85 m. ago FTSE 100 closes near record high, and oil price falls, on reports Iran seeks talks with Israel – as it happened

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsMiddle East crisis live: Iran and Israel trade attacks amid reports Tehran could be seeking talksIran and Israel crisis: what does it mean for the price of oil?Over at the Paris Air Show, a row has broken out after four Israeli company stands at the trade fair were shut down.According to Reuters, French authorities ordered that the four stands should be closed for “displaying offensive weapons”, after not complying with an order from a French security agency to remove offensive or kinetic weapons from the stands.“This outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations.“The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition - weapons that compete with French industries.” Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago Business news live: FTSE 100 closes higher as airline share prices begin recovery over oil fears

Stock market reaction and business news from Monday

Society

7 h. ago Markets stabilise as investors fear ‘adverse shock’ from higher oil prices – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsOver at the Paris Air Show, a row has broken out after four Israeli company stands at the trade fair were shut down.According to Reuters, French authorities ordered that the four stands should be closed for “displaying offensive weapons”, after not complying with an order from a French security agency to remove offensive or kinetic weapons from the stands.“This outrageous and unprecedented decision reeks of policy-driven and commercial considerations.“The French are hiding behind supposedly political considerations to exclude Israeli offensive weapons from an international exhibition - weapons that compete with French industries.” Continue reading...

Economics

10 h. ago Business news live: BP share price continues rise as FTSE opens higher with investors cautious over Israel

Stock market reaction and business news from Monday

Economics

10 h. ago Oil price rise risks ‘adverse shock’ to global economy – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsThe FTSE 250 index of medium-sized companies is also rising this morning, up 38 points (+0.2%) at 21,212 points.Lender Metro Bank are the top riser, up 8.5%, after the Sunday Times reported that it had received a takeover approach from Pollen Street Capital. Continue reading...

Economics

55 h. ago From Gaza to Ukraine to Iran, Trump’s ‘peacemaker’ promise collapses

A president who vowed to end global conflicts has instead presided over their escalation – his agenda is in disarrayIn his inaugural address this January, Donald Trump declared that his proudest legacy would be that of “a peacemaker and unifier”, pledging that US power would “stop all wars and bring a new spirit of unity to a world that has been angry, violent, and totally unpredictable”.Five months later, his second presidency is witnessing the spectacular unraveling of that lofty aspiration. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago The Guardian view on Israel’s shock attack on Iran: confusing US signals add to the peril | Editorial

The recklessness of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and the incoherence of Donald Trump’s deepen the crisis in the Middle EastUS presidents who thought they could easily restrain Benjamin Netanyahu have quickly learned their lesson. “Who’s the fucking superpower?” Bill Clinton reportedly exploded after his first meeting with the Israeli prime minister.Did Donald Trump make the same mistake? The state department quickly declared that the devastating overnight Israeli attack on Iran – which killed key military commanders and nuclear scientists as well as striking its missile capacity and a nuclear enrichment site – was unilateral. Mr Trump had reportedly urged Mr Netanyahu to hold off in a call on Monday, pending US talks with Iran over its nuclear programme due this weekend. The suspicion is that Israel feared that a deal might be reached and wanted to strike first. But Israeli officials have briefed that they had a secret green light from the US, with Mr Trump only claiming to oppos...

Events

3 d. ago Iran says Israel’s strikes on its nuclear facilities are a ‘declaration of war’ as Trump says ‘we knew everything’ – live

Israel launched overnight attack on Iran targeting nuclear sites after claiming Tehran was building nuclear warheads as US president says he knew about strikesFull report: Israel targets Iran’s nuclear facilitiesIsraeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has addressed the nation, saying the IDF had targted Iran’s leading nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb.He said that Iran’s main enrichment facility in Natanz had been targeted.This operation will continue for as many days as it takes We are at a decisive moment in Israel’s history. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Direct flights between India and China to resume soon in landmark deal

The two countries have also talked about economic and trade deals

Economics

3 d. ago Iran says Israel’s strikes on its nuclear facilities are a ‘declaration of war’ as Trump warns of ‘even more brutal attacks’ to come – live

Israel launched overnight attack on Iran targeting nuclear sites after claiming Tehran was building nuclear warheadsFull report: Israel targets Iran’s nuclear programIsraeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has addressed the nation, saying the IDF had targted Iran’s leading nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb.He said that Iran’s main enrichment facility in Natanz had been targeted.This operation will continue for as many days as it takes We are at a decisive moment in Israel’s history. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Business news live: Oil prices surge at highest rate in years amid Israel

Stock market reaction and business news for Friday

Politics

3 d. ago Oil surges after Israel’s attack on Iran, risking ‘stagflationary shock’ – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsIsrael launches strikes on ‘dozens’ of targets in Iran, targeting nuclear programmeBudget airline Wizz, whose shares are down almost 5% today, says it has suspended flights to Tel Aviv and re-routed flights affected by closed airspace in the region for the next 72 hours.The jump in the oil price today, following Israel’s attack on Iran, is a “bad shock for the global economy at a bad time”.For the average consumer, they will be looking at more income uncertainty. They will be looking at higher petrol prices, and in the UK, they’re probably looking now at higher risk of taxation in October.So whatever way you look at it, it’s negative short term, it’s negative longer term. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Business news live: Oil prices surge after Israel attacks Iran, FTSE 100 falls after all time high

Stock market reaction and business news for Friday

Politics

3 d. ago Business news live: Oil prices surge after Israel attacks Iran, FTSE 100 drops after all time high

Stock market reaction and business news for Friday

Politics

3 d. ago Oil surges after Israel’s attack on Iran, as markets slide – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsIsrael launches strikes on ‘dozens’ of targets in Iran, targeting nuclear programmeEuropean stock markets have joined the global selloff, as the overnight escalation in the Middle East has triggered a wave of risk-off sentiment.Here’s now the main indices have fallen:Germany’s DAX: -1.35%France’s CAC: -1.2%Italy’s FTSE MIB: -1.45%Spain’s IBEX: -1.55%This alarming escalation in the Middle East has likely caught many investors off guard. Those who have been looking for an opportunity to sell stocks and take profits are now becoming active. It seems the DAX has seen its yearly high from just over a week ago for the time being.Oil prices are skyrocketing as fears grow not only regarding the disruption of Iran’s recent strengthened oil exports but also the potential targeting of other oil production facilities in the region, should this conflict escalate further. Additionally, the transportation of oil through the Strait of Hormuz...

Politics

3 d. ago Trump declares all illegal migrants 'have to go home' before they turn US into 'bankrupt Third World Nation' as he praises 'hero' ICE agents

Trump doubled down in his support for ICE agents conducting the controversial raids as protesters take to the streets across America rallying against his mass deportation agenda.

Events

4 d. ago UK’s FTSE 100 share index hits record closing high despite economy shrinking in April – business live

UK economy shrank by 0.3% in April, biggest fall since October 2023, as trade with the US slumped.. but FTSE 100 ends at new record closeFull story: UK economy shrinks by 0.3% as as exports hit by Trump trade warNicholas Hyett, Investment Manager at Wealth Club, blames “a cocktail of headwinds to growth” for the 0.3% fall in UK GDP in April.Hyett says:In the very short term the change to Stamp Duty rules have put the legal and property services on ice - with legal activities down 10.2% month-on-month.New barriers to trade with the US and changes to employment costs, from a higher living wage and increased national insurance contributions, are a longer term challenge.“The 0.3% m/m fall in real GDP in April supports our view that the strength in Q1 was unsustainable. This won’t prompt the Bank of England to cut interest rates next Thursday. But it is one more piece of news pointing to another cut in August.”We still expect the Bank Rate to be maintained at 4.25% in the June meeting, t...

Economics

4 d. ago Trump reacts to criticism of mass deportations from business leaders – live

US president promises changes after industry chiefs complain about losing farm and hospitality workers but is cryptic about details A woman defiantly dances near police officers as protesters continue to march and chant in an approximately one-square mile area of downtown Los Angeles in response to a series of immigration raids.Nerves are frayed in Los Angeles, as the second largest city in the US is flooded with more than 2,000 federal troops tasked with protecting immigration enforcement officials after thousands of people hit the streets to protest deportation raids. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago LA protests live: Trump declares Los Angeles ‘safe and sound’ after military intervention as rallies spread nationwide

Los Angeles enforces a second consecutive curfew to crack down on criminal activity as anti-ICE protests erupt in other major cities

Events

4 d. ago Business news live: Boeing shares sink after India crash and Poundland sold for £1

Stock market reaction and business news for Thursday

Economics