The hedge fund led by Sir Paul Marshall, co-owner of GB News, nearly tripled its investments in fossil fuel companies to $2.8 billion in early 2026. Critics say this conflicts with the news channel’s climate stance, as Marshall’s fund cut its investments in renewable energy by 30% during the same period.
Key Facts
Marshall Wace Asset Management, run by Sir Paul Marshall, increased fossil fuel investments from about $1 billion to $2.8 billion in the first quarter of 2026.
The largest increase was in Chevron shares, rising from $196 million to $864 million.
The fund also acquired stakes in ConocoPhillips ($163 million), Shell ($72 million), and Devon Energy ($35 million), companies it previously did not invest in.
Investments in renewable energy and battery companies fell by 30% to $415 million in the same period.
Marshall has publicly expressed skepticism about human-caused climate change and opposed net zero policies.
GB News, which Marshall co-owns, often criticizes climate science and climate policies.
Environmental groups and critics accuse Marshall of benefiting financially from fossil fuels while influencing climate debate through GB News.
Marshall Wace responded that the criticism is “partial and inaccurate” and that its investment portfolio changes daily based on client commitments.
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Businesses in Seattle expected a big boost from hosting matches for the FIFA Men’s World Cup, but the results are mixed. While some places saw more customers on game days, overall visitor numbers to Seattle may be lower than usual due to higher travel costs, tough immigration rules, and fewer international tourists.
Key Facts
Seattle hosted FIFA Men’s World Cup matches, culminating in a knockout game between the U.S. and Belgium.
Some local businesses, like the George & Dragon Pub, reported big increases in customers during match days.
Seattle’s tourism board initially predicted $929 million in economic benefits but later lowered the estimate to $845.6 million.
Travel costs rose due to the US-Israeli war on Iran and many hotel rooms booked by FIFA reducing availability.
Immigration enforcement and President Donald Trump’s tough policies led to fewer tourists from Canada and banned countries, including Iran and Senegal.
Flight bookings to Seattle showed mixed data, with some reports of decline and airport officials reporting a small increase in travelers.
Some business owners feel the World Cup hype was overstated and wait to see the overall impact once the event ends.
Seattle’s economy also faces challenges from ongoing tech industry layoffs, complicating the effects of the World Cup.
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Andy Burnham, likely to become the UK Labour leader and prime minister, may change the government’s approach to a large NHS contract with Palantir Technologies, a US defense and software company. Burnham’s past as mayor of Greater Manchester saw no contracts with Palantir, and his team is reportedly working on a new technology strategy that favors British companies and data security.
Key Facts
Palantir has a 7-year, £330 million ($440 million) contract with NHS England.
Andy Burnham was Mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017 to June 2024 and did not award any contracts to Palantir during that time.
Greater Manchester’s NHS leaders developed their own data system instead of using Palantir’s software.
Burnham’s advisers are drafting an AI strategy that prioritizes British companies and workers.
Burnham’s team emphasizes the need for government contracts to provide good value for taxpayers and protect data and national interests.
Palantir has been working with several UK public bodies, including the Ministry of Defence and Home Office.
Some groups consider Palantir a potential security risk, raising concerns about reliance on American software.
Burnham’s approach marks a shift from the current Labour government under Keir Starmer, which welcomed US-based tech companies.
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Mortgage rates have stayed near 6.5% in 2026, but buyers can lower their rates through options like buying mortgage points. Mortgage points mean paying extra money upfront to get a slightly lower rate and smaller monthly payments. Experts say buying points can be a good choice if you plan to live in the home for many years.
Key Facts
The average 30-year mortgage rate is about 6.49% in 2026.
Mortgage points cost 1% of the loan amount per point and reduce the interest rate a little.
The amount a point reduces the rate varies by lender and is generally smaller than in the past.
Inflation and mortgage-backed security investments have caused higher interest rates and less benefit from points.
Government-backed loans (like FHA, VA, USDA) typically get bigger rate reductions from points than conventional loans.
Buying points is usually smart if you will stay in the home long enough to save more in monthly payments than the upfront cost.
The breakeven point tells you how many months it will take to recover the cost of the mortgage points by those monthly savings.
The average homeowner stays about 12 years in their home, making points worth considering for many buyers.
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Sky has agreed to buy ITV’s broadcasting and streaming business for £1.6 billion, creating the largest commercial broadcaster in the UK. Separately, easyJet plans to accept a £5.5 billion takeover offer from the US investment firm Castlelake, which would make easyJet a private company.
Key Facts
Sky will pay £1.2 billion in cash and contribute Love Productions, valued at £200 million, for the ITV deal.
An extra £200 million may be paid by Sky if advertising goals are met in 2027.
The ITV sale will return about £950 million in cash to ITV shareholders, equal to 25p per share.
Sky and ITV agreed to spend at least £2.1 billion on content from 2028 to 2032.
The ITV and Sky deal is expected to finish in the second half of next year.
easyJet has agreed in principle to a £5.5 billion takeover by Castlelake after weeks of talks.
This deal would take easyJet, the UK’s largest low-cost airline, off the public stock market and make it privately owned.
Both deals reflect significant changes in the UK media and airline industries involving large financial transactions and ownership shifts.
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President Donald Trump has called himself the most pro-crypto president and has taken steps to support the cryptocurrency industry. Despite this, Bitcoin’s price has dropped about 50% from its all-time high, and a new bill aiming to clarify crypto regulations is still waiting for approval in the Senate.
Key Facts
President Trump promised to make the U.S. a leader in cryptocurrency before his 2024 election.
Since taking office, he has reduced some crypto regulations and appointed officials favorable to the industry.
Bitcoin has fallen about 50% from its highest price and dropped 28% in 2026 so far.
The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act aims to provide clear rules for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and encourage investment.
The bill passed the House and the Senate Banking Committee but faces delays in the full Senate due to ethical concerns linked to Trump’s crypto interests.
Experts say the bill could help Bitcoin’s price by reducing legal uncertainty and encouraging more investors.
The U.S. government holds a large amount of Bitcoin already.
President Trump has said he will “never let crypto down” and claims to have helped save the industry.
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The Scottish government plans to introduce a new "mansion tax" that would nearly double the council tax on the most expensive homes, starting from April 2028. The tax targets homes valued over £1 million, with higher rates for those above £2 million, aiming to raise up to £16 million annually for local councils.
Key Facts
The tax could add about £3,600 a year for homes worth more than £2 million.
Homes valued between £1 million and £2 million could see an increase of around £720.
Approximately 15,000 properties (1% of Scotland’s housing) would be affected.
Two new council tax bands, I and J, will be created for homes over £1 million and over £2 million respectively.
The average council tax for the highest current band (H) is around £4,051 per year.
The proposed Band I tax bill could be about £4,800, and Band J homes could pay around £7,651 per year.
A targeted revaluation of homes above £1 million will be done to determine the new bands, costing around £5 million.
Most expensive properties are concentrated in Edinburgh and some rural areas.
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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed a rule change that would reduce how often public companies must report their financial results from every three months to twice a year. This change could limit important information for regular investors, making it harder for them to make informed decisions and potentially favoring large investors and corporations.
Key Facts
Public companies currently must provide financial updates every three months, known as quarterly reports.
The SEC proposal would change the requirement to only twice a year.
A six-month gap between reports could allow companies to hide financial problems from investors.
Large investors like hedge funds can still get information privately, but regular investors would lose timely access.
Many financial firms and investment experts, including Citadel, Fidelity, and the SEC’s own Investor Advisory Committee, oppose the change.
The SEC under Chair Paul Atkins has proposed other rules that reduce disclosure and protections for investors.
The SEC was created in 1934 to protect investors and ensure market transparency after past financial crashes caused by fraud and manipulation.
Critics argue this proposal weakens investor protections and transparency in the stock market.
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Mike Rowe has filed a lawsuit against Discovery, claiming he was not paid $2 million in narrating fees. This is not his first legal action against Warner Bros. Discovery; he previously sued in June 2025 over unpaid residual payments for the show "Deadliest Catch" on streaming platforms.
Key Facts
Mike Rowe is suing Discovery for $2 million.
The lawsuit is about unpaid narrating fees.
Rowe previously sued Warner Bros. Discovery in June 2025.
The earlier lawsuit involved unpaid residuals from "Deadliest Catch."
Residuals are payments actors receive when shows appear on streaming services.
The case concerns payments related to streaming platform usage.
Warner Bros. Discovery owns the content and streaming rights.
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The UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) recommends giving itself stronger powers to protect consumers from risks linked to artificial intelligence (AI) in financial services. A recent review found AI could improve access to financial advice but might also increase fraud, cyber threats, and consumer harm.
Key Facts
The FCA’s Mills review looked at how AI will change financial services by 2030.
AI is helping companies shift from human-led services to AI-powered ones for everyday customers.
AI may make financial advice more accessible, especially for lower-income people.
Risks include higher fraud, cybersecurity threats, consumer harm, and less competition.
The FCA wants to use AI itself to better monitor and regulate financial firms.
Recommendations include expanding the FCA’s powers over AI companies and cloud service providers.
Around 11 million people in the UK are willing to use AI for financial decisions despite limited regulation.
The report urges another review within six months to study risks tied to AI in managing personal finances and unregulated companies using AI.
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A watchdog group called the Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP) warns that partnerships between private equity firms and nonprofit healthcare providers in the U.S. may create risks for patients, payers, and employees. Their report highlights over 500 such joint ventures and calls for stronger government oversight to protect the quality of care and nonprofit missions.
Key Facts
PESP identified more than 500 joint ventures between private equity firms and nonprofit healthcare providers, including hospitals and hospice care.
Private equity firms have invested over $1 trillion in healthcare deals over the past decade.
About 488 hospitals, or 8.5% of all private hospitals, are owned by private equity.
Private equity investments often use debt and focus on short-term profits, which experts say may conflict with medical care goals.
Nonprofit healthcare providers must legally prioritize their charitable mission over profits.
The IRS allows joint ventures if nonprofits keep control and continue serving community health without focusing on profits.
Some research links private equity ownership to increased medical errors, but experts disagree on the cause.
PESP urges more government oversight to ensure that joint ventures follow nonprofit rules and protect patient care.
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The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is taking action against online shops that do not show all costs clearly before checkout. They want shoppers to see any extra fees upfront and know if they can get compensation for hidden charges.
Key Facts
The CMA is focusing on unclear pricing in online shopping.
Hidden fees often appear only at checkout, surprising buyers.
Shoppers are advised to watch for extra charges before completing a purchase.
The CMA aims to make online prices clearer and fairer.
Consumers may be able to claim money back if they were charged hidden fees.
BBC Money Box explains how to identify these fees and understand rights.
The news is recent, published less than an hour ago.
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Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel Springer, aims to expand the UK’s Daily Telegraph newspaper into the large US media market. He sees a chance to reach conservative readers in America where there are few established right-leaning news sources compared to liberal outlets.
Key Facts
Axel Springer, led by Mathias Döpfner, recently bought the Daily Telegraph for £575 million.
Döpfner’s goal is to make the Telegraph a global brand, with a special focus on the US market.
The US media landscape is seen as a big opportunity due to under-served center-right and conservative audiences.
Other regions like Asia and Latin America are also considered potential expansion areas.
Industry experts say building a presence in the US will be costly and take many years because few Americans currently know the Telegraph.
Döpfner has also acquired other US media assets like Politico and Business Insider, which could support the Telegraph’s growth.
Past attempts to establish a right-wing US news outlet have faced challenges, including a failed 2023 bid led by former CNN president Jeff Zucker.
The Telegraph’s strategy aims for a socially conservative, free-market audience similar to the era of Ronald Reagan.
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Ornn, a startup backed by Andreessen Horowitz, raised $33 million to create a marketplace where computing power—used in AI—can be traded like a commodity such as oil. The company aims to help investors and AI firms manage the costs of computing by offering ways to buy, sell, and hedge computing power more efficiently.
Key Facts
Ornn raised $33 million in a seed funding round.
The startup wants to build a market for trading AI computing power similar to commodity markets.
Commodity markets help companies lock in prices for materials like oil or metals to reduce financial risk.
Currently, AI companies mostly secure computing power through long-term purchase agreements.
Goldman Sachs estimates $7.6 trillion will be spent globally on computing and data centers from 2026 to 2031.
Computing power differs from traditional commodities because it cannot be stored and loses value as new technology appears.
Ornn’s platform helps lenders benchmark prices and lets buyers and sellers hedge against price changes.
Futures contracts for compute power are planned by major exchanges but still need regulatory approval.
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The UK is installing electric vehicle (EV) chargers more slowly due to higher costs and unclear government goals. The number of public chargers increased by 10% in early 2026, but this is much slower than previous years. The government may lower its target for EV sales, which has caused uncertainty for investors and the charging industry.
Key Facts
UK installed 5,100 public EV chargers in the first half of 2026, reaching 121,171 total chargers.
Charger growth was 10% year-on-year, down from over 40% in 2024.
The UK government aims for 300,000 public chargers by 2030.
Over 2 million electric vehicles are on UK roads as of April 2026.
Car makers and industry groups want the government to reduce strict EV sales targets (ZEV mandate).
The Labour government added “flexibilities” allowing more petrol car sales and is considering lowering the EV sales target from 80% to 50% by 2030.
Ultra-rapid chargers grew by 37% and are mostly located on motorways for quick charging.
Investor confidence is wavering due to ongoing changes and debates about the government’s EV policies.
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Tim Steiner, co-founder and CEO of Ocado, will step down as CEO in 2028 but remain with the company in a founder role until 2029. Ocado supplies automated warehouse technology and operates an online grocery service in the UK. The company has faced financial challenges, share price drops, and job cuts, but is planning for future leadership changes.
Key Facts
Tim Steiner co-founded Ocado in 2000 and is currently its CEO.
Steiner will leave the CEO position in December 2027 (start of 2028 financial year) but continue advising until 2029.
Ocado provides robots and technology to automate grocery warehouse packing.
The company runs a UK online grocery service with Marks & Spencer.
Ocado’s shares have lost over 50% of their value in the past year.
Ocado is cutting 1,000 jobs to reduce costs.
North American partners Kroger and Sobeys closed robotic warehouses due to lower-than-expected demand.
There has been leadership tension and investor unrest, but Steiner remains focused on company growth.
Steiner owns 2.35% of Ocado and has earned nearly £100 million since the company's 2010 stock market listing.
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Sky, a UK TV and internet company owned by Comcast, has agreed to buy ITV’s media and entertainment business for about $2.1 billion. This deal aims to create a bigger company that can better compete with global streaming services.
Key Facts
Sky is a British provider of TV, internet, and mobile phone services.
Comcast owns Sky.
Sky will buy ITV’s media and entertainment division for up to 1.6 billion pounds ($2.1 billion).
ITV is the largest commercial broadcaster in Britain.
The deal includes ITV’s TV channels and streaming service.
ITV Studios, which produces shows like “I’m A Celebrity,” will stay separate and independent.
After the deal, the combined Sky-ITV group will be part of NBCUniversal once it splits from Comcast.
The goal is to build a UK-based company large enough to compete with international streaming giants.
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The beer group Camra says large beer companies are confusing customers by calling their beers “craft” when many come from big global firms. Camra wants the government watchdog to check if these companies use unfair tactics to keep small independent brewers out of pubs and off shelves.
Key Facts
Camra, a beer lovers’ club, claims big brewers mislead customers about their beers being “craft.”
Seven of the top 10 craft beers in the UK are actually owned by four big international companies.
These companies sometimes own pubs or have deals to promote their own beers over smaller brewers.
Camra asked the Competition & Markets Authority to investigate if small breweries face unfair competition.
Some beers marketed as foreign are actually brewed in the UK, like Madri by Molson Coors.
The trade group for independent brewers now calls their beer “indie” instead of “craft” to avoid confusion.
Big brewers like Asahi say they clearly label who owns each beer brand.
Camra wants the government to support pubs and fair competition for small brewers.
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ITV is selling its media and entertainment divisions to Sky for £1.6 billion. The deal includes ITV’s broadcast channels and streaming service ITVX but does not include its studio business.
Key Facts
ITV is selling its media and entertainment arms to Sky.
The sale price is £1.6 billion.
The deal includes ITV’s TV channels and the ITVX streaming service.
ITV’s studio division is not part of the sale.
Comcast, an American company that owns Sky, began talks for this takeover in November 2025.
Sky’s CEO Dana Strong called this a major moment for British media.
The move aims to create a strong competitor to global streaming services and YouTube in the UK.
The UK media market is changing quickly and competition for viewers is increasing.
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Sky, owned by Comcast, will buy ITV’s broadcasting and streaming business for £1.6 billion to form the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster. The deal includes ITV’s free TV channels and streaming service but does not include ITV Studios, its show-making division.
Key Facts
Sky will initially pay £1.2 billion in cash for ITV’s media and entertainment business.
An extra payment up to £200 million may be made in late 2028, based on 2027 advertising revenue.
Comcast will sell its Love Productions company, which makes The Great British Bake Off, to ITV for £200 million.
ITV Studios, which produces shows like Love Island and I’m a Celebrity, is not part of this deal.
Sky plans to invest at least £2.1 billion in the combined business between 2028 and 2032.
The deal aims to help ITV compete better with global streaming services.
The announcement follows months of complex negotiations between Sky and ITV.
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