in a state of despair. The choices facing Sir Keir Starmer are stark. The political calculus for the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has become more complicated than ever as the Iran war puts public finances in danger. Their difficulties go back to February 2025 [...]
Trump turmoil in Asia sends chills through Seoul while China keeps its cool April 6, 2026 The war in the Middle East has sent shockwaves through global markets, stoking volatility across exchanges and asset classes everywhere. But one region, Asia, has been particularly exposed, due to its position at the forefront of the daily trading cycle. As the latest on-the-ground headlines line up alongside President Donald Trump’s erratic social media posts [...]
From jet fuel to fertiliser – economic pain is heading West April 6, 2026 A quiet Easter Sunday was abruptly punctured when US President Donald Trump unleashed a brutal, expletive-filled ultimatum to the Iranian regime. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Tuesday will be power plant day, and bridge day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. “There will be nothing like it!!! Open the f***in’ strait [...]