Business
FTSE 100 and sterling rise after Bank of England rate cut
Stock prices in London closed in the green on Thursday, following the Bank of England’s decision to cut rates and a hold from the European Central Bank.
In a split vote, the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted five to four to reduce interest rates by 25 basis points, which takes the bank rate to 3.75% from 4%.
Five members of the MPC, including Governor Andrew Bailey, supported the cut, judging that upside risks to inflation have continued to recede.
AJ Bell’s Laith Khalaf said: “A Christmas rate cut will bring some much-needed financial cheer to households and businesses across the country, especially those who are battling to keep the show on the road.
“But there were definite signs of hawkishness in the minutes of the MPC meeting.”
Mr Khalaf added: “Inflation is now expected to fall back closer to the 2% target in the spring… But this has failed to significantly move the dial for some members of the rate-setting committee.
“The vote to cut rates was still close, with four members wanting to hold rates at 4%…That suggests they may be worried about a U-shaped trajectory for (consumer price inflation), settling at a rate above 2% in the medium term.”
The analyst concluded: “All in all, the rhetoric and tone of the committee’s minutes look pitched at restraining animal spirits. Despite the rate cut, the Bank remains in cautious mode, wary of both persistent inflation and policy errors.”
The FTSE 100 index closed up 63.45 points, 0.7%, at 9,837.77. The FTSE 250 ended up 160.83 points, 0.7%, at 22,325.59, and the AIM All-Share closed up 4.88 points, 0.7%, at 756.36.
In European equities on Thursday, the CAC 40 in Paris closed up 0.8%.
The European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday left interest rates unchanged, as expected, amid a brighter economic forecast.
The decision leaves the interest rates on the deposit facility, the main refinancing operations and the marginal lending facility unchanged at 2%, 2.15% and 2.4% respectively.
Quilter Cheviot’s Richard Carter said: “The ECB’s decision to maintain its hold on rates comes as a surprise to no one, and 2026 looks likely to be similarly uneventful unless there is a significant shift in the economic outlook.
“Most economists expect rates to remain unchanged throughout next year, particularly after Christine Lagarde reaffirmed her confidence that current monetary policy is well-positioned.
“While a rate cut cannot be entirely ruled out if inflation continues to surprise on the upside, any movement is likely to be minimal for the foreseeable future.”
The pound was quoted higher at 1.3387 dollars at the time of the London equities close on Thursday, compared to 1.3359 dollars on Wednesday. It had bought 1.3356 dollars just before the Bank’s rate decision.
The euro stood at 1.1730 dollars, lower against 1.1749 dollars. Against the yen, the dollar was trading lower at 155.46 yen compared to 155.55 yen.
Stocks in New York were higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.9%, the S&P 500 index up 1.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite up 1.9%.
The yield on the US 10-year Treasury was quoted at 4.11%, narrowing from 4.17%. The yield on the US 30-year Treasury was quoted at 4.79%, narrowing from 4.83%.
Brent oil was quoted higher at 60.23 dollars a barrel at the time of the London equities close on Thursday, from 59.91 dollars late on Wednesday.
Gold was quoted higher at 4,370.61 dollars an ounce against 4,326.25 dollars.
Back on the London Stock Exchange, Whitbread led the FTSE 100, up 6% after activist investor Corvex Management LP took a more than 6% stake in the Bedfordshire, England-based hotel and restaurant owner.
Corvex said the Premier Inn owner trades at a discount not only to its “fundamental value” but at a discount to the value of its UK freehold hotel portfolio alone, and urged Whitbread to commission a third-party strategic review of its capital allocation priorities.
In response, a Whitbread spokesperson said the company “has a clear strategy and business model, and our five-year plan is designed to deliver strong returns for shareholders through growth in both the UK and Germany”.
Referring to the UK government budget announcement last month, which increased business rates for some properties, the spokesperson said: “We run our business for the long-term but remain flexible and as stated in our announcement on November 28, we are exploring various options to further drive profits, margins and returns in light of the impact of measures in the UK budget.”
BP rose 0.1%. The London-based oil major’s chief executive Murray Auchincloss will step down on Thursday and be replaced by Woodside Energy boss Meg O’Neill.
Carol Howle, current executive vice president, supply, trading & shipping of BP, will serve as interim chief executive until Ms O’Neil joins on April 1 2026.
Ms O’Neill has been chief executive of Woodside Energy since 2021, where she oversaw the acquisition of BHP Petroleum International.
On AIM, Tekmar rose 19%. The technology and services provider for the offshore energy industry announced that it had won a “significant contract award” worth more than 8 million dollars with an existing engineering, procurement & construction customer.
Tekmar will provide its services to a “major UK offshore wind farm”, and said the deal reflects its “track record in delivering reliable, technically robust protection technology”.
Small-cap Topps Tiles lost 6.3%, after the tile retailer went ex-dividend, meaning new buyers do not qualify for the latest payout.
However, its stock is still 14% higher for the year to date.
The biggest risers on the FTSE 100 were Whitbread, up 146.3p at 2,591.3p; Rolls-Royce, up 42p at 1,144p; Rentokil Initial, up 15.8p at 448.5p; Melrose, up 14.8p at 565.4p; and Smiths, up 62p at 2,394p.
The biggest fallers on the FTSE 100 were United Utilities, down 18p at 1,185p; GSK, down 21p at 1,812.5p; Bunzl, down 18.4p at 420.4p; Pershing Square, 36p at 4,932p; and Coca-Cola Europacific, down 50p at 6,88p.
On Friday’s economic calendar, the UK has consumer confidence, retail sales and public sector net borrowing.
On Friday’s UK corporate calendar, Carnival and WH Smith publish their full-year results.
Contributed by Alliance News.
Business
Trade deal done, says Trump; PM Modi thanks him for cutting tariff to 18% – The Times of India
NEW DELHI/ WASHINGTON: After months of bruising trade tensions, India and the US on Monday announced a bilateral trade deal that will see Washington slash additional tariffs on Indian imports to 18%, from the current 50%, making it more competitive for textiles, leather and seafood exporters.While PM Narendra Modi, in a post on X, which followed US President Donald Trump’s announcement on Truth Social, said he had a wonderful conversation with “dear friend” Trump and thanked him on behalf of 1.4 billion people for the reduced tariff of 18% on Indian goods, he did not mention the trade deal at all in his post on X that followed Trump’s “wonderful” announcement.
PM Modi and Trump
Modi also did not comment on Trump’s claim that in their conversation the PM had agreed to stop buying Russian oil and purchase much more energy from the US, and potentially Venezuela. Trump had said Modi had agreed to stop buying Russian oil and to buy much more from the US — $500 billion of energy, technology and farm products — a step that the President claimed would help end the war in Ukraine.According to the American President, Modi also agreed to bring down tariff and non-tariff barriers against the US to zero. A US embassy spokesperson confirmed that the final tariff now on India is 18%, down from the earlier 50%. This is a better deal for India than countries such Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, South Korea and China, which face higher tariffs. The Trump-Modi conversation coincided with the visit of EAM S Jaishankar to US for a critical minerals ministerial that will be chaired by Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week.The announcement came six days after India and the EU announced the completion of talks for a comprehensive trade agreement.Trump leadership vitalfor global peace: ModiThe deal had drawn sharp comments from some members of the Trump administration, including attacks on the EU.In his X post, PM said, “When two large economies and the world’s largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation”. He added that Trump’s leadership was vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity. India fully supports his efforts for peace. Modi said he was looking forward to working closely with Trump to take the partnership to unprecedented heights.Apart from reciprocal tariff, Trump had announced an additional 25% tariff on India for its purchase of Russian oil.Trump said the US had agreed to the trade deal with India out of friendship and respect for Modi, and at the latter’s request. “Our amazing relationship with India will be even stronger going forward. PM Modi and I are two people that GET THINGS DONE, something that cannot be said for mos,” he added.Trump in his social media post also said that it was an honour to speak with Modi whom he described as “one of my greatest friends and, a Powerful and Respected Leader of his Country”.
Ties set to get boost
While the US had acknowledged in past few months that India had cut down its Russian purchase, it had not eliminated the additional tariff.Trump also said, “We spoke about many things, including Trade, and ending the War with Russia and Ukraine. He agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the US and, potentially, Venezuela. This will help END THE WAR in Ukraine, which is taking place right now, with thousands of people dying each and every week!”Following the announcement last week of the successful conclusion of FTA negotiations with EU, India had suggested that India and US might be close to finalising the trade agreement they have been discussing since Feb last year.Trump’s disclosure of the trade deal was preceded by two India-related posts a few hours before, one of which featured him and Modi on a magazine cover with the caption “The Mover and the Shaker”. Another post featured New Delhi’s India Gate, which Trump called “India’s beautiful Triumphal Arch” and said, “Ours will be the greatest of them all!” — referring to a similar monument he wants to build in Washington DC.
New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks to the media, after she attended a hearing and pleaded not guilty to charges that she defrauded her mortgage lender, outside the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, in Norfolk, Virginia, U.S., Oct. 24, 2025.
Jonathan Ernst | Reuters
Days before Super Bowl 60, New York Attorney General Letitia James has a message for consumers: Be careful about placing trades on prediction markets.
“New Yorkers need to know the significant risks with unregulated prediction markets,” James said in a statement Monday. “It’s crystal clear: so-called prediction markets do not have the same consumer protections as regulated platforms. I urge all New Yorkers to be cautious of these platforms to protect their money.”
Prediction platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket are expected to generate billions of dollars in trading volume around the Super Bowl.
Consumers can make trades on game events — similar to online sportsbooks like DraftKings or FanDuel — as well as on predetermined outcomes, such as which companies will advertise during the Super Bowl, an issue CNBC Sport reported on last week.
James said the platforms’ products are bets “masquerading” as event contracts.
She warned there are concerns about the nascent prediction market industry, including “upholding prohibitions against insider betting and requiring regulatory review to ensure the financial stability and integrity of gambling operators.”
“Prediction markets may appear as modern, high-tech platforms for speculation or ‘forecasting,’ but in practice, many operate as unregulated gambling without the basic protections New York consumers both deserve and expect from properly licensed operators,” James said in the statement.
Prediction market contracts trade somewhat similarly to all-or-nothing options, with contracts priced between $0 and $1. The contracts trade up or down depending on the action.
In addition to contracts on Super Bowl commercials, both Polymarket and Kalshi are offering other trades related to the game, including on matters like “What songs will be played at the halftime show?,” “Who will attend the big game?,” and more traditional sportsbook “bets” such as “Seattle vs. New England: Most Rushing Yards,” as CNBC reported last week.
There are laws that prohibit insider trading on prediction markets, just as on traditional financial markets. But industry experts say they’re skeptical that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, recently gutted as part of widespread government cuts, has the will or the means to police those problems.
Last week, CFTC Chairman Michael Selig said he had directed agency staff to withdraw a proposed rule that would have banned prediction trades on sports and politics. He said new rules would be coming.
Disclosure: CNBC has a commercial relationship with Kalshi.
Business
India-US trade deal: 25% penal tariffs linked to Russian oil gone? Here’s what we know – The Times of India
US President Donald Trump has reportedly agreed to remove the 25% tariff America imposed on India for its crude oil imports from Russia. A New Delhi–based source quoted in a Bloomberg report said that the US has agreed to withdraw the 25% penal tariff for India’s Russian oil procurement. In the meantime, India and the US have announced a trade deal, with the Trump administration lowering the tariffs on Indian exports to 18%. Trump took to social media platform Truth Social to announce the trade deal, which was later confirmed by PM Narendra Modi confirming it via X (Twitter). However, India is yet to confirm the details of the trade deal shared by Trump in his post.
Also Read | India-US trade deal announced by US President Donald Trump; check detailsUS Ambassador to India Sergio Gor also told a TV channel that the final figure of tariff on India will be 18%, indicating that the 25% penal tariff linked to Russian crude has also been removed.He also said that the 18% tariff rate is effective immediately, and that India would buy $500 billion worth of US energy, coal, technology and agricultural products.Russia has been the largest supplier of crude for India since the start of the former’s war with Ukraine. The share in India’s oil import basket has gone up to almost 40%. But recently, after US sanctions on Russian oil firms, Indian refiners had been forced to reduce Russian crude oil purchases.
India-US Trade Deal: What PM Modi, Trump said
PM Modi posted on X, “Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18%. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement. When two large economies and the world’s largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation. President Trump’s leadership is vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity. India fully supports his efforts for peace. I look forward to working closely with him to take our partnership to unprecedented heights.”Before Trump had posted on social media, “It was an Honor to speak with Prime Minister Modi, of India, this morning. He is one of my greatest friends and, a Powerful and Respected Leader of his Country. We spoke about many things, including Trade, and ending the War with Russia and Ukraine. He agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela. This will help END THE WAR in Ukraine, which is taking place right now, with thousands of people dying each and every week! Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a Trade Deal between the United States and India, whereby the United States will charge a reduced Reciprocal Tariff, lowering it from 25% to 18%. They will likewise move forward to reduce their Tariffs and Non Tariff Barriers against the United States, to ZERO. The Prime Minister also committed to “BUY AMERICAN,” at a much higher level, in addition to over $500 BILLION DOLLARS of U.S. Energy, Technology, Agricultural, Coal, and many other products. Our amazing relationship with India will be even stronger going forward. Prime Minister Modi and I are two people that GET THINGS DONE, something that cannot be said for most. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Trade deal done, says Trump; PM Modi thanks him for cutting tariff to 18% – The Times of India
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