‘Course correction’: UK economy to contract as ‘energy shock catches up’ June 9, 2026 The UK economy is expected to contract despite a boost at the start of the year, with economists warning that the war in Iran’s energy price shock will now show up in fresh data. Economists believe that the UK economy declined by 0.1 per cent in April. Official figures will be published on Friday. The [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 and Wall Street hit by stock sell-off; CBI cuts UK GDP June 9, 2026 Welcome back to the City PM liveblog. Rachel Reeves is staring down another bruising growth downgrade this morning after the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) slashed the UK’s GDP forecast to 1.1 per cent for the year. The figure is a drop from 1.4 per cent last year and below the previous consensus of 1.3 [...]
CBI: 200,000 more Brits to face unemployment this year as growth crumbles June 9, 2026 The UK economy is set for further pain in the months ahead, a top business group has warned, as consumers and businesses across the country suffer the effects of the Iran conflict, surging energy prices and a raft of government tax hikes. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has said that around 200,000 more Brits [...]
Pat McFadden: I have not apologised to Rachel Reeves over ‘tax to pay benefits’ text June 8, 2026 Welfare secretary Pat McFadden has doubled down on his remarks unearthed in the Mandelson files that “every meeting [he has] is ‘who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others’”. The Cabinet minister was among numerous top officials to have his private messages released in documents relating to Lord Mandelson’s stint as the [...]
Labour bets £1.1bn on Britain’s AI chip race June 8, 2026 Keir Starmer’s government has unveiled a £1.1bn package aimed at turning Britain into a global AI hardware powerhouse, with ministers backing domestic chipmakers and pouring capital into training the next generation of engineers. The new AI Hardware Plan, announced at London Tech Week by tech secretary Liz Kendall, includes £750m for a new national AI [...]
Blackstone looks to shed $2bn of stakes in private investment funds June 8, 2026 Blackstone is looking to offload over $2bn of stakes held in private investment funds, presenting a test of investors’ appetite for ageing private equity vehicles. The firm is promoting a so-called collateralised fund obligation (CFO), which will bundle more than $2bn (£1.5bn) of stakes in leveraged buyout funds into bonds to sell to investors and [...]
‘Why single out banks?’: Santander chief hits out at UK tax regime June 8, 2026 The boss of Santander has branded the UK’s tax regime on banks as making “no economic sense” as speculation mounts that the industry could be turned to for a quick cash grab if the Labour government lurches to the left. Ana Botín, the chief executive of the Spanish banking giant, has said the UK tax [...]
As it happened: Stocks and oil recover as Iran declares end to strikes; tech rally rocks markets June 8, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City PM liveblog. The FTSE 100 edged into the green on Monday lunchtime and US futures pointed to gains, as the markets looked to claw back early jitters caused by fresh Middle East strikes and a tech stock sell-off. An exchange of fire from Iran and Israel left [...]
Food inflation: First signs of energy cost surge feed through to supermarket shelves as discounts fail to stem price growth June 8, 2026 Supermarket food inflation has risen significantly for the first time this year, a City PM analysis has found, flashing an early warning sign that the surge in energy and freight costs triggered by war in Iran is reaching shelf prices in the UK. City PM reporters gather data on around 200 prices of products across [...]
Jobs slump as economy ‘held up by uncertainty’ June 8, 2026 The UK jobs market has been handed another blow as businesses ditch permanent hires as the economy battles against domestic and international uncertainty. The latest jobs report from KPMG and REC, the professional body for recruiters, showed hiring for permanent places dropped to a reading of 44.1 in May, which sits below the neutral 50 [...]
