UK in line for fresh US tariff hit as Trump proposes ‘forced labour’ levy June 3, 2026 Donald Trump has proposed a fresh round of tariffs that would hit numerous nations including the UK as the President seeks to rebuild his sweeping wall of levies that were struck down by the Supreme Court. The US is exploring a tariff of at least ten per cent on imports from up to 60 trading [...]
As it happened: Stocks jitter on stalling US-Iran talks; OECD unemployment warning June 3, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Markets are being pulled in countless directions from the conflicting information emerging around the conflict in the Middle East. The FTSE 100 managed to shrug off some of these jitters yesterday and secure a finish 0.3 per cent higher as the price of oil slipped. But this morning [...]
As it happened: Petrol prices surge to Iran war record as Kingfisher helps lift stocks higher May 26, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. The City is returning from the Bank Holiday break to find the tensions in the Middle East continuing in a stalemate – or perhaps a further escalation than last week. After days of threats President Donald Trump has issued a strike on Iran, which he [...]
As it happened: Choppy finish for FTSE 100 as global markets rocked by AI sell-off May 19, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Businesses have raised the alarm over falling vacancies as new data showed a further weakening in the jobs market. Vacancies remained at a five-year low in April 2026, with a leading industry group saying recruiters were “pausing” plans to hire workers. The British Chambers of Commerce’s head of [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks jitter as inflation surges; Trump extends ceasefire April 22, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Inflation has surged this morning follow the outbreak of war in Iran. Fresh figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has shown the consumer price index rose by 3.3 per cent in the 12 months to March 2026. That’s up from three per cent [...]
‘No more Mr Nice Guy’: Oil prices spike as Trump renews Iran power plant threats April 20, 2026 The price of oil has been driven higher by the latest round of escalations in the Middle East renewing fears of a drastic global energy shock. Brent crude – the international benchmark for oil prices – jumped over six per cent on Monday morning to over $96. It follows a weekend of tensions where shipping [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks slump on renewed Iran threats; UK to be ‘pushed to brink’ of recession April 20, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Markets are returning from the weekend to a fresh round of volatility. The mood ended last week on a high following the re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz but that sentiment was quickly squashed over the weekend as tensions renewed. Shipping in the Strait of [...]
US gearing up for ‘weeks of ground operations’ in Iran March 29, 2026 The US military is reportedly gearing up for “weeks of ground operations” in Iran in a move that will destroy optimism garnered over the last week that a peace deal could be on the horizon. Sources at the Pentagon have told the Washington Post that the potential operations would not amount to a full invasion, [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Stocks slip; Justeat caught in CMA crackdown on reviews March 27, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Another pause has been slapped on Donald Trump’s pledge to “obliterate” Iranian power plants, should the nation not re-open the Strait of Hormuz. The President took to social media last night and said talks between the US and Iran were “ongoing” and “going very well,” [...]
‘Crossroads’: Oil prices hold firm as markets sour on Trump’s peace talks March 24, 2026 The price of oil held firm on Tuesday morning as markets faced a “crossroads” following the latest bait-and-switch from President Trump amid the crisis in the Middle East. Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, broke $100 again in early trading in Asia after a four per cent gain. Prices have dipped a touch but [...]