Barclays most ‘hurt’ bank to UK economy downgrades April 16, 2026 Barclays has been branded the bank most set to be “hurt” by the downgrades slapped on the UK economy following the turmoil caused by the war in the Middle East. The bank’s macroeconomic forecasts hold the most optimistic assumptions when compared to its FTSE 100 peers. This leaves the lender with a less of a [...]
Starmer hits back at defence spending attacks April 15, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer has said he disagrees with allegations of “complacency” on funding the armed forces amid renewed scrutiny over the Labour’s defence spending plans. During Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer hit back at widespread backlash over the absence of the government’s Defence Investment Plan, which was due last autumn. He told MPs that he didn’t [...]
Silver prices hit record high amid dwindling demand April 15, 2026 Silver hit multiple record breaking highs last year, but soaring investor appetite ultimately offset demand for the metal from jewellers and industry. Silver rode the coattails of fellow precious metal gold which was coveted for its ‘safe haven’ status, and has extended its rally into 2026. The asset has surged 140.9 per cent over the [...]
IMF slaps UK with biggest growth downgrade of any G7 country April 14, 2026 The UK economy has suffered the biggest growth forecast downgrade of any country in the G7 in the International Monetary Fund’s spring economic outlook report, dealing a blow to Chancellor Rachel Reeves as she struggles to overcome setbacks sparked by the Iran war. Growth this year was revised down by 0.5 percentage points as trade [...]
‘Vandalism’: Reeves and Starmer slammed over defence spending April 14, 2026 Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer have been slammed for a failure to provide defence with a substantial cash injection as a former Nato secretary general said an “ever-expanding welfare budget” would not keep the UK secure. Downing Street has come under fire for its delay in setting out a clear timeline for an uplift [...]
Panmure Liberum: Netherlands will win first Fifa World Cup April 9, 2026 Investment bank Panmure Liberum has predicted the Netherlands will win their first World Cup this summer having correctly forecast the previous three winners. In a note published on Thursday, author Joachim Klement said that the Netherlands under Ronald Koeman will lift the iconic gold trophy in New Jersey this summer. He correctly predicted Germany to [...]
Iran war sparks sharp reversal in European ETF rally April 9, 2026 European ETF flows ran out of road in March, as the Iran war pared back market gains from the first two months of the year and investors returned to the sidelines. The European exchange-traded fund (ETF) and exchange-traded commodities (ETC) market saw a sharp decline in investment during March, gathering only €9.4bn (£8.1bn), according to [...]
Bank of England: Interest rate hike predictions cool as trader sentiment resets April 8, 2026 Fears of several interest rate hikes being made have eased as traders raved at the news of a ceasefire in the Middle East. Markets are now pricing in just one interest rate hike as the two-year gilt yield dropped to 4.1 per cent. The current interest rate is set at 3.75 per cent by the [...]
On This Day in 1980: America severs diplomatic relations with Iran April 7, 2026 The United States severed diplomatic relations with Iran on April 7, 1980, after the Ayatollah Khomeini refused to order the release of the American hostages who had been held at the US Embassy since the previous November, writes Eliot Wilson If you remember good relations between the United States and Iran, you are at least facing [...]
14 charts reveal the massive challenges facing UK and NATO defence spending April 7, 2026 Defence spending is casting a shadow over Downing Street. Military officers are in a state of despair. The choices facing Sir Keir Starmer are stark. The political calculus for the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has become more complicated than ever as the Iran war puts public finances in danger. Their difficulties go back to February 2025 [...]