Why even gilts are outperforming the once unstoppable Magnificent 7 this year July 8, 2026 Plagued by sticky inflation and spendthrift politicians, the UK government’s bonds have spent years as an unloved asset class. But six months into 2026 and they have, so far, outperformed the Magnificent 7. Ali Lyon examines what has gone wrong for the so-called hyperscalers even as AI hype is greater than ever. Since the Bank [...]
UK borrowing costs surge as Trump declares Iran ceasefire over July 8, 2026 UK borrowing costs surged and the price of oil leapt to a two week-high on Wednesday after Donald Trump suggested his already-fragile ceasefire deal with Iran was over. The yield on ten-year gilts – the primary benchmark for how much it costs the government to borrow – stormed 11 basis points higher to 4.96 per [...]
Quinbrook Closes Oversubscribed GBP 587 Million Renewables Impact Fund II July 8, 2026 Investments will advance decarbonisation, improve security of energy supplies, and provide critical grid support across the UK and Ireland
Simpro Group Makes It RAIN — New Features and AI-Infused Enhancements Delivered at Record Speed July 7, 2026 With Lightning’s Cooper AI at the center of AroFlo, BigChange and Simpro, the company is shipping dozens of new features and over 100 AI-infused enhancements — included for Lightning customers at no additional cost
Pension pressure to help swell UK debt to three times size of economy July 7, 2026 The growing cost of pensions is set to help swell UK public debt to three times the size of the economy and will place ‘unsustainable’ pressure on the public finances, the budget watchdog has warned, days after Andy Burnham pledged to retain the expensive triple lock after taking power. In its annual report on the [...]
House prices rise as mortgage rates ease from Iran war highs July 7, 2026 House prices inched up in June as mortgage rates softened following a sharp spike in response to the Iran war. The average UK property price rose by 0.2 per cent in June to £299,330, compared to a 0.2 per cent fall in May, according to the Lloyds house price index. Inflationary fears and expectation of [...]
Businesses can’t keep waiting for political stability July 7, 2026 We’ve created a hidden economy of underemployment. Thousands of highly skilled, self-employed professionals don’t appear in the unemployment figures because, technically, they have work. But many are quietly living off savings while they wait for businesses to regain the confidence to make decisions, says Aceil Haddad I was so annoyed watching the political drama unfold [...]
Financial services activity ‘drops rapidly’ as investors alarmed by Burnham July 6, 2026 Business activity across the financial services sector – one of the chief drivers of economic growth across the UK – has dropped sharply as confidence slumps, according to a new survey. Financial services firms, including banks and insurers, said business volumes had nosedived in the second quarter of the year. While the net reading for [...]
We’re being taxed out of existence, companies warn July 6, 2026 Investment by British businesses has fallen to its lowest level since the pandemic as companies warn they are being “taxed out of existence”, one of Britain’s biggest business groups has found. The proportion of firms planning to increase investment fell to just 17 per cent in the second quarter, down from 21 per cent in [...]
Surely Gary Stevenson is smart enough to know a wealth tax won’t work? July 6, 2026 Britain's self-styled greatest inequality economist, surely Gary Stevenson knows his two per cent levy won't work, writes Damian Pudner.