
-
England and India set for final push in gripping Test series
-
Canada intends to recognize Palestinian state at UN General Assembly: Carney
-
Trump says US to impose 15% tariff on South Korean goods
-
Brazil Central Bank holds interest rate as tariffs loom
-
Ex-NBA star Arenas arrested on charges of hosting illegal poker games
-
Brazil Central Bank holds interest rate after seven straight hikes
-
Shelton ends Mannarino jinx in Toronto
-
Swiatek cruises, Osaka battles through in Montreal
-
Meta beats expectations sending share price soaring
-
Gaza civil defence says 30 killed in food queue by Israeli fire
-
Microsoft quarterly profits soar on AI and cloud growth
-
Airbus first-half profit climbs 85% to $1.7 bn
-
TikTok launches crowd-sourced debunking tool in US
-
'Ours forever': would-be Israeli settlers march on Gaza
-
Trump punishes Brazil with tariffs, sanctions over trial of ally Bolsonaro
-
US sprinter Kerley out of US trials
-
Ukraine will fix anti-graft law, minister tells AFP ahead of crucial vote
-
Tata Motors to buy Italy's Iveco for $4.4 bn
-
From skies over Gaza, Jordanian crew drops lifeline to civilians
-
US Fed holds firm against Trump pressure as divisions emerge
-
Michael Jackson's dirty sock sells for over $8,000 in France
-
Turkish city calls for help after heat tops 50C
-
Renault names Provost CEO after De Meo exit
-
Le Court makes history for Africa at women's Tour de France
-
Canada central bank holds rate steady citing US tariff 'threats'
-
Henry puts New Zealand in control of 1st Test against Zimbabwe
-
Stocks edge higher, dollar gains before tech earnings, Fed decision
-
Palestine Action wins bid to challenge terror ban in London court
-
EU urged to act on forests' faltering absorption of carbon
-
India secures return of ancient Buddhist gems
-
Stokes braced for 'emotional' tribute to late England batsman Thorpe
-
France's Luc Besson resurrects new 'romantic' Dracula
-
Trump hits India with 25% tariff and 'penalty' over Russia ties
-
Chinese sub discovers deepest-ever creatures 10 km undersea
-
Kingscote revels in being the 'villain' of Sussex Stakes shock
-
English cricket chiefs confirm sale of six Hundred franchises
-
Wirtz opens Liverpool account in friendly win in Japan
-
Marchand shatters record as US, Australia win more world gold
-
Thousands honour Ozzy Osbourne at UK hometown funeral procession
-
WHO chief says continuous medical aid into Gaza 'critical'
-
London court rules oligarch liable in $1.9 bn Ukraine loan scheme
-
England's Stokes out of India series decider with shoulder injury
-
Stocks diverge, dollar gains before tech earnings, Fed decision
-
India's Gill says Oval groundsman caused 'unnecessary' row
-
Physicists still divided about quantum world, 100 years on
-
Russia relieved as tsunami spares far east from major damage
-
'Can't believe it': Marchand shatters long-standing world record
-
French govt prepares new law to return colonial-era art
-
London court rules oligarch liable over $1.9 bn Ukraine loan scheme
-
Olympic biathlon champion confirmed dead after Pakistan mountaineering accident
RBGPF | -4.75% | 74.03 | $ | |
VOD | -0.45% | 11.06 | $ | |
RYCEF | -2.14% | 13.1 | $ | |
NGG | -0.47% | 70.19 | $ | |
RELX | -0.27% | 51.78 | $ | |
RIO | -4.67% | 59.49 | $ | |
BTI | 0.73% | 53.16 | $ | |
GSK | 3.34% | 38.97 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.04% | 22.6 | $ | |
BP | -2.2% | 32.25 | $ | |
AZN | 3.41% | 76.59 | $ | |
SCU | 0% | 12.72 | $ | |
BCC | -1.47% | 84.89 | $ | |
JRI | 0.38% | 13.11 | $ | |
SCS | -1.74% | 10.33 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.26% | 23.06 | $ | |
BCE | -0.55% | 23.53 | $ |

UK inflation hits 15-month high as utility bills soar
Britain's annual inflation rate surged more than expected in April as energy and water bills rose sharply, official data showed on Wednesday.
The Consumer Prices Index soared to 3.5 percent last month, up from 2.6 percent in March, the Office for National Statistics said in a statement. Analysts' consensus forecast had been for a jump to 3.3 percent.
At 3.5 percent, the headline rate was the highest since the beginning of 2024, the ONS noted.
"I am disappointed with these figures because I know cost of living pressures are still weighing down on working people," finance minister Rachel Reeves said in a statement.
UK regulators allowed private companies to hike household bills from April, taking into account movements in oil and gas markets and indebted water providers.
"Significant increases in household bills caused inflation to climb steeply," ONS acting director general, Grant Fitzner, said in a statement.
"Gas and electricity bills rose... compared with sharp falls at the same time last year."
He noted that "water and sewerage bills also rose strongly... as did vehicle excise duty, which all pushed the headline rate up to its highest level since the beginning of last year".
Energy bills are expected to drop from July, however, following recent heavy falls to oil prices in the wake of US President Donald Trump's tariffs blitz, according to analysts.
Businesses were additionally hit in April by a tax hike and rise to the minimum wage, which both took effect last month having been introduced by the Labour government following its July election victory that ended 14 years of Conservative rule.
Tory spokesman on the economy, Mel Stride, blamed "Labour's economic mismanagement" for the surge to inflation.
"Families are paying the price for the Labour... choices," he added, as businesses pass on higher costs to consumers.
- Bank of England -
Analysts said the latest data could see the Bank of England ease the pace at which it has been cutting interest rates in recent months.
"The BoE's next move is far from straightforward," noted Richard Flax, chief investment officer at wealth manager Moneyfarm.
"The central bank is likely to remain cautious, potentially delaying rate cuts until there's clearer evidence that inflationary momentum is genuinely easing."
The BoE earlier this month cut its key interest rate by a quarter point to 4.25 percent as the threat of US tariffs starts to weigh on economic growth.
It followed three reductions spread over the previous eight months.
H.Romero--AT