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Bank of England rate cuts at risk in 2026 as Middle East conflict sparks inflation fears

Expectations of further Bank of England base rate cuts this year have been thrown into doubt after escalating conflict in the Middle East triggered sharp rises in energy prices and government bond yields, raising fears of a fresh inflationary shock. Only a week ago, markets were confident that the Bank of England would cut rates again at its March meeting, with traders pricing in an 86 per cent probability of a 0.25 percentage point reduction....

Spring Statement 2026: Reeves downgraded growth as business leaders demand urgent action

Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered her Spring Statement to the House of Commons under the shadow of escalating conflict in the Middle East and mounting fears of a renewed inflation shock driven by surging energy prices. In a speech lasting just over 20 minutes, Reeves stressed the importance of “stability in an increasingly uncertain world”, pointing to falling inflation and previous interest rate cuts as evidence that the cost-of-living squeeze on households is easing. However, beyond...

CMA investigates Hilton, IHG and Marriott over alleged hotel data sharing via STR

The UK’s competition watchdog has launched a formal investigation into three of the world’s largest hotel groups, Hilton, InterContinental Hotels Group and Marriott International, over concerns they may have shared “competitively sensitive” information through a third-party data analytics platform. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it is examining whether the hotel operators exchanged commercially sensitive data using STR, a widely used industry benchmarking tool owned by CoStar Group. Together, the three hotel groups operate...

Kristi Noem to face Senate grilling over Minneapolis shootings as DHS shutdown hits week 3

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem heads to Capitol Hill Tuesday to face lawmakers demanding she resign, be fired or impeached. Her appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee comes as members of both parties criticize her handling of the Trump administration’s immigration operations throughout the country. Some Democrats have called for her to face impeachment. Her testimony has been in the works for months. Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, had been seeking her appearance to...

LIZ PEEK: Democrats rage over Trump’s Iran strikes as exiles cheer ayatollah’s fall

Leftists in the U.S. are seriously confused. While Iranians around the world celebrate the death of the thuggish Ayatollah Khamanei, who ruled their country with an iron fist, liberals in the U.S. are condemning President Donald Trump’s war to liberate the Persian nation.   Opposition to the U.S.-Israel joint attack on Iran was broad and swift, powered in part by Trump Derangement Syndrome — if he’s behind it, they’re reliably against it — and also...

Iran nuclear talks didn’t ‘pass the smell test’ before Trump launched strikes, says Vance

Vice President JD Vance confirmed Monday that negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program collapsed after U.S. officials concluded Tehran’s claims did not ‘pass the smell test,’ prompting President Donald Trump to authorize Operation Epic Fury. Speaking on ‘Jesse Watters Primetime,’ Vance said U.S. envoys — including Steve Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Jared Kushner — had conducted rounds of ‘deliberate’ talks in Geneva with the Iranian delegation. The discussions were aimed at...

Energy bills could hit £2,500 as Iran conflict threatens global gas supplies

Household energy bills could climb back towards crisis-era levels if disruption to Middle Eastern gas supplies continues, after wholesale prices surged in the wake of military escalation involving Iran, Israel and the United States. Analysts warned that annual bills could rise to around £2,500 if global gas markets face prolonged instability, undoing recent relief for consumers and reviving memories of the energy shock that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Britain’s benchmark wholesale gas price, NBP,...

UK shop price inflation slows to 1.1% in February as retailers cut prices

Shop price inflation slowed more than expected in February, offering households tentative relief from cost-of-living pressures as retailers stepped up discounting and global food prices eased. New data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and NielsenIQ showed shop prices rose 1.1 per cent year-on-year in February, down from 1.5 per cent in January. The deceleration reflects intensified competition across both food and non-food sectors, with retailers cutting prices to stimulate demand amid weak consumer confidence....

Avalara acquires Manchester startup Versori in AI-driven integration deal

US technology group Avalara has acquired Manchester-based integration startup Versori in a deal that underscores the growing international appeal of the UK’s regional tech sector. The value of the transaction has not been disclosed, but it includes Versori’s proprietary technology platform and its 23-strong team. Co-founders Sean Brown and Daniel Jones will remain with the business, which will operate under the name “Versori, by Avalara”. Founded in 2022, Versori specialises in next-generation integration technology, enabling...

Bindbridge raises $3.8m to fight herbicide resistance with AI-designed crop protection

A Cambridge ag-biotech start-up aiming to reinvent crop protection has secured $3.8 million in early-stage funding to accelerate the development of next-generation herbicides and pest control products using artificial intelligence. Bindbridge, founded in 2025 by a trio of Cambridge University scientists, is building what it describes as a category-defining platform for agriculture: an AI-driven system capable of designing “molecular glues” to target and degrade specific proteins in weeds and pests. The company believes its approach...