9 h. ago FTSE 100 LIVE: London stocks flat as investors look for Santa rally

FTSE 100 LIVE: London stocks flat as investors look for Santa rally  Yahoo Finance UK

Economics

9 h. ago Gold, silver and platinum hit record highs as investors look for Santa rally; oil climbs amid Venezuela blockage – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsIs the Christmas shopping period more of a whimper than a bang for Britain’s retailers this year?Shopper traffic yesterday remained “stubbornly muted”, according to the latest footfall data from Sensormatic Solutions, which shows that visits were 13.1% lower than a year ago.“After an unsettled start to the festive period - defined by shaky consumer confidence and spending hesitancy – retailers will be left feeling frustrated that footfall remains stubbornly muted, after many were pinning their hopes on a surge in store traffic yesterday.”“With consumers leaving purchases right up to the wire, some retailers have released Boxing Day deals early to try and unlock that, so far, elusive consumer spending.”“What we’ve seen over the past week is a combination of position squaring in thin markets, after last week’s breakdown failed to gain traction, coupled with heightened geopolitical tensions, including the US blockade on Venezuel...

Economics

13 h. ago Asian markets mostly advance after the S&P 500 hits record high

Asian markets are mostly higher after the U.S. benchmark S&P 500 closed at another record high following a report that the U.S. economy grew at a 4.3% annual rate in July to September

Events

24 h. ago London’s FTSE 100 edges higher as miners rally on record copper prices

London’s FTSE 100 edges higher as miners rally on record copper prices  Reuters

Politics

24 h. ago Bitcoin’s buzz is gone. Investors chose real gold in 2025 | Nils Pratley

Gold is up 70% while the cryptocurrency is down 6% after it failed to bounce back from a rapid October sell-offAnother week, another record high for the price of gold. And another blow to the bitcoin fan club’s hopeful thesis about owning “digital gold”. This year has been hard for the bitcoin brigade: while real gold soared in value, their cryptocurrency didn’t. Correlation went out of the window. Gold is up 70% so far in dollar terms; bitcoin is down 6%.In theory, conditions should have been perfect for bitcoin if, like gold, it is supposed to be a store of value in uncertain times. Geopolitical tensions have been high all year, with Donald Trump’s unclear intentions towards Venezuela now added to the mix. Or, if you take the view that bitcoin is a hedge against currency debasement by governments, the news flow ought to have been encouraging. The US budget deficit remains enormous: the International Monetary Fund predicts the country’s debts will climb from 125% to 143% of annual ...

Economics

27 h. ago Quality Street tub size shrinks AGAIN to just 60 sweets and fans aren't happy

The latest 'shrinkflation' cutback comes as manufacturer Nestlé sees chocolate prices soar due to a record-high surge in the cost of cocoa beans

Politics

32 h. ago Tesla sales fall across Europe again as BYD surges; Ryanair to appeal €256m fine from Italy’s competition authority – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsStocks are sneaking up a little in London this morning, but we can’t really call it a Santa Rally yet.The FTSE 100 share index has gained 14 points, or 0.14% to 9880, back towards last Friday’s near-record closing high of 9,897 points.Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Tues, 23 Dec) instructed its lawyers to immediately appeal both the bizarre/unsound ruling and the €256m fine, unjustly levied by the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), which seeks to ignore – and overturn – the Jan 2024 Precedent Ruling of the Milan Court, which declared that Ryanair’s direct distribution model “undoubtedly benefits consumers” and leads to “competitive fares”. Continue reading...

Economics

35 h. ago ‘An unsung alternative to the Cotswolds‘: exploring Leicestershire’s Welland valley

This hidden gem has country inns, canalside walks, a stunning viaduct, the historic town of Market Harborough – and not a tour bus in sightIt was a chilly Sunday in November 2000 when the gods chose to smile on Ken Wallace. The retired teacher was sweeping his metal detector across a hillside in Leicestershire’s Welland valley when a series of beeps brought him up short. Digging down, he found a cache of buried coins almost two millennia old. He had chanced upon one of the UK’s most important iron age hoards, totalling about 5,000 silver and gold coins.More than 25 years on, I’m staring at Ken’s find at the civic museum in the nearby town of Market Harborough. The now gleaming coins are decorated with wreaths and horses. They’re about the size of 5p pieces, but speak of a wild-eyed age of tribal lands and windswept hill forts. Continue reading...

Politics

53 h. ago Symptom at dinner could mean you have flu as England reports record high cases

Flu cases in hospital reached 3,140 by the end of last week – the highest ever for this time of year

Science

53 h. ago Cost of Gordon Brown's gold sale 25 years ago spirals to nearly £40BILLION as bullion price hits record high

The price of gold has soared to a new high - meaning the cost of Gordon Brown's decision to sell the nation's holdings on the cheap 25 years ago has ballooned to almost £40billion.

Economics

3 d. ago More than 800 migrants cross Channel in single day as yearly total hits record high

Backlog of crossings after four weeks of bad weather sees 13 boats arrive in Kent as annual figure surpasses 41,000

Events

5 d. ago What is the Santa Rally and how do investors make money from it?

A familiar phenomenon is witnessing the stock market rising at Christmas - but it doesn’t always go to plan in the short term

Economics

5 d. ago Magical Scottish winter walking route with 'stunning views' of snow covered mountains

With Christmas near, the Daily Record’s Walk of the Week highlights a magical Scottish winter escape

Politics

6 d. ago NHS issues 'it's not too late' message as flu cases continue to soar

Health officials have warned flu is 'notoriously unpredictable' as cases remain at record highs

Politics

6 d. ago CDC officials urge US flu vaccination after record child deaths last year

Americans told ‘time to get vaccinated is now’ as concerning mutation of influenza virus circulates in USOfficials are urging doctors to vaccinate their patients and provide flu antivirals after deaths among children reached record highs and as a concerning mutation of the virus circulates in the US.“Influenza activity is increasing in the US. The time to get vaccinated for this season is now,” Timothy Uyeki, the chief medical officer of the influenza division at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said in a call with clinicians last week. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago NHS issues UK super flu update as hospitals on 'high alert' with cases at record levels

The number of people in hospital in England with flu remains at record level as cases continue to soar

Events

9 d. ago ‘A lot of stories but very few facts’: sceptics push back on buzzy UFO documentary

The Age of Disclosure was granted a Capitol Hill screening and has broken digital rental records but does it really offer proof of alien life?It has been hailed as a game changer in public attitudes towards UFOs, ending a culture of silence around claims once dismissed as the preserve of conspiracy theorists and crackpots.The Age of Disclosure has been boosted in its effort to shift the conversation about extraterrestrials from the fringe to the mainstream with a Capitol Hill screening and considerable commercial success. It broke the record for highest-grossing documentary on Amazon’s Prime Video within 48 hours of its release, Deadline reported this week. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Swiss dealmaking surges to record highs despite strong franc

Swiss groups are involved in deals across sectors, defying currency moves and US tariffs

Economics

1 week ago David crowned most generous name in UK as charity donations hit record high

Davids donated over £8.5 million to good causes in 2025 while Sarahs made the most frequent donations

Events

1 week ago ‘Time running out’ to get flu jab before Christmas, UK medical chief warns

The number of people in hospital in England with flu is at a record high for this time of year

Events