Are we in the calm before the economic storm? May 20, 2026 There is a palpable sense of being in the calm before the storm. Thanks to the backward-looking nature of most economic data releases, we’re being fed glimpses of the gathering gloom. The latest GDP growth data from the ONS covered Q1 and came in at a respectable 0.6 per cent. However, it has been widely [...]
OBR chiefs warn jostling Labour MPs against fiscal rules change May 19, 2026 Office for Budget Responsibility chiefs have warned Labour activists against changing the fiscal rules and overall framework to account for longer term impacts of government investment. The OBR’s David Miles and Tom Josephs said a ten-year forecast horizon would make for a “less credible” economic report and may not have any impact on bond investors. [...]
Unemployment back up as UK job vacancies fall May 19, 2026 Unemployment crept back up despite a fall in last month’s data as it was shown that the UK jobs market weakened in the last quarter. The Office for National Statistics said the UK unemployment rate was five per cent in the three months to March 2026. The unemployment rate had dropped to 4.9 per cent [...]
As it happened: Choppy finish for FTSE 100 as global markets rocked by AI sell-off May 19, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM 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 [...]
Sign of the Dimes: Harry Styles Wembley run to drive £1bn spending frenzy May 19, 2026 Harry Styles’ 12-night Wembley residency is set to rake in more than £1bn in spending in the capital, smashing previous records set by Taylor Swift concertgoers. The Mancunian popstar is expected to attract £88.3m in spending per night, far higher than the £66.5m recorded during Taylor Swift’s UK Eras Tour dates in 2024, according to [...]
Mel Stride: Markets have issued ‘damning verdict’ on Labour May 18, 2026 Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride is set to claim that markets have issued the Labour government a “damning verdict” after continual leadership speculation and tax rises, warning that taxpayers will be left on the hook. In a speech at the Centre for Policy Studies, Stride will argue that investors have taken an ill-view of the [...]
Jamie Dimon’s iron grip on JP Morgan threatens investor rebellion May 18, 2026 Jamie Dimon’s iron grip on JP Morgan comes under the microscope at the Wall Street giant’s annual general meeting on Tuesday as the banking exec looks to fend off an investor rebellion. The world’s most influential banker is facing an activist offensive that targets splitting up the chief executive and chair role – two positions [...]
Burnham calls for UK to abandon ‘40 years of neoliberalism’ May 18, 2026 Labour leadership hopeful Andy Burnham has called for the UK to abandon “40 years of neoliberalism” as he claimed that Westminster politics had failed northern communities. In what is being widely interpreted as Burnham’s Labour leadership launch speech, he said that the upcoming by-election in Makerfield was a chance for a “much bigger debate about [...]
Rachel Reeves reforms ring-fencing in boost to Natwest and Lloyds May 18, 2026 Rachel Reeves has handed a major boost to the likes of Natwest and Lloyds with an overhaul of the ring-fencing regime in hopes to free up capital to be invested into the UK. The Treasury has unveiled a shakeup of the 15-year-old legislation, which requires major banks to separate their retail banking operations from their [...]
IMF tells Reeves to drop triple lock pension and make ‘fundamental’ tax reform May 18, 2026 The UN’s global financial fund has called on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to drop the triple lock pension and draw up “contingency” tax measures to ensure that public debt is reduced as a share of GDP. The International Monetary Fund has said that there are “risks” around spending forecasts and tax receipts, criticising the Chancellor for [...]