‘By the end of the day we’re just knackered’: business booms for UK’s south Asian jewellers as gold prices soar

“With everything that’s going on in the economy and Donald Trump banging his chest against the world, we’re finding there’s no trust in the banks because we don’t know what’s going to happen,” Sandeep Kanda says.Kanda is the owner of Sunny Jewellers, situated along a stretch of Leicester known as the Golden Mile, and is a beneficiary of consumers seeking alternative investments amid the uncertainty.The business is among a dozen or so south Asian jewellers in the area that have been facing relentless demand for gold since the precious metal began soaring in value at the end of last year.“By the end of the day we’re just knackered,” Kanda says. “We are seeing a lot of people buying and selling

March cut to UK interest rates more likely after inflation drops to 10-month low; London house prices fall – as it happened

Many economists are predicting the Bank of England will cut interest rates in March, after seeing inflation fall to 3% this morning.The money markets now indicate there’s an 86% chance of a rate cut in March (taking Bank rate down from 3.75% to 3.5%), at next month’s meeting.That’s up from 77% last night, and 65% a week ago

As real wage growth falls again, Australian workers must feel the economy is rigged against them | Greg Jericho

In 2025 wages grew slower than inflation, which means that wages clearly are not the cause of rising prices. Not only have workers seen their purchasing power decline, but the RBA’s decision to raise interest rates has once again punished them for inflation that was not their fault.Before I go any further, excuse me while I go to the calendar and mark off yet another three months without a wage breakout. It’s a ritual I have been able to do my entire working life.There hasn’t been a wage breakout since I was in primary school but do not worry – the RBA is still on the watch, ever on alert to raise interest rates in an effort to increase unemployment and lower wage growth

Miner Glencore to give $2bn to shareholders despite profit slump

Glencore is to give $2bn (£1.47bn) to shareholders after a turbulent year in which profits slumped and talks collapsed over a blockbuster $260bn merger with the fellow mining company Rio Tinto.The FTSE 100 company announced the payout on Wednesday despite reporting that annual profits slipped 6% on the previous year to $13.5bn.It comes weeks after talks over what would have been the largest deal in mining history collapsed, leaving the Swiss-headquartered commodities company to press ahead with a plan to more than double its copper production over the next decade

UK inflation falls to 3%, boosting hopes of early cut in interest rates

UK inflation tumbled to 3% in January, giving a boost to hopes of an early cut in interest rates by the Bank of England.The slowdown was in line with a majority of City economists’ forecasts and marks the lowest level since March 2025.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that falls in petrol prices, air fares and food had driven the drop.In a welcome boost for households’ shopping budgets, the rise in prices for food and non-alcoholic drinks slowed sharply to 3.6% in the year to January, down from 4

US and Japan unveil $36bn of oil, gas and critical minerals projects in challenge to China

Japan has drawn up plans for investments in US oil, gas and critical mineral projects worth about $36bn under the first wave of a deal with Donald Trump.The US president and Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s prime minister, announced a trio of projects including a power plant in Portsmouth, Ohio, billed by the Trump administration as the largest natural gas-fired generating facility in US history.As a diplomatic row between Japan and China over the security of Taiwan continues, testing the Japanese economy, Takaichi said the projects would strengthen her country’s ties with the US.While Takaichi did not directly mention China, she expressed hope in a statement that the investments would enhance Japanese and US economic security.“Our massive trade deal with Japan has just launched,” Trump declared in a social media post