Latest market news
Independent UK financial coverage with full source attribution.
China bans rare earth exports to 10 US firms including MP Materials, UUUU
China imposed a full rare earth export ban on 10 US military-linked entities, including MP Materials (MP) and Energy Fuels (UUUU), on 22 June 2026, while China's finance ministry separately barred Chinese buyers from procuring goods from 46 additional US firms.
Explosion at Qatar's Ras Laffan gas facility injures 54, 18 missing
An explosion and fire struck the Barzan facility at Ras Laffan Industrial City on 21 June 2026 during restart operations, injuring at least 54; QatarEnergy cited a technical malfunction and assessment of LNG export impact was ongoing.
UK PM Starmer resigns; pound fell then rose, FTSE 100 up 0.50%
Keir Starmer announced his resignation as UK Prime Minister on 22 June 2026; sterling initially fell against major currencies before GBP strengthened against USD, the FTSE 100 rose 0.50% in premarket trading, and UK 10-year gilt yields fell 3.4 basis points.
US-Iran nuclear roadmap agreed; crude oil prices fell on sanctions waiver
Crude oil prices fell after the US waived Iran oil sanctions for 60 days and a Strait of Hormuz access agreement was announced; WTI and Brent were the benchmark contracts specifically referenced in coverage of the price decline.
King Charles III to publish personal tax details in UK first
King Charles III will become the first British monarch to publicly disclose his personal tax information, with figures for 2024-25 due later this week.
Canadian retail sales rose 0.5% in April 2026, missing 0.6% forecast
Canadian retail sales rose 0.5% in April 2026, below the 0.6% consensus estimate, with sales ex-autos up 0.1% against a 0.7% expectation; the Canadian dollar and TSX were named in connection with the release, spanning retail and consumer discretionary sectors.
USD/JPY rose to 161.76 on 18 June 2026, near 2024 peak
USD/JPY reached 161.76 on 18 June 2026, its highest level since 2024 and approximately 200 pips above the 160.00 level where traders had positioned for Japanese official intervention. The Bank of Japan held its policy stance on 17 June 2026, and yen implied volatility fell to its lowest since 2021.
Moscow fuel rationing begins after Ukrainian drone strikes hit Gazprom Neft refineries
Moscow fuel rationing was reported after sustained Ukrainian drone strikes degraded Russian refining capacity over several months; Brent crude, WTI, Gazprom Neft, and Lukoil were named in coverage connected to the infrastructure damage.
Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire declared 19 June 2026; oil prices and gold fell
A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took effect at 4 pm local time on 19 June 2026, per US officials and Hezbollah sources. WTI crude was reported at $77.54, gold fell $49 to $4,160, and S&P 500 futures were down 0.2% at the time of reporting.
NVDA Q1 2026: filings, holdings, and macro context
Japan May CPI hits 1.5%; core-core inflation slows to 1.8%
Japan's May 2026 CPI printed at 1.5% year-on-year, with core-core inflation at 1.8% y/y — below the 1.9% consensus — following a Bank of Japan rate hike in the same week. USDJPY and JGB futures were named in coverage of the release.
Goldman Sachs cuts 2026 year-end gold forecast by $500 to $4,900/oz
Goldman Sachs lowered its year-end gold price forecast by $500 per ounce to $4,900/oz on 19 June 2026, citing expectations of no Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2026; gold futures and the SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD) were named in coverage of the revision.
UK May 2026 borrowing hits £23.3bn, second highest on record
ONS data released 19 June 2026 showed UK public sector net borrowing reached £23.3bn in May 2026, above market forecasts and the second highest May figure on record. UK gilts and sterling via GBPUSD were named in coverage connected to the release.
Google, Meta, Amazon, Microsoft cut buybacks amid $750bn AI capex surge
Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft allocated ~$750bn to AI infrastructure capex in 2024, nearly double prior levels, while substantially reducing share buyback programmes. Technology, cloud, and semiconductor supply chains were named in coverage.
SpaceX IPO ranked among Schwab's five busiest trading days in 50 years
SpaceX shares fell as much as 7% over two days following the IPO, trading near $178–$180, while SpaceX-linked ETFs recorded billions in retail inflows, according to reporting on 18 June 2026.
Amazon engineers file civil rights complaint over data centre testimony
Three Amazon software engineers allege the company launched disciplinary action against them roughly one week after they testified at Seattle City Council in favour of a data centre moratorium.
Andy Burnham wins Makerfield by-election with 55% of vote
Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election on 18 June 2026 with 55% of the vote, returning him to the House of Commons.
Scottish Conservatives win Aberdeen South, first by-election gain since 1967
Douglas Lumsden took Aberdeen South from the SNP with 49.6% of the vote, the Scottish Conservatives' first Westminster by-election win in more than 50 years.