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Financial markets predict one-in-five chance of quarter-point rise in interest rates when Bank of England decides on ThursdayBusiness live – latest updatesUK inflation has returned above 3% as soaring fuel and transport prices triggered by the Iran war heap renewed pressure on British households.Figures from the Office for National Statistics show inflation as measured by the consumer prices index rose from 2.9% in July to 3.1% in August. The increase, which matched City forecasts, was driven by motor fuel prices rising by almost a quarter. Continue reading...

• EL.En. reported a jump in profit for the first half of 2026, contributing to a 7% increase in its stock price. • Executives expect the second half of the year to be extremely strong due to medical division growth, industrial performance, and a recovery in Italy. • The company plans to close the divestiture, or sale, of its laser cutting business by the end of 2026, likely between October and December.

• European oil stocks rose recently as escalating tensions in the Middle East pushed crude oil prices toward $100 per barrel. • Market data indicates that crude oil is approaching the $100 price threshold due to the regional instability. • Higher crude prices typically increase the profit margins and stock valuations for energy companies operating in the European market.

• Blockchain funding in Southeast Asia rose 113% to $680 million in 2026, with Crypto.com leading the surge and Singapore serving as the primary investment hub. • Tracxn reported that tokenization platforms received $114 million in investments, while decentralized application development platforms secured $77 million. • Current funding levels remain well below the 2022 peak when regional start-ups raised $2.2 billion across 206 funding rounds.

• U.S. employers added 162,000 jobs in August while the unemployment rate remained steady at 4.1 percent. • Federal Reserve official Mr. Barr stated that the government should act decisively to raise interest rates if inflation does not moderate sufficiently. • Stagnant wage growth relative to rising inflation reduces the actual purchasing power of workers despite the increase in available jobs.

Five jailed after targeting victim and subjecting him to ordeal linked to past relationship breakdownDramatic footage shows a kidnapped man jumping from a first floor window into a tree before running into the street and, by chance, coming across a police car.Lincolnshire police said the ordeal of the unnamed man had been “horrifying” and the presence of a marked police vehicle “may have saved his life”. Continue reading...

Swap rates rise to three-year high as increase in oil prices leads to fears of higher inflationBusiness live – latest updatesHomeowners in the UK are braced for a jump in mortgage rates, driven by higher inflation and interest rate increase expectations amid turmoil in the global bond markets.UK swap rates, which lenders use to price mortgages, have risen to a three-year high, as this week’s global bond market sell-off ripples through the economy. Continue reading...