Reading view

Eurozone inflation soars to 3% as Iran war drives up energy prices

ECB keeps interest rates on hold as growth stumbles and price rises gather pace, up from 2.6% in March and 1.9% in February

Inflation across the eurozone soared to 3% this month as the Iran war drove up energy prices and growth stumbled.

Consumer prices rose by 3% in the year to April across the single currency bloc, data from the statistics body Eurostat showed on Thursday morning, up from 2.6% in March and 1.9% in February.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Syspeo/SIPA/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Syspeo/SIPA/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Syspeo/SIPA/Shutterstock

  •  

Air France-KLM cuts capacity growth forecast amid expected $2.4bn fuel bill rise

Move comes as airline industry reacts to uncertainty over Iran war and increase in price of Brent crude

Air France-KLM has cut its capacity growth forecasts for this year as the Iran war drives up its fuel costs by billions of dollars.

The French-Dutch airline expects its fuel bill to increase by $2.4bn (£1.8bn) this year as a result of the surge in costs since the Middle East conflict began. In response, it has trimmed its expectations for capacity growth to between 2% and 4% this year, down from 3% to 5% previously.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images

© Photograph: Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images

© Photograph: Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images

  •  

Stock markets will fall, Bank of England deputy governor says

Sarah Breeden predicts ‘adjustment’ due to elevated risk including private credit and highly valued AI stocks

Record-high global stock markets do not reflect the risks in the global economy, and will fall back, a deputy governor at the Bank of England has said.

Sarah Breeden, the deputy governor for financial stability at the Bank, fears that macroeconomic risks are not fully priced into equity markets. She cited concerns about private credit markets, highly valued artificial intelligence stocks, and other “risky valuations”.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Benjamin Cremel/Reuters

© Photograph: Benjamin Cremel/Reuters

© Photograph: Benjamin Cremel/Reuters

  •  
❌