There’s an inflation wave coming - what does the Iran war mean for the UK economy?

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 04:02:08 GMT
Economic consequences are an intrinsic aspect of the Iran conflict, writes BBC economics editor Faisal Islam.

Oil price at two-year high after Qatar warns all Gulf production could stop within days

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 23:14:33 GMT
Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi says oil could hit $150 a barrel if the Iran conflict continues over the coming weeks.

Flight paths squeezed as Iran conflict closes more airspace

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:09:19 GMT
A drone attack on Azerbaijan has narrowed choices for airlines scrambling to respond to disruption in the Gulf.

Axel Springer agrees to buy Telegraph Media Group in £575m deal

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:00:47 GMT
Last year the Daily Mail and General Trust proposed to buy the company in a £500m takeover.

US economy unexpectedly sheds 92,000 jobs in February

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:50:36 GMT
The contraction came as a surprise with payrolls down in nearly every sector.

Surge in jet fuel prices could push up air fares, analysts warn

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:51:05 GMT
Disruption to supplies from the Gulf due to the Middle East conflict has pushed the cost up by more than 80%.

Price of first class stamps to rise to £1.80

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:12:02 GMT
Royal Mail says the increase reflects the rise in delivery costs, but the move angers consumer groups.

Five ways the Iran war could affect you - in charts

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:05:31 GMT
With fuel and gas prices having risen in recent days, here are some ways the conflict could affect households.

Lenders lift mortgage rates as Iran war hits borrowing costs

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:21:32 GMT
Nationwide, HSBC and Coventry Building Society are all putting some mortgage rates up.

Will petrol and diesel prices go up now?

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 17:42:03 GMT
If oil prices remain high for some time, there could be knock-on effects on the cost of fuel and food.

Emirates resumes some Dubai flights – what's the latest on travel to UK?

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 05:04:33 GMT
New flights to the UK from the Middle East follow days of widespread air travel disruption which had left Britons stranded.

One in 7 shops in UK has turned cashless in the past year, survey finds

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:05:41 GMT
Some 14% of small High Street traders have gone card only in the last year, a survey suggests.

US eases sanctions on Russian oil sales to India during Iran conflict

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 07:11:25 GMT
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gives India a 30-day waiver to buy Russian crude as a "stop gap measure".

Anthropic vows to sue Pentagon over supply chain risk label

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 02:46:30 GMT
The supply chain risk designation of the artificial intelligence firm is a first for a US company.

Heating oil costs 'worrying' for rural residents

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:21:15 GMT
The price of heating oil has risen amid the Middle East conflict, hitting many in rural areas.

UK firms pull fixed energy deals as Iran war pushes up prices

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 18:25:03 GMT
Data suggests the number of fixed-term deals has more than halved as prices for wholesale energy surge.

TfL hack in 2024 affected around 10 million people, BBC can reveal

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:05:12 GMT
TfL insists it has "kept customers informed throughout this incident and will continue to take all necessary action".

States sue Trump administration over new 'unlawful' global tariffs

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 19:56:38 GMT
The 24 states are seeking to block Trump's latest tariffs, which he imposed to replace levies struck down by the Supreme Court.

South East Water faces £22m fine for supply failures

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 11:00:09 GMT
The firm was unable to cope during high demand, Ofwat says, leading to "immense stress" for customers.

China sets lowest economic growth target since 1991

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 03:10:52 GMT
It is also the first time the target has been lowered since it was cut to "around 5%" in 2023.

US trade court orders tariff refunds in setback for Trump administration

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:13:16 GMT
A trade court has cleared the way for businesses to receive refunds for tariffs that the Supreme Court struck down last month.

Are UK interest rates still expected to fall soon?

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 14:09:18 GMT
The interest rate set by the Bank of England affects mortgage, loan and savings rates for millions.

Stock markets and oil prices still volatile over fears Iran war may drag on

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 19:00:39 GMT
Experts have warned that if oil and gas prices remains elevated it could make goods and services more expensive.

Musk tells jury 'people read too much' into his posts

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 02:55:34 GMT
The billionaire is accused of misleading investors in the run-up to his 2022 Twitter purchase.

Higher tariffs likely this week, says US Treasury

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 22:11:17 GMT
Scott Bessent says that "likely sometime this week" the US will increase its global tariff on imports from the existing 10%.

Father claims Google's AI product fuelled son's delusional spiral

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 18:55:45 GMT
The case is the first wrongful death case against Google over alleged harms caused by Gemini.

Remote work, offices shut: Tech giants scramble to respond as Iran war escalates

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 14:57:00 GMT
The region has been positioning itself as an AI hub, following billions of dollars in investment by tech giants.

Can snacks help you sleep?

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:05:51 GMT
Chocolates, bars, gummies and drinks promise to help you sleep, but is the science behind them sound?

We have more privacy controls yet less privacy than ever

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:04:26 GMT
Has online privacy become "a luxury not a right" for us all in 2026?

Know when to fold them: the tech inspired by origami

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 05:45:46 GMT
Origami techniques can add strength to structures without adding bulk.

Deepfake attack: 'Many people could have been cheated'

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 06:47:00 GMT
The boss of the Bombay Stock Exchange was recently targeted in what is a growing global problem.

Why you can't get a signal at festivals and sports matches

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:03:10 GMT
Connecting up music and sports events to the internet is a massive undertaking.

The family-owned soda firm that still uses returnable glass bottles

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:06:33 GMT
Soft drinks company Twig's Beverage has a loyal following for its old-fashioned approach.

Orbital space race heats up in Arctic north

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:10:05 GMT
Europe lags far behind the US and China in orbital space launches, but new facilities are opening up.

Are you cut out for living and working in Antarctica?

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:01:56 GMT
Jobs are available on the icy continent for chefs, plumbers, carpenters and even hairdressers.

How do you modernise mango farming?

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 00:05:20 GMT
India's mango farmers are being urged to innovate as climate change makes cultivation "unpredictable".

The two farms in Senegal that supply many of the UK's vegetables

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:16:54 GMT
During winter in Britain fresh produce is sent by cargo ship from the West African nation every week.

Reddit's human content wins amid the AI flood

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:03:10 GMT
Reddit says its human contributors are valued amid an internet awash with AI-generated content.

Trump eyes Venezuela visit – but obstacles to his oil plan remain

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 09:50:58 GMT
The US president wants American energy firms to start extracting the crude but they are reluctant.

Get a grip: Robotics firms struggle to develop hands

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:04:16 GMT
Developing a durable and affordable hand is one of the biggest challenges in robotics.

Who is billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and how did he make his money?

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:11:55 GMT
The industrialist and Manchester United co-owner has apologised over comments he made about immigration.

The US economy is growing - so where are all the jobs?

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 00:05:12 GMT
As hiring rates and job openings drop, some worry a tough job market could be here to stay.

The Dutch love four-day working weeks, but are they sustainable?

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:00:05 GMT
The Netherlands has the lowest working hours in Europe, but some say it is harming its economy.

Why food fraud persists, even with improving tech

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:03:12 GMT
Even with sophisticated technology it is still difficult to detect fake foods.

Why holiday meal money for cash-strapped parents is back on the menu

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 06:50:21 GMT
The school holiday food grant was axed by the Department of Education in 2023 due to a lack of money.

'Most of my pension has gone on home heating oil'

Sat, 07 Mar 2026 00:01:22 GMT
Rising heating oil prices are hitting Northern Ireland harder than the rest of the UK - here's everything you need to know.

Council considers extending food voucher scheme

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 17:06:10 GMT
The council earmarks £1m to pay for the vouchers as part of a new Crisis and Resilience Fund.

Watch: How war in Iran may affect food and fuel prices

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:37:49 GMT
The BBC's Nick Marsh examines how unrest in the Middle East will impact living costs around the world.

Heating oil costs 'worrying' for rural residents

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:21:15 GMT
The price of heating oil has risen amid the Middle East conflict, hitting many in rural areas.

The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse

Sun, 11 Jan 2026 01:26:18 GMT
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?

Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 00:03:12 GMT
Parts of Britain’s rail network will close for engineering work over the festive period - but is that the right time to do it?

Budget 2025: What's the best and worst that could happen for Labour?

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 15:14:47 GMT
Three days in, after a tax U-turn and partial climbdown on workers' rights, Laura Kuenssberg looks at what impact Budget week might have.

Has Britain's budget watchdog become too all-powerful?

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:03 GMT
Ahead of this week's Budget, some have accused the Office for Budget Responsibility of being a "straitjacket on growth"

The curious case of why Poundland is struggling during a cost-of-living crisis

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 08:03:37 GMT
Why - in an age where so many of us are feeling the financial pinch - are some budget shops on UK high streets having such a tough time?

Wales' richest man says Britain is 'uncomfortable place' for Jews

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 07:53:29 GMT
The billionaire says "anti-semitism is always in the air" with parallels to the persecution his ancestors faced.

Edible Economics by Ha-Joon Chang (Omnibus)

Sat, 28 Feb 2026 08:45:00 GMT
Professor Ha-Joon Chang, “a hungry economist” explores why economics matters.

Why you should consider fixing your energy tariff now

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:58:25 GMT
Martin Lewis explains what the upcoming change to the energy price cap means for your bills.

'Is this all bad debt or good debt?'

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 18:49:43 GMT
Karen has not only left the family in emotional turmoil but also in serious debt.

Martin Lewis on what the new energy price cap means

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 12:49:00 GMT
Typical household energy bills will fall by 7% in April, regulator Ofgem has announced, following a shake-up in charges by the government.