Markets, companies and the decisions moving the global economy.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
All topics · Newest first
The Jackdaw North Sea gasfield will get the go-ahead on Wednesday, energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh and chancellor John Healey are to announce from Aberdeen, clearing the way for Shell and Equinor to develop one of the basin's biggest undeveloped fields.
Flutter Entertainment, the Paddy Power and SkyBet owner, announced plans on Tuesday for flutter job cuts of up to 1,400 roles in its UK and Ireland division, blaming gambling tax rises imposed by Rachel Reeves.
Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary predicted on Tuesday that European air fares in 2027 could climb by 10%, 15% or even 20%, which he called the biggest such increase in the region's history, as jet fuel prices soar because the war on Iran has choked off fuel supplies.
Millions of Revolut customers could not access their money after the banking app went down, with card payments, cash withdrawals and transfers among the services affected.
Chancellor John Healey will not raise capital gains tax in next week's budget, despite earlier calls for an increase from cabinet colleagues Louise Haigh and Wes Streeting. Treasury sources said he decided any rise could cost the Treasury if wealthy individuals defer asset sales or move assets abroad.
Prime minister Andy Burnham has told Whitehall officials to scrap existing plans for fixing Thames Water and bring him more radical options, as the company runs out of cash. The move is an early test of his pledge to bring the essentials of life under public control.
An independent Neso investigation by law firm Evershed Sutherlands, published on Monday, found significant cultural, governance and control issues at Great Britain's grid operator, though it upheld none of the whistleblower cover-up allegations.
The Prudential Regulation Authority is reportedly reviewing Barclays' handling of loans tied to the private credit sector, after an insider raised concerns earlier this year about how the bank logged derivatives used to finance them. The review reportedly began after the derivatives were allegedly recorded in the wrong portfolio, making them look less risky than they were.
Anthropic said it will commit 5% of its shares - worth about $48bn (£36bn) at its May valuation - to a fund for the 'public good', with the pledge subject to shareholder approval.
China's economy grew 4.5% year-on-year between July and September 2026, the National Bureau of Statistics reported on Monday, beating economists' expectations and up from 4.3% in the second quarter.
UK-listed companies issued 65 profit warnings in the three months to the end of September, the highest quarterly level in two years, according to EY-Parthenon, with 38% of warnings citing the impact of the Middle East conflict.
A France debt sell-off gathered pace on Monday after a weekend of violent protests, with the French 10-year yield up seven basis points to 4.849% and the Cac 40 down 1% at the start of Paris trading.
The five-star Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes now requires prior permission for photoshoots on its property, one of several hotels, restaurants and beauty spots restricting social media photography as influencer visits disrupt guests.
Microsoft has withdrawn from the Nscale-built AI datacentre in Loughton, Essex, over concerns about power supplies, leaving Nscale without its only publicly announced customer for the project.
UK steelmakers face an electricity cost premium of almost £30 per megawatt hour over French rivals, the widest in three years, according to UK Steel analysis, which attributes the widening gap to a gas price surge after Iran's closure of the strait of Hormuz.
Condé Nast's UK pre-tax profits excluding exceptional items fell 36%, from £28m in 2024 to nearly £18m last year, as revenues dipped and Steven Newhouse, chair of controlling shareholder Advance, ruled out a sale of the publisher.
Apprenticeship funding in England is set to change: employers would pay 25% more to train workers over 25 than young apprentices, under plans meant to steer businesses back towards youth apprenticeships.
Shevaun Haviland, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said repairing the economic damage of Brexit should be Andy Burnham's top priority, arguing the current UK-EU trading relationship is bad for business.
Downing Street said on Friday it has not ruled out Chinese EV tariffs as part of the EU's Made in Europe package, while welcoming the goal of UK inclusion in the Industrial Accelerator Act after France dropped its opposition.
The IMF has urged Chancellor John Healey to find savings in pensions and welfare rather than taxing Britain's banks at the budget later this month, with the fund's Helge Berger arguing that taxes at roughly 40% of GDP are already historically high for the UK.
Ofgem has opened a consultation on reintroducing the market stabilisation charge, under which energy suppliers winning customers with cheaper deals would pay a charge to rivals, as the regulator prepares for a winter of volatile wholesale prices linked to the Middle East conflict.
Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury has written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham warning that awarding the £2.4bn Skynet 6 military satellite contract to Lockheed Martin could cost the UK a key role in the European space industry.
British food and drink exports to the EU fell by more than a third in the year to July compared with the same period in 2019, according to National Farmers' Union analysis of HMRC data.
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy says she is 'minded to intervene' in Sky's £1.6bn purchase of ITV's broadcasting and streaming arm, a Sky ITV deal that would create the UK's biggest commercial broadcaster.
Showing 24 stories · October 20, 2026
Continue to earlier business coverage
Markets, companies and the decisions moving the global economy.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
All topics · Newest first
The Jackdaw North Sea gasfield will get the go-ahead on Wednesday, energy secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh and chancellor John Healey are to announce from Aberdeen, clearing the way for Shell and Equinor to develop one of the basin's biggest undeveloped fields.
By LiveDigest · 18:55 GMTFlutter Entertainment, the Paddy Power and SkyBet owner, announced plans on Tuesday for flutter job cuts of up to 1,400 roles in its UK and Ireland division, blaming gambling tax rises imposed by Rachel Reeves.
By LiveDigest · 15:39 GMTRyanair chief executive Michael O'Leary predicted on Tuesday that European air fares in 2027 could climb by 10%, 15% or even 20%, which he called the biggest such increase in the region's history, as jet fuel prices soar because the war on Iran has choked off fuel supplies.
By LiveDigest · 14:48 GMTMillions of Revolut customers could not access their money after the banking app went down, with card payments, cash withdrawals and transfers among the services affected.
By LiveDigest · 10:44 GMTChancellor John Healey will not raise capital gains tax in next week's budget, despite earlier calls for an increase from cabinet colleagues Louise Haigh and Wes Streeting. Treasury sources said he decided any rise could cost the Treasury if wealthy individuals defer asset sales or move assets abroad.
By LiveDigest · 09:07 GMTPrime minister Andy Burnham has told Whitehall officials to scrap existing plans for fixing Thames Water and bring him more radical options, as the company runs out of cash. The move is an early test of his pledge to bring the essentials of life under public control.
By LiveDigest · Oct 19An independent Neso investigation by law firm Evershed Sutherlands, published on Monday, found significant cultural, governance and control issues at Great Britain's grid operator, though it upheld none of the whistleblower cover-up allegations.
By LiveDigest · Oct 19The Prudential Regulation Authority is reportedly reviewing Barclays' handling of loans tied to the private credit sector, after an insider raised concerns earlier this year about how the bank logged derivatives used to finance them. The review reportedly began after the derivatives were allegedly recorded in the wrong portfolio, making them look less risky than they were.
By LiveDigest · Oct 19Anthropic said it will commit 5% of its shares - worth about $48bn (£36bn) at its May valuation - to a fund for the 'public good', with the pledge subject to shareholder approval.
By LiveDigest · Oct 19China's economy grew 4.5% year-on-year between July and September 2026, the National Bureau of Statistics reported on Monday, beating economists' expectations and up from 4.3% in the second quarter.
By LiveDigest · Oct 19UK-listed companies issued 65 profit warnings in the three months to the end of September, the highest quarterly level in two years, according to EY-Parthenon, with 38% of warnings citing the impact of the Middle East conflict.
By LiveDigest · Oct 19A France debt sell-off gathered pace on Monday after a weekend of violent protests, with the French 10-year yield up seven basis points to 4.849% and the Cac 40 down 1% at the start of Paris trading.
By LiveDigest · Oct 19The five-star Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes now requires prior permission for photoshoots on its property, one of several hotels, restaurants and beauty spots restricting social media photography as influencer visits disrupt guests.
By LiveDigest · Oct 19Microsoft has withdrawn from the Nscale-built AI datacentre in Loughton, Essex, over concerns about power supplies, leaving Nscale without its only publicly announced customer for the project.
By LiveDigest · Oct 19UK steelmakers face an electricity cost premium of almost £30 per megawatt hour over French rivals, the widest in three years, according to UK Steel analysis, which attributes the widening gap to a gas price surge after Iran's closure of the strait of Hormuz.
By LiveDigest · Oct 18Condé Nast's UK pre-tax profits excluding exceptional items fell 36%, from £28m in 2024 to nearly £18m last year, as revenues dipped and Steven Newhouse, chair of controlling shareholder Advance, ruled out a sale of the publisher.
By LiveDigest · Oct 18Apprenticeship funding in England is set to change: employers would pay 25% more to train workers over 25 than young apprentices, under plans meant to steer businesses back towards youth apprenticeships.
By LiveDigest · Oct 17Shevaun Haviland, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said repairing the economic damage of Brexit should be Andy Burnham's top priority, arguing the current UK-EU trading relationship is bad for business.
By LiveDigest · Oct 17Downing Street said on Friday it has not ruled out Chinese EV tariffs as part of the EU's Made in Europe package, while welcoming the goal of UK inclusion in the Industrial Accelerator Act after France dropped its opposition.
By LiveDigest · Oct 16The IMF has urged Chancellor John Healey to find savings in pensions and welfare rather than taxing Britain's banks at the budget later this month, with the fund's Helge Berger arguing that taxes at roughly 40% of GDP are already historically high for the UK.
By LiveDigest · Oct 16Ofgem has opened a consultation on reintroducing the market stabilisation charge, under which energy suppliers winning customers with cheaper deals would pay a charge to rivals, as the regulator prepares for a winter of volatile wholesale prices linked to the Middle East conflict.
By LiveDigest · Oct 16Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury has written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham warning that awarding the £2.4bn Skynet 6 military satellite contract to Lockheed Martin could cost the UK a key role in the European space industry.
By LiveDigest · Oct 16British food and drink exports to the EU fell by more than a third in the year to July compared with the same period in 2019, according to National Farmers' Union analysis of HMRC data.
By LiveDigest · Oct 16Culture secretary Lisa Nandy says she is 'minded to intervene' in Sky's £1.6bn purchase of ITV's broadcasting and streaming arm, a Sky ITV deal that would create the UK's biggest commercial broadcaster.
By LiveDigest · Oct 16Showing 24 stories · October 20, 2026
Continue to earlier business coverage
Markets, companies and the decisions moving the global economy.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
All topics · Newest first
By LiveDigest · 15:39 GMT
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Showing 24 stories · October 20, 2026
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