US inflation cooled slightly to 3.4% in July but prices still elevated
US consumer prices cooled slightly in July as the annualized inflation rate dipped down to 3.4%, though prices still remain higher than levels seen before the war with Iran.
Policy
Panama canal fees soar due to Iran war and El Niño as ship ‘pays $4m to jump queue’
Commercial ships travelling through the Panama canal are facing a rise in costs amid disruption triggered by the Iran war and falling water levels linked to this year’s intense El Niño weather system .
Josh Kushner and Bob Iger reportedly buying Los Angeles Lakers for $12.5bn
Josh Kushner and Bob Iger are purchasing the Los Angeles Lakers for more than $12.5bn in a record-breaking deal, ESPN reported on Wednesday , citing sources with knowledge of the deal.
Live facial recognition cameras to be used on UK’s busiest shopping street
The Metropolitan police are understood to be planning to use live facial recognition (LFR) technology on Britain’s busiest shopping street.
AI was supposed to destroy jobs. Where’s the carnage?
The AI jobs apocalypse never showed up. Still, jobs are changing and economists expect more to come.
Great Britain faces electricity supply shortfall during solar eclipse
Event expected to hit solar power just as fifth heatwave of summer increases use of air conditioning and fans
Just 20 of 6,600 Defra staff working on climate adaptation amid drought and wildfires
Just 20 staff are working on climate adaptation within a key government department tasked with protecting the environment and maintaining food security, a freedom of information request has revealed.
Iran war and high living costs fueling last-minute holiday bookings, Tui says
Geopolitics and cost of living crisis have cost Europe’s largest travel company €60m so far
Eerie silence and ‘still surviving’: what happened next after steel town’s last blast furnace shut down
Exhibition in Port Talbot is part of project exploring how communities experience endings and transitions
UK heatwaves may have cost economy £4.4bn in lost output so far this year, analysis finds
Verdant thinktank says cost could top £25bn a year by 2030 and calls for maximum temperature for working and urban redesign to cool down cities
Trump considers capital gains tax cuts ahead of midterm election- Bloomberg
The specter of investigations and impeachment has fueled many of the president’s most dramatic actions.
Passenger jet billed as China’s answer to Boeing and Airbus prepares to make first international flight
The Comac C919 will fly from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, although experts say it could take generations for it to challenge the west’s dominance of the industry
Households near new pylons to get £250 taken off annual energy bills
Discounts confirmed near more than 40 locations across Great Britain amid biggest upgrade to electricity grid since 1960s
US sees oil disruptions from Iran conflict reaching 600,000 bpd
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cut its economic outlook for the world economy and warned it could sink into a recession if the Iran war is not soon resolved. In its April 2026 World Economic Outlook, the Bret…
Results of the Semi-Annual FX Turnover Surveys in April 2026
The international role of the euro grew moderately in 2025, with its share across various indicators of global currency use reaching around 20%. Viewed from a longer-term perspective, the role of the euro has grown grad…
Axe stamp duty? How Andy Burnham could change property tax
Residential property is the largest store of wealth in the UK, and has long been a target for those who believe homes should be taxed more. Real estate remains a juicy plum for Andy Burnham to pick as he searches for wa…
Heathrow says need for expansion ‘clear’ as it loses title of Europe’s busiest airport
Heathrow airport said “the case for expansion has never been clearer” after it was overtaken as Europe’s busiest airport by Istanbul.
Nvidia links with Wall Street firms for $500bn AI financing deal
Apollo, BlackRock, Goldman Sachs and KKR among those working with chipmaker to fund infrastructure
Hotel prices in Europe jump before total solar eclipse
Rooms in Icelandic capital Reykjavík cost double usual rate and Spain also enjoying strong bookings
ECB and Frankfurt Radio Symphony invite the public to Europa Open Air concert on 20 August 2026
On Thursday, 20 August 2026 the European Central Bank (ECB) and the broadcaster Hessischer Rundfunk (hr) will once again host the Europa Open Air concert at Weseler Werft in Frankfurt. The free event brings together mus…
Consumer confidence at near two-year high as World Cup and UK holidaying lift summer spending
Barclays says survey shows people feel more secure in jobs and have more leeway to spend on non-essentials
RBA leaves rates steady at 4.35%; warns of more hikes amid high inflation
For the Australian housing market, this pause offers much-needed breathing space, though borrowing constraints, affordability pressures, and supply shortages continue to dictate local market dynamics.
RBA interest rates: Reserve Bank holds cash rate at 4.35% but threatens more hikes if needed
In a widely expected decision, the Reserve Bank of Australia holds interest rate after three hikes earlier this year
Trump’s media company, which also owns Truth Social, reports $238m loss
Company also announced a paid service for early access to president’s posts on policies to the social media site