UK Economy 16 February 2026 - 31 March 2026

UK Diesel Hits £2 a Litre in Southern England as Record March Fuel Rise Squeezes Drivers
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UK Diesel Hits £2 a Litre in Southern England as Record March Fuel Rise Squeezes Drivers

UK diesel prices neared £2 a litre at some southern England stations this week, with March seeing record monthly increases amid Middle East tensions and rising crude. RAC data showed average diesel up 40p to 182.77p a litre, pushing a 55-litre fill above £100 for the first time since 2022. Asda reported temporary shortages at some sites, but industry groups said national supply remains stable. Brent crude traded near $107.50 a barrel Thursday.
April 2, 2026
FTSE 100 Today: UK Stock Market Closes Higher, but March Is Worst Since 2020
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FTSE 100 Today: UK Stock Market Closes Higher, but March Is Worst Since 2020

The FTSE 100 closed up 0.48% at 10,176.45 on Tuesday, but both it and the FTSE 250 ended their longest winning streaks in years, capping their worst month since 2020. Unilever dropped 7.2% after announcing talks with McCormick, while Raspberry Pi surged 47% on strong earnings. Investors now expect up to three Bank of England rate hikes this year after earlier anticipating cuts.
March 31, 2026
Barclays PLC Faces Fresh Test After UK Car Finance Bill Lands at £9.1 Billion
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Barclays PLC Faces Fresh Test After UK Car Finance Bill Lands at £9.1 Billion

Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority set the final cost of a car-finance compensation scheme at £9.1 billion, below last year’s estimate. Barclays faces questions over whether its £325 million provision will cover its share. The scheme covers 12.1 million agreements from 2007 to 2024, with average payouts of £830. Payouts are expected to begin this year after a short implementation period.
March 31, 2026
UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Clings to Weekly Gain While FTSE 250 Sinks on War Fears
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UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Clings to Weekly Gain While FTSE 250 Sinks on War Fears

Britain’s FTSE 100 closed at 9,967.35 on Friday, down 0.05% for the day but up slightly for the week. The FTSE 250 fell 1.56% to 20,964.75, losing over 1.7% for the week as domestic stocks lagged. Retail sales dropped 0.4% in February, and consumer confidence hit an 11-month low. Brent crude settled above $112 a barrel as the Strait of Hormuz remained blocked.
March 28, 2026
NatWest Share Price Today: Stock Under Pressure After Mentor Sale and UK Growth Cut
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NatWest Share Price Today: Stock Under Pressure After Mentor Sale and UK Growth Cut

NatWest Group shares closed at 537 pence on Thursday, down from 543 pence, after the bank agreed to sell its Mentor HR advisory arm to Empowering People Group; terms were not disclosed. The FTSE 100 dropped 1.3% as the OECD cut the UK’s 2026 growth forecast to 0.7% and raised its inflation outlook to 4.0%. Capital Group Companies trimmed its NatWest stake just below the 5% disclosure threshold.
March 26, 2026
UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Turns Higher as Oil Tops $104, but Bellway and Weak UK Data Keep London Under Pressure
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UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Turns Higher as Oil Tops $104, but Bellway and Weak UK Data Keep London Under Pressure

Britain’s FTSE 100 rose 0.6% to 9,953.50 after hitting a three-month low earlier Tuesday, as Brent crude topped $104 a barrel. Bellway shares fell on a margin outlook cut, while S4 Capital surged and YouGov dropped on corporate updates. The FTSE 250 remained under pressure. Flash PMI data showed UK business activity slowed sharply in March.
March 24, 2026
Lloyds Banking Group plc Stock Price Today: Why Shares Are Sliding as BoE Hike Bets Build
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Lloyds Banking Group plc Stock Price Today: Why Shares Are Sliding as BoE Hike Bets Build

Lloyds Banking Group shares fell 1.0% to 91.84 pence in London on Friday, extending losses after the Bank of England signaled inflation could rise and rate hikes may come sooner. The FTSE 100 dropped 2.4% Thursday, with banks hit hardest. Lawmakers pressed Lloyds over a March 12 app glitch that exposed some customer transactions. Lloyds posted a 12% profit rise in January and announced a £1.75 billion buyback.
March 20, 2026
FTSE 100 today: UK shares end at record close on upbeat data, tariff ruling
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FTSE 100 today: UK shares end at record close on upbeat data, tariff ruling

The FTSE 100 closed up 59.85 points at 10,686.89 on Friday, topping its previous record, after strong UK retail sales and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that ended Trump-era tariffs. January retail sales volumes jumped 1.8% from December, the biggest monthly rise since May 2024. The pound hovered near a one-month low, while UK business activity edged higher but private-sector jobs fell for a 17th month.
February 20, 2026
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