Markets

Markets brings together the news and analysis shaping the economy, from central bank decisions and government fiscal policy to the wider financial pressures felt by households and businesses alike. It tracks how political developments, trade shifts and geopolitical tension ripple through to growth, borrowing costs and the public purse, offering readers a clear line of sight from Westminster and beyond into their own finances.

This is where readers can follow the big-picture debates over taxation, debt and economic stewardship, as well as the warnings from policymakers about the challenges ahead. It matters because decisions taken in these arenas, whether by central bankers, chancellors or international leaders, ultimately feed through into prices, wages, mortgages and the broader cost of living.

By keeping this coverage in one place, the aim is to help readers cut through noise and jargon to understand what is actually driving economic conditions, and why it matters for the choices they make day to day.

A-League opener overshadowed by Manchester City verdict as APL reviews findings

September 30, 2026

The Premier League’s decision to find Manchester City guilty of 115 breaches of financial rules is overshadowing the start of Australia’s A-League season. Because Manchester City has ownership links to Melbourne City (an A-League club) and board member Simon Pearce connects both organisations to the Australian Professional Leagues, the scandal threatens to damage the reputation…
England plans 1,000 family hubs offering early years support by 2028

September 30, 2026

The government plans to expand family hubs across England, offering parents support with infant feeding, mental health and bonding with their babies. The Healthy Babies programme is intended to give children a better start in life by bringing services such as midwives, health visitors and other family support together in one place. Health Secretary Yvette…
Nandy says planned social media limits are just an initial step

September 30, 2026

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy says the planned restrictions on children’s social media use are only an initial step, and that the government intends to regulate online spaces more actively. She argues that children should be able to use safer platforms rather than being excluded from social media altogether, and says the state must help shape…
Manchester City guilty of financial breaches; Oura scraps listing; OpenAI protests erupt

September 30, 2026

Manchester City faces sanctions after a decade of financial rule violations. Finnish smart ring maker Oura abandons its $15 billion US stock listing, whilst activist groups protest OpenAI’s government contracts and environmental impact.
Wicked performers share the songs that define their characters and craft

September 30, 2026

The article asks performers and creators associated with *Wicked* to name the songs they most enjoy performing and explain what makes them meaningful. Their reflections show how the musical’s songs can carry emotional turning points for the characters as well as memorable moments for the people singing them. Idina Menzel recalls helping develop Elphaba’s role…
Father critically injured while intervening in car break-in, years after wife’s death

September 30, 2026

Colin Sheean is in an induced coma after being stabbed twice when he allegedly intervened as three teenagers broke into a car in Langwarrin, south-east of Melbourne. The attack has renewed attention on the family’s earlier tragedy: his wife, Natalie, died aged 38 after a cardiac arrest in 2021, leaving him to raise their three…
Lowe warns Australian deficits are fuelling inflation as rates hit 15-year high

September 30, 2026

Former Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe has challenged the Labor government’s fiscal policy, arguing that substantial budget deficits are adding inflationary pressure when the economy is at full employment and commodity prices are elevated. This intervention reignites a significant policy debate about the causes of Australia’s elevated inflation, with the central bank having…
Repeat offender with lengthy rap sheet accused of gunning down Kentucky trooper during traffic stop

September 30, 2026

Emonnie Branch, 51, is accused of fatally shooting Kentucky State Trooper Hayden Phillips during a traffic stop on Interstate 65 in Warren County on Monday. Branch was captured later that evening after authorities issued a statewide Blue Alert; he was denied bond on a charge of murdering a first responder and is also held on…
Tom Cruise revives Risky Business dance for Jennifer Hudson Show segment

September 30, 2026

Tom Cruise appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show’s Spirit Tunnel segment as part of his press tour for the film “Digger,” directed by two-time Academy Award winner Alejandro González Iñárritu. The appearance saw Cruise revive the iconic dance moves from his 1983 breakthrough film “Risky Business,” marking part of a concerted promotional push for a…
Sylvester Stallone’s advice to those who are struggling 50 years after ‘Rocky’ changed his life

September 30, 2026

Sylvester Stallone says people who are struggling should try pursuing their aims, because failure is not as costly as never making the attempt. Speaking as “Rocky” reaches its 50th anniversary, he reflected on how the film’s story of an underdog boxer echoed his own path from poverty to Hollywood success. In an interview about his…