As it happened: Stocks rise as oil lower; Iran threatens ‘forceful response’ over Strait of Hormuz July 3, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. The rate of traffic flowing through the Strait of Hormuz is gradually picking back up in a major boost to the oil market. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – held steady at near $72 per barrel on Friday morning. It marked a similar level [...]
As it happened: Stocks rally after US jobs report; Oil tumbles to pre-Iran war levels July 2, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. The peace relief rally across markets ground to a halt yesterday as investors were rocked by new tensions in the Middle East that threatened all-out war re-emerging between the US and Iran. Negotiations were handed a blow as Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Qatar [...]
London becomes activist capital of Europe as investors pressure firms over AI plans July 1, 2026 London has become the shareholder activist capital of Europe as boardrooms feel the heat of interventions from outspoken investors. The UK’s capital markets were the subject of a staggering 57 per cent of all European campaign activity in the first half of the year, fresh data has found, crossing the 50 per cent threshold for [...]
Gold set for worst quarter in over 10 years as retail interest cools July 1, 2026 Gold is poised to enter its worst quarterly performance in over ten years, as retail investor enthusiasm fades and higher US interest rates loom, a far cry from last year’s continuous record-breaking prices. The price of the precious metal fell below $4,000 per troy ounce on Wednesday, hitting $3,978.5. On Tuesday it fell to $3,942.9, [...]
Half time: London market lags as rivals across the Atlantic hit fresh highs July 1, 2026 London’s main stock market index ended the first half of 2026 within touching distance of a record high set earlier in the year, but remained off the pace set by its rival in New York. The FTSE 100’s positive-but-relatively-limited run for the period summed up a feeling of measured optimism. While it made overall gains, [...]
As it happened: Stocks fall as US and Iran clash over Strait of Hormuz; Fed chair says inflation risk is easing July 1, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Oil prices are holding steady above $73 per barrel after days of heightened tensions between the US and Iran ahead of peace talks in Qatar. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – posted its biggest quarterly decline since 2020 for the second quarter of the [...]
As it happened: Stocks jump on defence and metals boost; Oil on track to shed a fifth on US-Iran peace hopes June 30, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Oil’s speed of decline has taken a hit this week as investors were forced to pause at the renewal of strike action between the US and Iran. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – was steadying above $73 per barrel, holding onto some of the [...]
How the SpaceX IPO revealed a ‘back door’ into Britain’s capital markets June 29, 2026 The UK’s public offer platform regime was rolled out as part of a package of reforms designed to get capital flowing into British companies. Now SpaceX has used it to raise funding in the biggest IPO of all time – in New York. Maisie Grice asks whether the changes are working as intended. In January, [...]
As it happened: Supreme Court blocks Trump sacking; Andy Burnham vows ‘greater public control’; Comcast spin-off June 29, 2026 Good afternoon from the Morning Wire liveblog team. News of a major spin-off deal in the media sector is providing the main talking point during the New York trading day, helping lift stocks up after the tech sector weighed on the market over the previous session. Sky owner Comcast’s announcement that it will set up [...]
LSE draws up ‘worst case scenario’ US listing flight risk June 28, 2026 The London Stock Exchange is preparing for as many as 20 FTSE 100-listed companies to move their direct listings to New York, according to reports, in a move that would leave a £2bn gap in the Treasury’s earnings from stamp duty on share trades. The exchange has drawn up a worst-case scenario plan in which [...]