From jet fuel to fertiliser – economic pain is heading West April 6, 2026 A quiet Easter Sunday was abruptly punctured when US President Donald Trump unleashed a brutal, expletive-filled ultimatum to the Iranian regime. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Tuesday will be power plant day, and bridge day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. “There will be nothing like it!!! Open the f***in’ strait [...]
Gloucester Rugby asks fans for £300k as it seeks investors at £36.5m valuation April 6, 2026 Fans of Prem Rugby club Gloucester have been asked to find £300,000 to help the team reach its investment goals. The club, eighth in the 10-team English top flight, announced an investment fund raise in October that would embolden fans to generate £500,000 to “protect the future” of the Cherry and Whites. Hosted by investment [...]
Jamie Dimon eyes high interest rates, uneven lending and IPO dearth in JP Morgan shareholder letter April 6, 2026 One of the biggest names in global banking issued a stark warning about global political uncertainty and the potential threat of higher asset prices on Monday, while pointing to the faltering pipeline for company flotations. Jamie Dimon, the chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, added his voice to a debate raging in world financial centres on [...]
The 2026 tax year has started. Here’s what you need to know April 6, 2026 The tax year countdown has officially ended and a new year has begun on 6 April, bringing with it an ISA allowance reset and silent tax hikes. While many investors and savers will be breathing a sigh of relief, thinking they have completed their financial admin for at least a few months, being proactive at [...]
Alex Gerko’s XTX paid more than £500m in corporation tax in 2025 April 6, 2026 A London algorithmic trading firm run by billionaire Alex Gerko faced a corporation tax bill of more than £500m last year, the firm’s latest accounts show, making the company one of the largest individual contributors to the exchequer. Kings Cross-based XTX Markets was due to pay around £580m in corporation tax for 2025, according to [...]
Tories urge Waitrose to re-hire worker who tackled shoplifter – and give him a bonus April 6, 2026 Shadow home secretary Chris Philp has urged the boss of Waitrose to re-hire Walker Smith, who tackled a shoplifter in south London attempting to steal luxury Easter eggs. Waitrose shop assistant Walker Smith was sacked by the supermarket after tackling a shoplifter, whom Smith recognised as a repeat offender. Philp wrote to Denyard, the managing [...]
US markets hold steady after Trump’s expletive weekend ultimatum April 6, 2026 US markets held their nerve on Monday, as Wall Street traders returned to their desks for the first full session after President Donald Trump’s explosive, expletive-strewn demands for Iran to re-open the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude oil held the $107-a-barrel mark. But the global benchmark eased overall, by $1.50 to $107.54. European stock exchanges [...]
Private equity buyouts slump amid AI fears and Middle East conflict April 6, 2026 The value of buyouts by private equity groups fell by more than a third in the first quarter of the year, with dealmakers warning that concerns over AI’s impact on software businesses and the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict could hasten the downturn. In the three months to March, private equity groups agreed acquisitions worth $172bn [...]
MPs demand Kanye West ban as FTSE 100 sponsor ditches Wireless Festival April 6, 2026 Labour MPs are calling on Sir Keir Starmer to ban Kanye West from performing in north London this summer as major sponsors ditched Wireless Festival. Luke Akehurst and Rachael Maskell are among some of the MPs to have publicly urged Starmer to intervene on a visa to be issued to the ‘Gold Digger’ rapper, who [...]
Bath sell-out bright spark as Champions Cup attendances fall April 6, 2026 Bath Rugby’s return to the top flight Investec Champions Cup saw the only sell-out for an English team across the intercontinental competition. A packed Recreation Ground saw the West Country side beat Saracens and earn a spot in the quarter-finals for the first time since the single-legged round of 16 was reintroduced in the 2022-23 [...]