As it happened: Stocks slip as oil hits $100 following Houthi attacks on tankers July 23, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire FTSE 100 liveblog. Stocks slipped on Thursday morning as oil surged back to $100 per barrel for the first time since May. Brent crude barrelled up after the Iran-backed Houthis claimed to have attacked two Saudi Arabian oil tankers in the Red Sea. The US last night launched its [...]
Oil prices return to crisis levels July 22, 2026 Oil prices have returned to levels not seen since the beginning of June, after both the US and Iran warned that hopes of a return to peace negotiations were premature. The spot price of Brent crude broke $95 a barrel on Wednesday morning for the first time since the warring parties agreed a 60-day ceasefire [...]
As it happened: Stocks rise but oil tops $95; inflation eases July 22, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire FTSE 100 liveblog. It’s Wednesday and new Chancellor John Healey secured an early boost after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that inflation slowed in June. Headline CPI inflation dipped from 2.8 per cent in May to 2.6 per cent in June. Grant Fitzner, chief economist at the [...]
As it happened: Stocks rally as defence shares surge on John Healey as Chancellor July 21, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire FTSE 100 liveblog. It’s Tuesday and the markets have been adjusting to the first full day of Andy Burnham’s Labour government. Burnham shocked Westminster and the City on Monday evening when he appointed John Healey as his Chancellor, just weeks after he had resigned in protest as defence secretary. [...]
Temporary inflation slowdown set to boost Burnham July 19, 2026 Inflation is expected to have eased last month in a welcome but temporary boost for Andy Burnham’s incoming government. The headline rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation is tipped to have eased from 2.8 per cent in May to 2.6 per cent in June, according to some economists. The latest rate of inflation will [...]
Burnham to approve North Sea oil and gas drilling in policy blitz July 17, 2026 Incoming prime minister Andy Burnham is set to announce new drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea within days of taking office as part of a policy blitz, according to reports. Burnham’s team has asked the civil service to draw up plans to approve drilling projects at the Jackdaw gas field and Rosebank [...]
As it happened: Stocks drop on Trump-Iran warning; Mahmood tipped to be chancellor July 16, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. The UK has received fresh economic growth data this morning which has put GDP expansion at a sluggish 0.1 per cent for the month of May. The services sector – which contributes more than 80 per cent of total economic output – grew 0.3 per cent against steep [...]
As it happened: Stocks reverse losses after Trump threatens harder strikes on Iran; Oil at four-week high July 15, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Oil prices have reached a four-week high after the Strait of Hormuz became too unsafe for ships travel through following the exchange of strikes between the US and Iran. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – tipped over the $87 per barrel mark on Tuesday [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 recovers after oil surge dampens mood; Strikes in the Strait of Hormuz July 14, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Oil prices are marching higher after the latest wave of military action in the Middle East following the US reinstating its blockade on imports from Iran. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – surged above $84 per barrel on Tuesday, bringing gains for the week [...]
Trump reinstates US blockade of Strait of Hormuz July 13, 2026 Donald Trump said the United States has restored its blockade of Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz and would demand a 20 per cent fee on all other cargo transiting the shipping lane. In a further breakdown of relations with Iran, the President said the US Navy would stop “Iran’s ships entering or leaving” [...]