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Dip in credit card spending in April, particularly on travel, suggests Britons preparing for harder times amid Iran war falloutHouseholds cut back on their spending in April at the fastest pace in 18 months, as the conflict in the Middle East provoked fears of another cost of living crisis, a report from one of the UK’s biggest banks has suggested.Barclays, which processes nearly 40% of the UK’s credit and debit card transactions, said its data showed there had been a 0.1% fall in card spending last month compared with a year earlier. This was the first year-on-year fall since November 2024. Continue reading...

• Inter Miami defeated Toronto FC 4-2 on Saturday, ending a four-match winless streak at their new home stadium that included three draws and a loss to Orlando. • Messi scored one goal and provided two assists, reaching 100 goals and assists (59 goals, 41 assists) in just 64 regular-season MLS matches, shattering the previous record set in 95 games. • The victory improved Inter Miami's record to 6-2-4, placing them third in the MLS Eastern Conference ahead of upcoming matches in Cincinnati and at home.

Owner-occupier mortgage growth slowed under growing costs while investor loans grew by $42bn in the year to March, a 9.6% increaseGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastProperty investor borrowing rose at its fastest rate in a decade in March, according to the Reserve Bank, despite higher interest rates and speculation about property tax changes.Owner-occupier loan growth slowed under the weight of growing mortgage costs but investor lending is continuing its record surge. Continue reading...

• Amazon Web Services achieved its fastest growth in nearly four years, fueled by AI solutions and enterprise adoption. • Key drivers include innovations like Bedrock and Kiro amid surging cloud spending. • AI is sparking a new wave of infrastructure investments in the US market.

BYD's first-quarter net profit dropped 55.4 per cent from a year earlier to 4.1 billion yuan.

Survey by global economic forum shows ‘tax wedge’ in Britain increased to 32.4% of income in 2025Business live – latest updatesTaxes on workers in Britain rose at the fastest rate among the world’s richest economies last year, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.With Labour under pressure on the economy amid the Iran war, the OECD said a key measure of the total tax paid by workers and their employers rose by the most in the 38-member club of rich nations in 2025. Continue reading...

CBI figures showing surprise jump in financial sector’s growth will be welcome news for Rachel ReevesBritain’s financial services companies have reported a strong recovery in activity at the start of the year, in a surprise boost to the government after a gloomy end to 2025.Banks, insurers and investment managers said their businesses were growing, with a positive balance of nearly two-thirds noting an expansion, according to a long-running survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), a lobby group. That contrasted with the negative balance of 38% in December, despite the start of the US-Israel war on Iran. Continue reading...

• Commercial property insurer FM Global announced April 2, 2026 that the Financial Times has recognized it as one of The Americas' Fastest-Growing Companies of 2026. • The Johnston, Rhode Island-based insurer joins other leading regional companies on the prestigious FT list recognizing high-growth businesses. • The recognition highlights FM's strong business performance and market position in the competitive commercial property insurance sector.