Business & Economy

Published: 31 October 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online The international political landscape is facing growing uncertainty as conflicts across the Middle East, Europe and other regions become increasingly interconnected, raising questions about the future of diplomacy and the ability of global institutions to prevent further instability. US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy decisions, particularly Washington’s involvement in the conflict with Iran and its changing approach towards...

Published: 30 October 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online UK house price growth slowed to its weakest annual pace in more than two years in October, as rising mortgage rates and growing economic uncertainty put pressure on prospective buyers and weakened demand across the property market. The average price of a UK home stood at £273,566 in October, unchanged from September, according to figures published by mortgage...

Published: 30 October 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has acknowledged that his first budget did not go as far as he would have liked, admitting that economic uncertainty, international conflicts and restrictions imposed by Labour’s election manifesto limited the government's ability to introduce more ambitious reforms. His comments have raised fresh questions about the gap between his promise of sweeping economic...

Published: 30 October 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online BP has reported a dramatic rise in third-quarter profits as disruption caused by the conflict in the Middle East pushed up refining margins and strengthened trading opportunities across global energy markets. The results underline the complex financial impact of geopolitical instability, which has placed pressure on consumers while simultaneously generating substantial gains for major oil and gas companies....

Published: 30 October 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Millions of Britons who earn extra money from hobbies, freelance work, reselling goods and other small-scale activities are set to receive a significant tax change, after the UK government announced plans to increase the tax-free trading allowance from £1,000 to £3,000 a year. The change, announced in the 2026 budget, is due to take effect in April 2027...

Published: 30 October 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, is facing the fallout from what could become the biggest cryptocurrency theft ever recorded, after analysts linked a suspected $6.3bn hack to a North Korean state-backed hacking group. The scale of the incident has sent shockwaves through the digital-asset industry, prompting an urgent effort to identify, freeze and recover funds while raising...

Published: 30 October 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online British lawmakers have called on the UK government to consider writing off most of the British Council’s £197m debt, warning that the organisation’s financial future remains precarious despite years of cost-cutting, job losses and the sale of valuable assets. The recommendation comes from the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, which has urged the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development...

Published: 30 October 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Donald Trump’s foreign policy is increasingly becoming an issue at the heart of America’s approaching midterm elections, with his decisions over Ukraine, Iran, tariffs and relations with major foreign powers raising questions about whether international affairs could cost Republicans support at the ballot box. For some voters who backed Trump in the 2024 presidential election, the question is...

Published: 29 October 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online A senior executive at Lloyds Banking Group has criticised the UK government’s decision to link higher taxes on banks with financial support for household energy bills, warning that the banking sector must remain competitive and capable of providing loans to businesses and consumers if Britain is to achieve stronger economic growth. William Chalmers, chief financial officer of Lloyds...

Published: 29 October 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online Britain’s latest budget has come under sharp criticism from a leading economic thinktank, which warned that government measures designed to ease the pressure of rising living costs could still leave households facing higher energy bills than during the country’s previous energy crisis. The Resolution Foundation described Chancellor John Healey’s first budget as a “scattergun” package that failed to...