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.

William Costelloe takes over family fashion house after father’s death

September 29, 2026

William Costelloe, 34, has become the new creative director of his family’s fashion business following the death of his renowned Irish father Paul Costelloe last November. Paul had led the business for 46 years, establishing it as a significant presence in fashion. William is balancing respect for his father’s legacy with his own creative vision,…
Labour leadership signals flexibility on pension triple lock amid budget pressures

September 29, 2026

Lucy Powell has not ruled out Labour changing the state pension triple lock in its next manifesto, despite saying the party remains committed to the policy during this Parliament. The uncertainty comes as Andy Burnham prepares to discuss how to fund social care reform, with changing the pension uprating system reportedly among the options being…
Tourist sparks fury after riding a sea turtle down a beach as it was laying eggs

September 29, 2026

Fitness influencer Vadym Oleynik has apologised after photos appeared to show him and his partner sitting on a sea turtle’s shell while it was laying eggs in Oman. The images prompted criticism from conservationists, who described the conduct as mistreatment and exploitation of wildlife. Oman’s Environment Authority said Oleynik’s actions breached wildlife protection laws and…
Meta’s AI breaches privacy; grandmother wrongly jailed by facial recognition

September 29, 2026

Meta’s shopping AI shared a seller’s address without consent, leading to an arranged visit. Meanwhile, a Tennessee grandmother spent six months behind bars after a flawed facial recognition misidentification.
On the rocks? Scotch distilleries pause production as unsold ‘whisky loch’ grows

September 29, 2026

Scotland’s Scotch whisky industry is experiencing a severe downturn after a 15-year boom, with distilleries pausing production to manage an oversupply crisis known as a “whisky loch”. The slump is triggering significant job cuts, business closures and strike action, including the recent appointment of administrators at GlenWyvis Distillery and strike action at Diageo’s Cameronbridge plant…
Journalist Patricia Nilsson investigates the hidden owners of the porn industry

September 29, 2026

Patricia Nilsson, a business journalist, has spent five years investigating the pornography industry for the Financial Times and published a book titled “Guilty Pleasure: The Pornification of the Internet, the Economy, and Everything Else”. Unlike the openly flamboyant porn moguls of previous decades such as Larry Flynt and Hugh Hefner, today’s industry leaders remain deliberately…
Labour conference live: Burnham’s deputy refuses to say if he will scrap pensions triple lock

September 29, 2026

Labour’s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, refused to say whether Andy Burnham or Chancellor John Healey might scrap the state pension triple lock, despite saying Labour remains committed to it under its 2024 manifesto. The question has become prominent as Burnham prepares to speak at the party conference in Liverpool, where the Prime Minister is expected…
AI agent failures and agentic ransomware surge as Florida targets OpenAI oversight

September 29, 2026

Meta’s shopping assistant exposed a seller’s home address; Microsoft revealed the first documented agentic ransomware attack destroyed cloud infrastructure; Florida seeks injunction requiring independent safety checks on OpenAI’s AI development.
RBA governor links public and private spending to inflation pressures

September 29, 2026

Australia’s Reserve Bank Governor, Michele Bullock, said inflation reflects total demand from both government and private spending, which is growing faster than supply. The article argues this undercuts Finance Minister Katy Gallagher’s claim that government spending is not causing inflation, and matters because the RBA is raising rates to curb demand. The cash rate has…
Will Mehreen Faruqi become the next far-left leader of the Greens? What insiders say about her chances after Larissa Waters stepped down

September 29, 2026

Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi has emerged as a leading contender to replace Larissa Waters following the latter’s resignation due to kidney disease. Faruqi commands strong support from the party’s activist base, particularly those advocating for a more confrontational stance towards Labor and greater emphasis on social justice and Palestinian rights. The race reflects deepening…