Author: Lucas

Demand for commercial real estate in the UK remained largely positive in both leasing and investment during Q4 2025, despite uncertainty around the November Budget, according to Rightmove’s latest Commercial Insights Tracker. Growth in demand was slower than in the previous quarter and compared with the same period last year. This was partly due to the timing of Labour’s second Budget, held unusually late on 26 November, and extensive speculation in the months leading up to it. Many business leaders delayed decisions while awaiting potential changes to the tax code. “It seems that uncertainty in the run-up to the Budget…

Gold (XAU/USD) trims earlier losses on Thursday as traders digest a heavy slate of US economic data. At the time of writing, XAU/USD trades around $4,870, up nearly 0.80% after a short-lived dip below the $4,800 psychological level.Bullion came under brief selling pressure, retreating from the record high of $4,888 set on Wednesday, as global risk appetite improved after US President Donald Trump backed away from his threat to impose tariffs on several European countries linked to the Greenland dispute.However, traders are looking past the easing of immediate trade-war fears, as the broader macro backdrop remains supportive for Gold. Lingering…

Savers looking to get the best rates on their money have been warned to move swiftly to ensure the accounts with the highest return on interest rates leave the market. Every month on Independent Money, we lay out the best savings accounts of different types: easy access, fixed term and cash ISAs – but some have now been withdrawn by banks and building societies, with more to follow. The Bank of England (BoE) lowering interest rates in December meant plenty of lenders would follow suit within the next month or two, as their savings account offers move in tandem with…

For my entire 20+ year career, Japanese government bond (JGB) yields have widely been considered as the global government bond yield anchor. But the fact that Japan now appears to be emerging from decades-long disinflation could upset this balance and be another factor that pushes global bond yields structurally higher, alongside de-globalisation and rising tariffs. Government bond investors have already suffered several years of negative returns. However, they should not get too disheartened. The perceived Japanification of China’s economy could mean that Chinese government bonds replace JGBs as the anchor for global yields. Ever since Japan’s economic bubble burst in…

US stocks spiked on Wednesday after President Trump announced the US and NATO “formed the framework of a future deal” on Greenland and called off threatened tariffs on European nations, just days after he roiled markets with the threats. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) jumped around 1.2%, or over 550 points. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) and the S&P 500 (^GSPC) each rose about 1.2% following a bruising Tuesday session that saw investors rush for the exits against a backdrop of global insecurity. The S&P 500 turned positive for the year with Wednesday’s gains. Stocks surged in the afternoon…

Cryptocurrency trading strategies are evolving rapidly in the UAE, with Statista forecasting the UAE crypto market to reach stunning revenues of $254.3 million by 2025. In fact, with 3.78 million crypto users in the country (a penetration rate of 39.13%!), it’s clear that cryptocurrencies are not just a passing trend, but the future. We understand that cryptocurrency trading strategies for beginners may seem complex at first, but they are essential for acquiring the basic skills to trade, manage, and analyze cryptocurrencies effectively. Moreover, Dubai has taken major steps in the crypto space, starting with the world’s first crypto law —…

Over 2,300 students have engaged with an insurance virtual work experience programme since it was launched in October 2023, the Chartered Insurance Institute has revealed.The offering, developed in partnership with Springpod, was designed to bring the insurance profession to life for young people across the UK. It has run alongside a version for the personal finance industry.According to the CII, being virtual the sessions remove traditional socio-economic barriers to work experience.The organisation assessed it had seen this in action in the course enrolment. Participants in the insurance programme are 48% female, 57% of non-white ethnicity, and 18% eligible for Copyright…

New Delhi, Jan 23 (PTI) Swan Defence and Heavy Industries (SDHI) on Friday said it has bagged a USD 227 million (around Rs 2,080 crore) contract from Europe-based Rederiet Stenersen AS.     The company has received the order to manufacture and supply six 18,000 DWT (deadweight tonnage) IMO Type II chemical tankers from its shipyard in Pipavav, Gujarat.    Swan Defence and Heavy Industries, in a statement, said the order valued at USD 227 million is one of India’s largest single commercial shipbuilding orders and the first chemical tanker order placed with an Indian shipyard.    The contract bagged from European shipowner Rederiet Stenersen AS…

Gold price (XAU/USD) extends the rally to around $4,950 during the early Asian session on Friday. The precious metal gains momentum as geopolitical risk and threats to the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) independence boost the safe-haven demand. The yellow metal is set to reach a fresh all-time high and is on track for a weekly gain of more than 7%. Traders flock to traditional safe-haven assets such as Gold after tensions in Venezuela, Iran and Greenland. Additionally, traders await US President Donald Trump’s pick for the next Fed Chair to succeed Jerome Powell. A more dovish chair would increase bets on further…

When we say that someone is a “fish out of water,” we sometimes mean to suggest that they are uncomfortable or out of their element. Yet in nature, there are fish supremely adapted to life outside of water. These are amphibious fish-species that have evolved strategies to survive in both aquatic environments and on land. Of these, the mudskipper is arguably the most competent land-dweller, often fuzzing the line between fish and terrestrial animal.Mudskippers not only survive on land but also feed, socialise, defend territory, and even reproduce on land. Their study provides a rare window for scientists into one…