‘Unsustainable’ – Iceland boss and Labour peer calls for end of triple lock pension June 12, 2026 Lord Walker, the influential Iceland boss who was made a Labour peer, has called for the triple lock pension to be scrapped as the mechanism was “profoundly unfair”. In a debate on welfare reform in the House of Lords, Walker added to a growing number of economists and political figures calling for the state pension [...]
UK economy falters as deeper damage to growth to come June 12, 2026 The UK economy lost momentum in April, official data has revealed, as the energy price shock from the Iran war took its toll on businesses and consumers. The Office for National Statistics said GDP declined by 0.1 per cent in April. The services sector contracted by 0.2 per cent while manufacturing output did not post [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 rises as easing Iran tensions offset GDP blow; SpaceX set for blast off June 12, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Global equity investors are bracing for Musk’s record-breaking market debut SpaceX is set to begin trading on Nasdaq today after Elon Musk’s rocket, satellite and AI empire pulled off the largest IPO in market history. The company raised $75bn after pricing shares at $135, giving it a $1.77 [...]
As it happened: Starmer dealt defence blow as investors react June 11, 2026 This was the Morning Wire liveblog on Thursday 11 June. John Healey resigned as defence secretary over a lack of funding for the armed forces, heaping pressure on Sir Keir Starmer. Industry officials reacted with regret and paid tribute to Healey. The FTSE 100 also climbed on Thursday to defy fresh tensions between Iran and [...]
Oil prices rise as Trump warns of ‘very hard’ strikes against Iran June 11, 2026 President Trump has escalated his threats against the Iranian regime, announcing on social media that the US will hit Iran “very hard” tonight if a peace deal cannot be reached. In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US President suggested that American forces could take Kharg Island, a crucial oil export artery for [...]
Reeves aims to lure US workers through tax reform June 11, 2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves is considering a tax break for US workers by introducing fresh reform, reflecting her drive to lure more wealthy migrants despite a wider crackdown on immigration. The government has launched a consultation on the double taxation for investors who may be based in the UK but who work for US firms that [...]
Hospitality leaders ramp up pressure on Labour to slash VAT June 11, 2026 Leaders of top hospitality firms have ramped up pressure on Labour to slash VAT, which they warn is leading to hundreds of thousands of job losses. Pub chains JD Wetherspoon, Fuller’s and Greene King, as well as hotel giant Hilton and Mexican restaurant chain Wahaca, have thrown their weight behind a campaign to cut Value [...]
‘Pendulum swung too far’: AIM hit with 222 delistings ahead of nomad changes June 11, 2026 More than two hundred companies have been forced off London’s junior stock market over the last two decades after losing their corporate adviser in a move that has sparked a regulatory pullback by the London Stock Exchange. Some 222 firms on the alternative investment market (AIM) market have de-listed in the last 20 years after [...]
Pension funds must ’embrace’ private markets to fuel growth June 10, 2026 UK pension funds must stop hiding in public equity benchmarks and ‘embrace’ private markets in order to meet their obligations and accelerate economic growth, the group chief executive of one of the UK’s largest pension providers has argued. Andrew Evans, co-founder and group CEO of Smart Pension, urged providers to steer away from public markets [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 see-saws amid global jitters as market outlook turns ‘risky and dangerous’ June 10, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Markets were not getting too excited at the beginning of this week when Donald Trump said a peace deal with Iran was “very close”. And last night’s exchange of strikes might explain why. The US has said it completed a series of strikes against Iran [...]