Latest Stories
- Reuters
German business activity returns to growth in April, PMI survey shows
Germany's private sector unexpectedly returned to growth in April, driven by a solid rise in activity in the country’s service sector, a preliminary survey showed on Tuesday. The composite PMI index tracks the services and manufacturing sectors that together account for more than two-thirds of the German economy. "Factoring in the PMI numbers into our GDP Nowcast, we estimate that GDP may expand by 0.2% in the second quarter, following an estimated 0.1% growth in the first quarter," said Cyrus de la Rubia, chief economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank.
- The Guardian
FTSE 100 hits record high as shares rise amid hopes of interest rate cuts
UK’s blue-chip index rises to 8,076, surpassing previous high of 8,047 in February 2023
- Cover Media
Morgan Wallen speaks out about recent arrest
Wallen was arrested on April 7 "in downtown Nashville for reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct," according to attorney Worrick G. Robinson.The country star threw a chair off the roof of Chief's bar which landed near police officers below on the street. Wallen took to X on April 19 to publicly address the incident, NBC News reports. "I didn't feel right publicly checking in until I made amends with some folks. I've touched base with Nashville law enforcement, my family, and the good people at Chief's. I'm not proud of my behavior, and I accept responsibility."
- The Telegraph
Inheritance tax take hits record £6.8bn after stealth raid by Hunt
Inheritance tax receipts surged to a record high last year following a stealth raid by Jeremy Hunt.
- PA Media: UK News
UK annual government borrowing higher than forecast in blow to Chancellor
The ONS estimated that full-year public sector net borrowing was £120.7 billion in 2023-24, £6.6 billion more than predicted.
- BBC
Can Tales of Kenzara: Zau unlock a new world of video game stories?
Abubakar Salim set up his own studio to tell a personal tale of grief inspired by his Kenyan heritage.
- Reuters
ECB should be very cautious about post-June rate cuts, de Guindos says
The European Central Bank will cut interest rates in June but needs to be very cautious about subsequent moves and take into account signals from the U.S. Federal Reserves, ECB Vice President Luis de Guindos said in a newspaper interview. "Assuming there are no surprises between now and then, as you say in French, it's a 'fait accompli'," French newspaper Le Monde quoted de Guindos as saying in Tuesday. Markets see two more rate cuts after June, most likely in September and December, but expectations have retreated in recent weeks on fears the Fed itself will delays cuts, possibly into next year.
- BBC
Rishi Sunak's Rwanda bill to become law after late-night showdown
Parliamentary stand-off ends, opening the way for asylum seekers to be sent to the African country.
- PA Media: Sport
Barcelona could demand Real Madrid replay if ‘phantom goal’ deemed legal
VAR ruled Lamine Yamal’s shot had not crossed the line during Barca’s 3-2 defeat at the Bernabeu
- HuffPost UK
'They Are Not Deterred': BBC Presenter Tells Tory Minister Rwanda Plan Is Not Working
Michael Tomlinson was left squirming at footage of asylum seekers preparing to cross the Channel this morning.
- BBC
Booing your own anthem - Hong Kong and a dilemma
Beijing's increasing influence has led to speculation that Hong Kong's days of an independent football scene are numbered.
- Reuters
Techs boost STOXX to one-week high; euro zone data on tap
The pan-European STOXX 600 index was up 0.6%, as of 0712 GMT, boosted by a nearly 2% jump in technology shares. Helping the tech sector's rise was a 4.6% gain in SAP after the German company reported a 24% jump in first-quarter cloud revenue at 3.93 billion euros ($4.19 billion), buoyed by demand for its enterprise resource planning software. Later in the day, investors will parse April euro zone purchasing manufacturer's data, that could shed light on the state of the currency union's economic health.
- The Independent
Voices: Why don’t the English get a day off for St George’s Day? We don’t deserve it (cloned)
COMMENT: England is a divided country. A bank holiday to revel in our shared cultural identity would be laughable – remember the Festival of Brexit? – and would do precious little to restore national pride, says Femi Oluwole
- Reuters
French service sector grows in April but manufacturing weakens, PMI shows
France's dominant services sector expanded in April for the first time in almost a year, helping offset continued weakness in manufacturing, according to a monthly survey. The HCOB flash purchasing managers index (PMI) for France's services sector, compiled by S&P Global, rose to 50.5 points in April from 48.3 in March, beating a Reuters poll forecast of 48.9 points. Any figure above 50 marks an expansion in activity, and April's reading was the first time France's services sector had breached that threshold since May 2023.
- The Independent
Nymphia Wind’s RuPaul’s Drag Race win sparks celebrations in Taiwan
Designer Leo Tsao’s drag persona is first non-American to win reality show
- BBC
Mass arrests made as US Gaza campus protests spread
Protesters at NYU and Yale are arrested while Columbia cancels in-person classes for safety.
- The Independent
Comedian defends decision to kick ‘breastfeeding’ mother and baby out of show
American comic Arj Barker ejected a mother and her seven-month-old from his Melbourne show
- BBC
'People think I work in a cafe at 18 but I own it'
Chloe Frost says starting her own business aged 18 just "proves you can do it".
- Digital Spy
Dan Walker shuts down BBC Breakfast return possibility
Dan Walker has shut down the possibility of returning to host BBC Breakfast.
- Simply Wall St.
Is It Time To Consider Buying Xaar plc (LON:XAR)?
While Xaar plc ( LON:XAR ) might not have the largest market cap around , it received a lot of attention from a...