Rates

• First Foundation Labs (1FL), a life sciences AI company spun out of Luma Group, announced a collaboration with Microsoft on June 2, 2026. • The partnership aims to integrate 1FL's clinical and translational reasoning platform into Microsoft Discovery, an enterprise AI platform hosted on Azure. • This collaboration addresses the limitations of generic Large Language Models (LLMs), which often struggle to provide reliable reasoning within complex, domain-specific scientific environments.

• Global stock markets rallied driven by optimism surrounding artificial intelligence, specifically following an IPO filing by AI firm Anthropic. • Conversely, oil prices and bond yields declined due to instability in US-Iran talks and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East. • In South Korea, the benchmark KOSPI index experienced high volatility, swinging lower after reaching a record high as major tech stocks like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix fluctuated.

• Europe's technology spending is projected to reach $1.3 trillion as the growth of artificial intelligence accelerates across the continent. • The "Tech Nation Report 2026: The Next Wave of UK AI" will be officially launched on the Main Stage of London Tech Week on Monday, June 8. • The event will feature a dedicated founder panel focused on strategies for the UK to build, scale, and maintain a competitive edge in the AI era.

Exclusive: First shipwrecks found in Nassau harbour on New Providence, once the hideout of Blackbeard and Calico JackThe first shipwrecks linked to the real pirates of the Caribbean in the Bahamas have been discovered by an international team co-directed by a British marine archaeologist.Blackbeard and Calico Jack Rackham were among pirates who, between the 1690s and 1720s, turned Nassau on the island of New Providence into a hideout where they plotted their next heists on the high seas and divided up their plunder. Continue reading...

Nationwide finds typical price was £278,024 in May, as Savills says Iran war has ‘fundamentally changed’ outlookBusiness live – latest updatesHouse prices fell in the UK for the first time this year in May, as rising interest rates triggered by the war in Iran hurt homebuyer demand.The price of the average UK home dropped 0.6% in May compared with the month before, according to the lender Nationwide. Continue reading...

Anthony Odiong is charged with exploiting his status as clergyman to pursue sex with female parishioners to whom he was providing spiritual directionA jury of eight women and four men in Texas began deliberating a verdict on Friday afternoon in the trial of a Roman Catholic priest charged with illegally exploiting his status as a clergyman to pursue sex with female parishioners to whom he was providing spiritual direction.Anthony Odiong, 57, has pleaded not guilty to one charge of sexual assault in the first degree and two such counts in the second degree involving two women, each of whom testified during a trial that began with jury selection on Tuesday in the Texas city of Waco.Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organizations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html Continue reading...

Inflation can be tolerated above 2% target for now ‘given context of softness in real economy’, governor saysBusiness live – latest updatesThe Bank of England is in no rush to raise interest rates while the outcome of the Iran war remains uncertain and the UK’s growth rate stays weak, the governor, Andrew Bailey, said.In a signal that borrowing costs will remain at 3.75% at least during the summer, Bailey said it was tolerable for inflation to stay above the Bank’s 2% target during the current crisis. However, that would change if a more permanent increase in prices began to take effect. Continue reading...