IMF raises UK growth forecast as economist says Healey should ‘stay the course’
Fund upgrades UK’s GDP growth forecast for 2026 to 1.3%, but says it is likely to edge down next year
Policy
UK shoppers seek deals as grocery price inflation rises again
UK grocery price inflation has edged up again as shoppers lean on special offers to keep their costs in check.
UK growth upgraded but energy prices and rates to bite in 2027
The UK economy is forecast to grow by more than previously expected this year before higher energy prices and interest rates hit growth in 2027, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said.
Bedbug infestation forces Qantas to ground plane in Rome
Aircraft taken out of operation after flight from Perth after the discovery of parasitic insects on board Qantas has been forced to ground a plane in Rome after bedbugs were discovered on the aircraft on its way from Pe…
Hackers force French supermarket fridges to heat up to 50C in ‘unprecedented’ cyber-attack
Hundreds of Intermarché shops and Coopérative U outlets in France hit, with fears Dutch chains also affected
Revealed: Nigel Farage adviser had unpublicised role at polling firm
Exclusive: Chris Bruni-Lowe used Redfield & Wilton Strategies role to develop potential campaign tactics, sources say
UK van drivers face extra £2.5bn in diesel costs this year, figures show
Millions of British van drivers face a combined £2.5bn cost to cover the rising price of diesel this year, according to figures, fuelling calls for the government to scrap its planned fuel duty rise.
IFS: budget will be ‘work of fiction’ without clear plan to cover UK’s £35bn spending pressures
Thinktank’s influential pre-budget report urges key decisions to be made now and not put off until next year
Roman Abramovich aides falsified paperwork to disguise assets and dodge tax, records suggest
Aides of Roman Abramovich – including staff at the global accountancy firm Deloitte – falsified paperwork mapping the oligarch’s sprawling offshore business empire, records suggest, helping his businesses dodge tax and …
UK to strengthen cyber defences as minister calls for AI firms to increase safety efforts
Kanishka Narayan to say Britain cannot rely entirely on tech companies amid rising global concern over AI dangers
American ranchers wrestle with soaring costs - and their loyalty to Trump
In April, a wildfire destroyed 1,600 grazing acres and 13 miles (21 km) of fence along the ranch she bought in 2002. The ranch is nestled in a corner of Nebraska that's home to rolling green hills under sweeping Midwest…
What the sell off in bonds means for monetary policy
Actions by advanced economies to limit rising government bond yields are unlikely to be durable without additional policy change or a material economic slowdown—but the first is unlikely and the second is unwanted.
Volkswagen boss backs EU plan to bolster domestic European industry
The boss of Volkswagen has backed EU proposals to boost its domestic industry, arguing European carmakers need to be able to “compete under comparable conditions” with Chinese rivals.
‘Some aren’t going to make it’: how pressure on farmers threatens UK food security
“There are so many decent, capable, productive, efficient arable farmers out there, asking how they are supposed to finance the crop they are meant to be putting in the ground,” Jamie Burrows says.
Labour has got the message – developing nations suffer most from bond market turmoil | Heather Stewart
Just as Brown and Blair did in 2005, Andy Burnham aims to champion debt relief to help developing countries
Trump calls for new Ukrainian president as U.S. seeks Russian diesel supplies
US President Donald Trump has blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for sky-rocketing diesel prices in America.
‘Halloweenmas’: how the spooky one-nighter turned into a month-long spectacular
Welcome to Halloweenmas, weeks of themed fun and gifts – from costume parties to decorating trees – without the stress, rules or cost of Christmas
Developing nations face triple shock from energy crisis, El Niño and borrowing costs, UN warns
Developing countries face a triple shock from the energy crisis, El Niño and surging borrowing costs and need urgent support from the international community, the UN’s development arm has warned.
Could a change of government in Spain have big implications on energy policy?
The war in Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have plunged global energy markets into deep uncertainty, disrupting critical oil and gas flows and accelerating structural shifts in how governments and…
Why we’re stuck with a Premier League in the clutches of the global mega-rich | Jonathan Wilson
There’s little prospect of the model changing in a country that welcomes wealthy international owners with open arms
Saudi conferences to proceed despite deadly Riyadh airport attacks, Reuters report
US President Donald Trump reiterated his complaints on Friday about not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, calling it a disgraceful and embarrassing decision that had left a stain on Norway, which hosts the Nobel committe…
How a South African billionaire is turning a corner of Somerset into ‘one man’s estate’
When South African billionaire Koos Bekker bought an old country estate in a sleepy corner of Somerset to turn it into a luxury hotel, residents thought it was a sign their area was on the up.
Zelenskyy furious as Trump announces deal to buy Russian diesel
Donald Trump was on a fresh collision course with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and European allies after a stunning agreement to buy Russian diesel, upending years of US and western pressure on the Krem…
UK must not be beholden to foreign AI, says head of Alan Turing Institute
George Williamson says ‘national resilience’ is key focus of ATI amid US and China’s runaway leadership in field