‘And so it begins’ – Mortgage lenders kick rates back up amid Middle East crisis Banking A number of mortgage lenders are kicking the their rates back up, with more expected to follow, as market conditions remain volatile due to the unfolding crisis in the Middle East. HSBC UK has said it will increase some of its mortgage rates for first-time buyers, movers and re-mortgagers and the UK’s largest building society, [...]
Starmer vows to ‘resist pressure’ over Iran policy amid criticism of UK response Politics Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to “resist” pressure on the UK’s response to the conflict with Iran as he defended Britain’s “level-headed” military response. In a press conference on Thursday, Starmer suggested President Trump had left the Middle East “plunged into chaos” with his attack on the Iranian regime over the weekend. He said the [...]
Barclays set to cash in on market frenzy amid Middle East crisis Banking Barclays and its UK banking peers could be set for a cash boost from the brewing crisis in the Middle East as investors quickly dump equities and fears of an inflation spike spread. FTSE 100 giant Barclays has been noted as uniquely shielded by analysts due to its mammoth market divisions. Jefferies analysts said the [...]
Borrowing costs spike as Middle East conflict rages March 3, 2026 The cost of UK government borrowing spiked on Tuesday morning, while the pound plummeted as markets continued to digest the impacts of the intensifying conflict in the Middle East. The yield on the 10-year Gilt jumped 0.15 percentage points to 4.46 per cent while 2-year Gilt yields, which closely track interest rate expectations, spiked 0.16 [...]
UK gas prices spike over 90 per cent amid US-Iran war March 3, 2026 Gas prices in the UK have nearly doubled as the war between US and Iran ramped up since the weekend. The price of UK wholesale gas prices – which reflect the costs energy suppliers pay to producers for natural gas before selling to household and businesses – has rocketed by 93 per cent in just [...]
Defence stocks jump as Iran conflict drives munitions demand March 2, 2026 European defence stocks rose at the start of the week as investors anticipated that the widening conflict in the Middle East will push up demand for munitions and military hardware. Although the European-wide Stoxx 600 was trading 1.3 per cent lower, many of the continent’s largest weapons manufacturers were comfortably in the green. In the [...]
Oil prices spike as UK base hit by Iranian missile March 2, 2026 Oil prices spiked this morning as tensions continued to escalate in the Middle East, raising concerns that a key shipping route could be halted and an Iranian missile attack on an RAF base could drag the UK into a regional war. The cost of a barrel of brent crude – the international benchmark for oil [...]
London ad campaign boosts Abu Dhabi theme parks January 7, 2026 Visitors from the UK to Abu Dhabi’s theme parks surged by 40 per cent last year following the first advertising campaign for them in London which saw banners for Sea World, Warner Bros World and Ferrari World plastered on the walls of underground stations and at Canary Wharf. It was part of a diversification plan [...]
Informa boss shifts residency to UAE October 31, 2025 The boss of a FTSE 100 company Informa has shifted his residency to the UAE and stepped back from his role in the House of Lords, to run the data and events firm from what is one of its fastest-growing regions. Lord Carter, who was the founding chief executive of media watchdog Ofcom, has relocated [...]
Abu Dhabi sets sights New York, London and Singapore October 30, 2025 Over the last decade, Abu Dhabi has attracted more than 300 financial firms, with a combined $28.6 trillion in assets globally, as the city positions itself as a global “capital of capital.” ADGM, Abu Dhabi’s international financial centre, revealed it has experienced rapid growth from financial firms over the last three years, increasing from 131 [...]