The Standard Business

Easter egg shoppers facing shrinkflation double whammy, warns Which?

Vicky Shaw — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:01:00 GMT

Shoppers searching for chocolate treats are being given ‘less for more,’ the consumer group said.

Interest rate cuts not on the horizon, Bank of England governor says

Pol Allingham — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:38:11 GMT

The Bank left interest rates unchanged at 3.75% in a unanimous vote among all nine members of its Monetary Policy Committee on Thursday.

Stocks close down as oil rises and gold retreats

Emma Curzon — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:32:02 GMT

The FTSE 100 index closed down 241.79 points, 2.4%, at 10,063.50.

Gas prices soar as Shell plant damaged in attack on Qatar energy site

Anna Wise — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:08:35 GMT

British energy giant Shell said the attack caused damage to a facility that is important to the firm.

Streamline your business with Sage’s digital accounting software

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 16:12:21 GMT

As the tax year draws to a close, now’s the time to take the friction out of financial management

Households facing ‘fresh blow to budgets’ as inflation forecasts are hiked

Vicky Shaw — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:54:38 GMT

Sharp rises in the cost of energy could also have implications for the cost of food, travel, entertainment and more, an analyst said.

Steel strategy announced to preserve production in the UK

Alan Jones — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:39:13 GMT

Government says its ambition is for up to 50% of steel used in the UK to be made in this country.

BofE leaves interest rates on hold at 3.75% amid fresh inflation fears

Jonathan Prynn — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:08:55 GMT

Rate setters are worried about a possible spike in inflation caused by the Iran war

Bank holds UK interest rates at 3.75% and stands ‘ready to act’ over Iran war

Anna Wise — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:30:30 GMT

The Bank of England left rates unchanged in a unanimous vote among all nine members of its Monetary Policy Committee on Thursday.

Wage growth tumbles to lowest level for more than five years – ONS

Holly Williams — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:13:50 GMT

The Office for National Statistics said regular earnings growth fell back to 3.8% in the three months to January.

How did a bakery become a political hotbed?

Claudia Cockerell — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:59:28 GMT

Once best known for its £5 sourdough, Gail’s has become a symbol of cultural tensions in today’s London. Claudia Cockerell finds out why

BP moves back to central London as it chooses Bankside development for new global HQ

Jonathan Prynn — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:32:30 GMT

Energy giant will occupy at 15 storeys of the Ink building at Timer Square

FTSE 100 Live 19 March: Markets slump as gas and oil prices surge, wage growth at five-year low

Graeme Evans — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:26:05 GMT

Stock markets are deep in the red after gas and oil prices spiked in response to attacks on energy facilities in the Middle East.

Unemployment total in London surges to equivalent of a city the size of Leicester

Jonathan Prynn and Nicholas Cecil — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:44:20 GMT

London’s jobless total has risen far faster than almost any other region since Labour came to power

BP hikes cost-cutting target again after striking deal to sell German refinery

Anna Wise — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:29:44 GMT

The energy giant will sell the Gelsenkirchen refinery to independent European refiner Klesch Group.

Minister insists UK steel tariff plans are ‘not very Donald Trump’

Helen Corbett — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:11:51 GMT

The Government wants up to 50% of steel used in the UK to be made in the country, up from 30%.

Gas prices surge more than 20% after Iran targets Qatar production

Jonathan Prynn — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 08:32:26 GMT

Wholesale gas prices surged this morning after strikes on Qatar’s main production facility.

Oil prices spike as attacks on Middle East energy sites stoke fears

Anna Wise — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 08:06:22 GMT

The price of Brent crude oil was rising by about 7% to cross 114 US dollars a barrel on Thursday morning.