French borrowing costs surge as political crisis deepens Markets French assets suffered at the hands of a brutal sell-off on Monday, after the country’s latest prime minister resigned just a month into the role, exacerbating an already grave political crisis. French stocks tumbled across the board while government borrowing costs climbed sharply to their highest since 2011, after newly appointed prime minister Sebastien Lecornu [...]
UK second most at risk from debt crisis of all major economies Markets The UK is the second most likely major economy to face a debt crisis in the next two years, a fresh survey of financial professionals has found, as investors remain unconvinced by the country’s growth prospects and efforts to keep a lid on spending. According to a Deutsche Bank poll released on Monday, France is [...]
How are ‘bankrupt’ France’s borrowing costs still lower than ours? Markets Locked in a protracted political crisis over the extent of its indebtedness – and with its deficit running at over five per cent of GDP – France has earned itself the unwanted monikers of ‘the sick man of Europe’ and the ‘new Greece’. Despite these woes, its borrowing costs remain lower than the UK’s. Ali [...]
Starmer and Macron face a shared Waterloo September 18, 2025 Facing crippling national debt and a politically divided public, both Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron have proved unable to implement necessary economic reforms, and both are heading for a downfall driven by market forces, says Helen Thomas A country gripped by the highest debt levels since the Second World War; an unpopular leader facing a [...]
The worrying bond market trend no one is talking about September 1, 2025 Spiking interest rates on the UK government’s borrowing costs have set off a fresh wave of commentary on the health of Britain’s economy. Ali Lyon explores why it is only long-dated bonds where tremors have been most pronounced, and why the U has plenty of company. What will you be doing in 30 years’ time? [...]
Borrowing costs surge as gilts close in on 27-year low August 26, 2025 Long-dated gilts plunged to a near 27-year low on Tuesday, bringing the UK’s fragile fiscal position into even sharper relief in the run-up to the government’s second Budget this Autumn. The yield on 30-year UK government bonds, which moves inversely to the price, jumped by as much as nine basis points to 5.63 per cent, [...]