UK Business News Today: 25 June 2026 | Economy & Markets - CPA

• Global composite output Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) indicators rebounded in April and May 2026 after a sharp decline in March. • The recovery was primarily driven by the manufacturing sector, while the services sector showed a more subdued response.

• Investors are focusing on the release of US Jobless Claims and the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index today. • These reports provide critical data on the current state of the US labor market and the trajectory of consumer inflation.

• Investors are awaiting the release of May's personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET on Thursday. • A recent HSBC survey reveals that investors still rely heavily on professional financial advisers for final investment decisions despite the growing use of AI.

• The House of Commons Library is tracking financial market indicators, including share prices, oil, and gold, to assess the overall health of the economy. • The FTSE-100, which monitors the 100 largest companies on the London Stock Exchange, experienced a sharp decline in 2020 due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• State Bank of India (SBI) is currently being tracked via a real-time market performance liveblog by The Economic Times. • Key financial metrics report a last traded price of 1052.7, a market capitalization of 972,491.72, and a trading volume of 8,546,071.

• European markets in 2026 are being shaped by rising inflation and strategic interest rate adjustments by the European Central Bank (ECB). • Analysis focuses on sector performance and the identification of top-performing funds via the Wealth Shortlist to navigate these economic shifts.

• Trustnet analyzed the performance of UK and European funds ten years after the Brexit referendum to determine the best-performing assets. • Adrian Murphy, CEO of Murphy Wealth, acknowledged that while Brexit contributed to sluggish economic growth, it is not the sole reason for the UK stock market's underperformance.

• The ongoing conflict between Israel and the US-Iran axis has disrupted oil and gas supplies across the Middle East. • These disruptions are driving energy price increases, which may lead to higher inflation and reduced GDP growth within the UK.

• The European Central Bank (ECB) released a report detailing the progress of EU Member States toward adopting the euro, focusing on price stability and currency convergence. • The ECB established a reference value of 5.1% for long-term interest rates, calculated by adding 2 percentage points to the 3.1% average of Denmark (2.6%), Cyprus (3.1%), and France (3.5%).

• The NSE Nifty 50 and BSE Sensex rallied on Wednesday, with the Nifty closing at 24,021.65 (up 0.83%) and the Sensex ending at 76,991.22 (up 1.04%). • This surge allowed the benchmarks to recoup most of the losses from Tuesday, when both indices had fallen by 1.16%.

• South Korea and Taiwan are experiencing a massive economic boom driven by surging global demand for AI chips and record-breaking stock market gains. • While the semiconductor sector thrives, other parts of the domestic economies are lagging, creating a widening economic divide between chip giants and the general population.