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UK firms halt investments and hiring as Iran war pushes up costs, bosses warn

impact. However, bosses warned the damage from the Middle East conflict was steadily rising. A separate report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, the professional body for HR, also found that UK employers

US talks between Lebanon and Israel end – as it happened

UK, Australia and others have condemned the killings of UN peacekeepers in [Lebanon](https://www.theguardian.com/world/lebanon) and called for an end to hostilities.** “Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Sierra Leone, Switzerland

UK unemployment unexpectedly rises to 5% as firms squeezed by Iran war

impact of the Iran war. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the rate of unemployment was up in the three months to March, from 4.9% in February, a rate that City economists had expected

Barclays cuts back risky lending after £228m hit from UK mortgage firm MFS

Iran war on 28 February. Venkatakrishnan warned of a broader impact of the rise in energy prices if the war dragged on. “Higher oil prices and the longer they go on will have an impact

UK firms in ‘critical financial stress’ jump by a third as costs rise, report finds

impact of the Middle East conflict. Hospitality and leisure firms have been faring particularly badly because of shaky consumer confidence, and rising taxes and staff costs, according to research by the restructuring company Begbies Traynor

Middle East crisis live: US claims blockade has ‘completely halted economic trade’ into Iran, as Trump hints at return to talks in Pakistan

UK prime minister Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron will co-host a summit in Paris on Friday focused on efforts to reopen the strait of Hormuz,** Downing Street said. A spokesperson said

UK house prices jump despite impact of Middle East conflict

impact of Middle East conflict House price growth in the UK has surprised estate agents and economists by jumping in April at the fastest annual pace in 11 months, according to [Nationwide](https://www.theguardian.com/business/nationwide).

Bank bosses called to meeting with Reeves over impact of Iran war on UK economy

impact of the crisis in the Middle East triggered by the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran. The chief executives of HSBC, [Barclays](https://www.theguardian.com/business/barclay), Lloyds, NatWest and Santander have been asked

UK consumers likely to face higher prices ‘for many months to come’

Iran over the weekend, the business body predicted lasting effects whatever the outcome. “Even if the current ceasefire soon signals the end of the conflict, the economic reverberations will be felt for many months

Mortgages, bills and jobs: Five takeaways from the Bank of England meeting

conflict in the Middle East hits the economy. Here are five key takeaways. Not that long ago, most economists were expecting interest rates to fall this year. The Iran war changed that. Although the Bank

Friday briefing: How Gaza, Lebanon and Iran have found themselves caught in an escalation without end

economies falter, and displacement abounds. For those in the region, it means that having your bag packed, ready to flee by bus, car or even on foot to a safer place – maybe

Reeves cuts VAT on summer days out to 5% as part of cost of living support

impact of the war in Iran on cash-strapped households. The chancellor told MPs on Thursday she would also raise more tax from global oil firms operating in the UK, to help meet the costs

Rubio visits India to sell energy as Iran oil shock persists

economy. "We want to sell them [India] as much energy as they'll buy. And obviously, you've seen, I think, we're at historic levels of US production and US export," he said. There

UK households bracing for new cost of living crisis, report finds

impact of the Middle East conflict dampens confidence in the economy and personal finances, a survey has suggested. Consumer confidence in the UK has dipped over the last three months at the fastest rate since

The threat to summer holidays looming from jet fuel shortages

economy class ticket to £360 for a business class fare. On short-haul services within Europe, however, the impact on fares has been a lot more muted so far. In fact, according to Wizz

Why and how is US blockading Iranian ports in Strait of Hormuz?

impacting places like Dubai, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia The US Navy Commander's handbook on naval operations law from 2022 defines a blockade as a "belligerent operation to prevent vessels and/or aircraft

Reeves steps up criticism of Trump’s Iran war, branding it a ‘mistake’

economy. Entering into the war without clear goals had also laid the foundations for a more protracted conflict that risked setting back progress to end Iran’s nuclear ambitions, she added. “They don’t have

US extends sanctions waiver on Russian oil: Why it matters

conflict, India tried to diversify away from Russian oil. Thereby, we saw a build in oil on water and larger volumes going to China,” she explained. “But going from Russia to China vs India

Lower gas and electricity bills behind UK inflation fall to 2.8%

impact the global prices. A lower rate of inflation does not mean prices are falling across the board, but that prices are rising more slowly than previously. The drop in inflation occurred despite the rise

Could Trump’s Iran ‘excursion’ be a bigger global turning point than Vietnam?

impact on the US, the international strategic fallout may prove more long lasting. Photograph: Tim Page/Corbis/Getty Images --- Clearly the domestic US consequences of Iran will never match Vietnam. True, the war was unpopular from