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Registrations are up 7% in May, with battery electric vehicles recording the fastest growth and Tesla jumping 45%British car sales rose in May to their strongest level for the month since before the Covid pandemic, driven in part by strong growth from the Chinese manufacturers BYD and Chery.Car registrations rose 7% to 160,662 during the month, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), a lobby group. Continue reading...

• FIFA has been accused of utilizing unofficial resale websites to sell World Cup tickets, contradicting its own official ticketing guidelines. • Reports indicate that large sections of seats are being listed on these unauthorized platforms for less than 30% of the price advertised on FIFA's approved system. • FIFA defended its approach in a statement, claiming its secondary-market model aligns with standard practices for major sporting and entertainment events in host countries.

• Investors are comparing Salesforce and Braze to determine which technology stock offers a better investment opportunity heading into 2026. • Salesforce provides market dominance through scale and profitability, while Braze is characterized by rapid growth and high user engagement. • Salesforce faces significant headwinds, including cybersecurity risks, evolving data privacy regulations, and intense competition from Microsoft, Alphabet, and AI-native startups.

• BP is exploring the sale of a portion of its UK North Sea assets as part of a broader strategic portfolio restructuring. • The company aims to accelerate this process to reduce its overall debt and sharpen its focus on core oil and gas activities. • This move signals a shift in BP's operational priorities as it balances traditional energy production with financial stability.

• TJX Companies reported first-quarter fiscal 2027 net sales of $14.3 billion, up 9% from $13.1 billion a year earlier. • The retailer said earnings per share rose as off-price demand remained resilient across its banner stores and inventory execution stayed strong. • The result is important because TJX is often seen as a read on consumer spending and value-oriented retail demand in the U.S.

• Singer Gracie Abrams has announced "The Look At My Life Tour," featuring a comprehensive series of live performances across North America and Europe. • The tour schedule includes major European cities such as London, Paris, and Stockholm, concluding on May 28, 2027, at Palau St. Jordi in Barcelona, Spain. • The North American leg of the tour is scheduled to run through March 2027, marking a significant global touring effort for the artist.

European Commission finds shoppers on Chinese website very likely to find unsafe items and imposes €200m penaltyEU regulators have fined the Chinese shopping website Temu €200m (£173m) for failing to stop the sale of illegal and dangerous products.The European Commission imposed the penalty after a 19-month investigation that found consumers were very likely to encounter illegal or unsafe products including baby toys and electronics on the firm’s website. Continue reading...

Consumer think-tank says K-pop fans should know the prices before being sent into a ‘high-pressure sales funnel’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralian fans of the K-pop group BTS are accusing the ticketing giant Ticketmaster of deploying “predatory” and “crazy” tactics, and have urged people to lodge formal complaints with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).Ticketmaster Australia announced concerts at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium and Sydney’s Accor Stadium in February 2027 as part of the South Korean boyband’s comeback tour after a four-year hiatus. Continue reading...

While approval is due soon for $14bn deal, actual deliveries to Taiwan are years away – making ‘Operation Epic Fury’ in the Gulf an unlikely causeThe Trump administration’s war against Iran should have no impact on arms sales to Taiwan, experts have said, after a US official suggested a pause in the delivery of a key weapons package was due to the Gulf conflict.Analysts told the Guardian that a $14bn arms package left in limbo after Donald Trump’s meeting with Xi Jinping could take up to six years to process, and there was a “low likelihood” of any true connection between events in Iran and weapons delivery to Taiwan. Continue reading...

Historical events like Spanish Inquisition show the ‘velocity’ at which rumours move to conviction, says Celebrity Traitors contestantHistory might explain why Faithfuls find it so difficult to root out Traitors in the hit BBC show, suggests one member of the Celebrity Traitors cohort, who were record-breakingly bad at the game.The roundtable – where contestants discuss who should be cast out – was somewhat “frightening” because of the “velocity in which something goes from a suspicion to belief, to faith, to condemnation”, said the broadcaster and historian David Olusoga. Continue reading...

With many homes poorly designed for extreme heat, retailers report high demand for air conditioning and outdoor shadeFans are selling at a rate of three a minute and sales of ice cubes have tripled, retailers have said, as shoppers search for everything from ice baths to cooling eye masks to combat May’s record temperatures.The UK experienced a “tropical night” on Monday after temperatures earlier in the day had hit a provisional all-time meteorological spring record of 34.8C (94.6F) at Kew Gardens in south-west London. The record was broken again on Tuesday when temperatures provisionally reached 35C (95F) at Heathrow and Kew Gardens. Continue reading...

Kingfisher, owner of the DIY chain, is top FTSE 100 riser after it says it will stick to full-year profit outlookBusiness live – latest updatesA wet and cold Easter hit sales of barbecues and garden products at the home improvement chain B&Q, but it hopes to make up lost ground during the current heatwave.B&Q owner Kingfisher, which also owns Screwfix in the UK, as well as Castorama and Brico Dépôt across six European countries, said like-for-like sales (at outlets open at least a year) in the UK and Ireland dipped 0.9% between February and April, its first quarter. Within that, B&Q sales fell 4.1% while Screwfix revenue climbed 4.1%. Continue reading...

• The Center for Strategic and International Studies hosted a press briefing previewing the upcoming summit between President Trump and Xi Jinping, with Taiwan expected to be a central issue. • CSIS said Xi highlighted Taiwan as the most important issue in U.S.-China relations during a February 2026 phone call and urged Washington not to provide arms to Taiwan. • The briefing matters because the summit could shape U.S.-China tensions on security, trade, and regional deterrence, especially if Beijing presses the United States on arms sales.

Backlash grows among European staff against radical cuts to pay off Covid-era debt, with some accusing council of ‘colonial attitude’The historic Palacete building at 31 Paseo del General Martínez Campos in Madrid’s upmarket Chamberí district has been home to the British Council in Spain for about 70 years.About 5,000 students each year pass through its 35 classrooms, learning English, attending exams, and forging cultural ties with the UK. Over the years that is hundreds of thousands of Madrileños (people from Madrid), while it also serves as a centre for the expat community. Continue reading...

Hung Cao’s comments are latest blow to Taipei after Donald Trump recently cast doubt over US’s enduring supportUS arms sales to Taiwan have been put on “pause” to ensure its military has enough munitions for its Iran operations, according to Washington’s acting navy secretary, in the latest blow to Taipei after a series of comments by Donald Trump.When asked at a congressional hearing on Thursday about a $14bn (£10.4bn) weapons package, which has been awaiting Trump’s signoff for months, Hung Cao said: “Right now we’re doing a pause in order to make sure we have the munitions we need for Epic Fury [the Iran war] – which we have plenty.” Continue reading...

Drivers conserve fuel amid Iran war uncertainty, pushing overall sales down 1.3% in AprilBusiness live – latest updatesMotorists cutting back on petrol and fuel purchases at the steepest rate since the Covid pandemic in 2020 drove retail sales in Great Britain to their biggest monthly decline in a year.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the overall volume of retail sales plunged by 1.3% in April compared with the previous month, the biggest contraction since May last year and worse than the -0.6% forecast. Continue reading...

Starmer has a reasonable list of achievements in power but has undermined himself with a lack of political storytellingNet migration down by three-quarters, the biggest fall in NHS waiting lists for 17 years, knife crime cut by 10%, the economy growing the fastest in the G7, rising wages, energy bills and petrol prices held down, the biggest sustained rise in defence spending since the cold war, a massive expansion of free childcare …If Keir Starmer did tub-thumping lists of Labour’s achievements in the style of Gordon Brown, he would not actually have a shortage of things to talk about. Continue reading...

Researchers found over 1,600 primates listed for sale on Facebook, TikTok and more over a six-week period in 2025A new report from leading wildlife and conservation organizations has revealed a sharp rise in the online sale of primates across major social media platforms in the US, raising concerns about wildlife trafficking, public safety and animal welfare.The report, titled Primates for Purchase: The Surge in Sales on Social Media in the US, was released Tuesday by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Continue reading...

• China’s economy slowed in April, with industrial output, retail sales and fixed-asset investment all missing expectations as global energy-market volatility added pressure. • Retail sales rose just 0.2% year on year, down from 1.7% in March, while industrial output increased 4.1%, below the 5.63% forecast cited by economists. • National Bureau of Statistics spokesperson Fu Linghui said the economy had “generally speaking” maintained steady growth, but warned the external environment remained “complex and volatile.”

State-sponsored march through Muslim quarter of Old City saw protesters waving flags and chanting ‘Death to Arabs’ on anniversary of city’s annexationIsraeli nationalist demonstrators chanted “Death to the Arabs”, “May your villages burn” and “Gaza is a graveyard” in a state-sponsored march through Jerusalem to mark the anniversary of the city’s capture and annexation.The annual assertion of Jewish control over Palestinian east Jerusalem has grown more extreme in recent years, and Thursday’s event culminated with the national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, unfurling an Israeli flag in front of the al-Aqsa mosque, the holiest Islamic site in the city. Continue reading...

• Wall Street traded mixed on Wednesday morning, with the S&P 500 down 0.1%, Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 235 points or 0.5% at 9:35 a.m. ET, and Nasdaq up 0.2% amid a technology sector rebound. • Tech stocks like Micron Technology surged 4.3% and Nvidia rose 2.4%, the top gainer on the S&P 500, following a pause in AI-driven momentum; Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was invited by President Trump to discuss AI chip shipments to China. • A wholesale inflation report showed prices significantly higher than expected last month, following Tuesday's consumer inflation acceleration, driven by rising fuel, transportation, food prices from tariffs, weather, and oil disruptions from the Iran war.

Recent consumer alert on ebike safety laws says some vehicles should be classified as mopeds or motorcyclesAmazon said it plans to stop selling certain high-speed electric bicycles in California after a string of high-profile incidents and a consumer alert that the state attorney general issued last month.In April an 81-year-old man in Orange county died after a teenager illegally riding an e-motorcycle struck him. The teen’s mother, Tommi Jo Mejer, has since been charged with involuntary manslaughter in Ed Ashman’s death as officials say she was warned it was illegal for her son to operate the vehicle. Continue reading...

• Chenbro Micom, a Taiwan-based tech firm, posted Q1 2026 sales of TWD 7.1 billion, up 70% year-over-year, with net income doubling to TWD 1.34 billion. • The company achieved annual revenue growth of 31.1% and earnings growth of 32.7%, outperforming industry averages amid Asia's tech momentum. • This performance highlights Chenbro's strong positioning in high-tech sectors like server components, bolstered by resilient Asian demand.

• WESCO International reported Q1 2026 sales of $6,080.1 million and net income of $153.8 million, both higher than the prior year. • Basic earnings per share from continuing operations increased to $3.16, demonstrating stronger profitability. • The results signal robust demand in capital goods distribution, potentially boosting sector confidence amid economic recovery signals.

• Nvidia released stellar quarterly earnings on May 9, 2026, but results were clouded by ongoing US export controls restricting advanced chip sales to China. • The company agreed to a 15% revenue-sharing deal with the US government on China sales to overturn the controls, allowing resumed exports of certain AI chips. • This arrangement highlights escalating US-China tech tensions, impacting Nvidia's growth in its largest overseas market amid broader semiconductor restrictions.

Carmaker gives one of biggest warnings yet of conflict’s impact on businesses while Trump tariffs also take tollToyota has reported a £3bn hit from costs from the war in Iran, as prices of parts and materials soared and sales dropped.The world’s biggest carmaker said profits declined in its financial year to March as it was “likely unable to absorb newly added impact from the Middle East”, in one of the largest warnings yet of the war’s impact on businesses. Continue reading...

• APAC recorded the fastest regional growth in semiconductor sales at 45.4% year-over-year in 2025, propelled by demand for AI systems and advanced logic chips. • The boom ties directly to expanding AI infrastructure needs and power electronics in the region. • Singapore and Southeast Asia hubs benefit as key players in global supply chains amid rising tech demands.

Appliance giant slashes earnings forecast and hikes prices by 10% with another 4% spike plannedWith the war in Iran and economic concerns putting pressure on consumers and how they spend their money, Whirlpool is having to adjust to Americans delaying big-ticket purchases while also raising prices to help stabilize its North American business.The company known for brands such as KitchenAid, Maytag and its namesake, said that the Iran war led to a “recession-level industry decline” in America as consumer confidence collapsed in late February and March. Revenue dropped nearly 10% in the quarter as sales of major appliances in North America declined more than 7%. Continue reading...