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UK Economy News 21 December 2025 - 5 January 2026

Uber stock: UK ‘taxi tax’ contract rewrite puts VAT risk in focus ahead of Monday trade

Uber stock: UK ‘taxi tax’ contract rewrite puts VAT risk in focus ahead of Monday trade

NEW YORK, Jan 4, 2026, 20:40 ET — Market closed Uber Technologies Inc (UBER) shares are likely to be in focus when U.S. trading resumes on Monday after a report said the company rewrote driver contracts outside London to reduce exposure to Britain’s new VAT regime, which would have lifted the tax take on app-booked rides. The Economic Times said the changes shift VAT liability to drivers — many below the £90,000 VAT registration threshold — potentially blunting a Treasury revenue projection of about £700 million a year. The Economic Times Why it matters now: VAT (value-added tax) is a
5 January 2026
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Oil turmoil meets a FTSE 100 near 10,000: what to watch before UK stocks open Monday

Oil turmoil meets a FTSE 100 near 10,000: what to watch before UK stocks open Monday

LONDON, January 4, 2026, 14:39 ET — Market closed Oil is the first read for London equities at Monday’s Jan. 5 open after the United States seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and President Donald Trump said Washington would take control of the oil-producing nation. OPEC+ — the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia — said it would keep first-quarter output steady. “The political transition in Venezuela adds another major layer of uncertainty,” said Jorge Leon, head of geopolitical analysis at Rystad Energy.  Reuters That matters because the FTSE 100 is dominated by multinationals — including oil
4 January 2026
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Uber stock rises as UK ‘taxi tax’ kicks in; UBER investors eye February earnings

Uber stock rises as UK ‘taxi tax’ kicks in; UBER investors eye February earnings

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 20:11 ET — Market closed Uber Technologies Inc (UBER.N) shares finished Friday higher, up $1.13, or 1.4%, at $82.86. About 6.8 million shares changed hands in the session. The move lands as investors reset positions for the first full week of 2026, with macro data and policy headlines back in focus. For Uber, pricing and demand are particularly sensitive to shifts in taxes, regulation and consumer budgets. U.S. stocks ended mostly higher on Friday, with the Dow up 0.66% and the S&P 500 up 0.19%, snapping a four-day losing streak as chipmakers rallied; the Nasdaq
3 January 2026
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Uber stock rises as UK VAT ‘taxi tax’ takes effect; what investors watch next

Uber stock rises as UK VAT ‘taxi tax’ takes effect; what investors watch next

NEW YORK, Jan 2, 2026, 14:30 ET — Regular session Uber Technologies (UBER.N) shares were up 0.9% at $82.48 on Friday afternoon. The move came as investors tracked a UK tax change affecting ride-hailing economics and Uber’s contract rewrite for drivers outside London. The Guardian The timing matters because the UK’s value-added tax (VAT) — a sales tax — can quickly change what riders pay and what drivers earn. Those two levers often decide whether ride-hailing platforms can grow volumes without giving up margins. The Guardian Britain said on Friday that private-hire vehicle operators in London can no longer use
2 January 2026
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UK energy bills forecast to drop £138 in April 2026 after levy shake-up

UK energy bills forecast to drop £138 in April 2026 after levy shake-up

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 04:23 ET Britain’s household energy price cap is forecast to fall by about 8% in April, cutting the typical annual dual-fuel bill by £138 to around £1,620, consultancy Cornwall Insight said. https://www.cornwall-insight.com/press-and-media/press-release/price-cap-forecast-to-fall-8-in-april/ The forecast offers a potential spring reprieve after the cap for Jan. 1 through Mar. 31 took effect on Thursday, lifting the annualised bill for a typical household paying by direct debit to £1,758 from £1,755. The cap matters now because it sets the benchmark price for millions of households on “standard variable” deals as winter demand peaks. It limits the per-unit price
2 January 2026
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Uber stock ends 2025 lower as UK ‘taxi tax’ contract rewrite report surfaces

Uber stock ends 2025 lower as UK ‘taxi tax’ contract rewrite report surfaces

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 15:51 ET — Market closed. Uber Technologies’ shares last closed down 0.5% at $81.71 on Dec. 31, after a UK report said the company is rewriting contracts with drivers outside London to shift value-added tax liability ahead of a rule change due Friday. U.S. markets were closed on Thursday for the New Year’s Day holiday. LBC+1 The British rule change would add 20% VAT — a sales tax — to private-hire journeys in London booked through apps such as Uber and Bolt from Jan. 2, the London Standard reported. “The Government’s action today to change
1 January 2026
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Martin Lewis flags Premium Bonds trade-off as 4.5% UK savings rates stay on top

Martin Lewis flags Premium Bonds trade-off as 4.5% UK savings rates stay on top

NEW YORK, December 30, 2025, 02:07 ET MoneySavingExpert updated its savings best-buy list on December 29, showing easy-access accounts paying up to 4.5% and one-year fixed deals topping out at 4.46%, as UK banks compete for deposits. MoneySavingExpert.com That matters because Premium Bonds remain a popular place to park cash, but they pay out through a monthly prize draw rather than a guaranteed interest rate. For savers who want certainty, the gap between top bank rates and prize-based returns can be hard to ignore. NS&I’s prize checker shows the next Premium Bonds results are due on January 3, after the
30 December 2025
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UK Stock Market Preview for 26 December 2025: Boxing Day Closure, FTSE 100 Drivers, Sterling Moves, Oil Pressure and the BoE Outlook

UK Stock Market Preview for 26 December 2025: Boxing Day Closure, FTSE 100 Drivers, Sterling Moves, Oil Pressure and the BoE Outlook

London — 25 December 2025. UK investors heading into Friday, 26 December 2025 should start with one practical reality: there is no standard London cash equity session tomorrow. From there, attention shifts to what’s been moving the FTSE 100, the pound, commodities and rate expectations into year-end — and what could matter most when trading resumes. Is the UK stock market open on 26 December 2025? No. The London market is closed on Boxing Day (Friday, 26 December 2025). Several brokers and market schedules list 26 December as a UK market closure, with UK equities not trading in the usual
25 December 2025
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UK Stock Market Today (24 December 2025): FTSE 100 Slips in Christmas Eve Trade as BP’s Castrol Sale and SolGold Takeover Lead Headlines

UK Stock Market Today (24 December 2025): FTSE 100 Slips in Christmas Eve Trade as BP’s Castrol Sale and SolGold Takeover Lead Headlines

LONDON — UK shares ended Christmas Eve in the red after a holiday-shortened session defined by thin volumes, modest profit-taking and deal-driven stock moves. The FTSE 100 closed down 0.19% at 9,870.68, while the FTSE 250fell 0.16% to 22,314.50, as traders largely stepped back ahead of the two-day UK market closure for Christmas and Boxing Day. (investments.lloydsbank.com) With the London Stock Exchange operating an early close and much of Europe also running on reduced hours (or shut), the day’s action was less about macro shocks and more about specific corporate catalysts—most notably BP’s landmark Castrol divestment, and SolGold’s agreed takeover—alongside positioning into year-end after a standout 2025 for UK
25 December 2025
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UK Stock Market Today (24 December 2025): FTSE 100 Ends Flat in Christmas Eve Half‑Day as BP’s Castrol Sale, Strong Sterling and Record Metals Shape the Mood

UK Stock Market Today (24 December 2025): FTSE 100 Ends Flat in Christmas Eve Half‑Day as BP’s Castrol Sale, Strong Sterling and Record Metals Shape the Mood

London’s stock market wrapped up Christmas Eve trading with a familiar holiday feel: thin volumes, narrow moves, and a heavy focus on a handful of big headlines. The FTSE 100 finished virtually unchanged in the shortened session, while investors digested a blockbuster BP asset sale, a firmer pound, and another surge in precious metals that has become one of 2025’s defining cross‑asset trends. Investing.com UK+2The Guardian+2 The London Stock Exchange runs a half‑day on Christmas Eve, with the market’s closing process commencing from 12:30pm London time, before the holiday shutdown. London Stock Exchange+1 UK Market Close: FTSE 100 Barely Moves
24 December 2025
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UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Braces for a Softer Open as UK GDP Holds at 0.1% and Commodities Hit Fresh Records (22 December 2025)

UK Stock Market Today: FTSE 100 Braces for a Softer Open as UK GDP Holds at 0.1% and Commodities Hit Fresh Records (22 December 2025)

London’s equity market heads into the Christmas week with a very different feel from the one investors have grown used to in recent years: the FTSE 100 is sitting close to record territory after a powerful 2025, but the domestic economic backdrop is deteriorating, and liquidity is thinning fast as the holiday break approaches. Reuters+1 Early indications on Monday, 22 December 2025, point to a cautious start for UK stocks. FTSE 100 futures were signalling a modest dip (around -0.2%), as traders balance a late-year “Santa” mood in global risk assets against downbeat UK surveys and fresh economic data that
22 December 2025
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FTSE 100 Week Ahead: Holiday-Shortened UK Trading, GDP Revisions and a FTSE Index Shake-Up as London Shares Eye 10,000

FTSE 100 Week Ahead: Holiday-Shortened UK Trading, GDP Revisions and a FTSE Index Shake-Up as London Shares Eye 10,000

London’s stock market heads into Christmas week with a tailwind — and a warning label. The FTSE 100 finished Friday at roughly 9,897, within touching distance of its November record around 9,930, as a late-December “Santa rally” narrative gathered pace despite fresh evidence of a UK slowdown. The Guardian+2Reuters+2 Now the focus turns to a compressed three-session week (Monday to Wednesday), thin liquidity, and a heavy dose of UK macro revisions — including quarterly GDP updates and business investment — all landing just as passive funds implement December’s FTSE index reshuffle. Here’s what matters for UK stocks in the week ahead
21 December 2025
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Stock Market Today

Seagate (STX) stock jumps nearly 6% as Citi hikes target — what to watch next week

Seagate (STX) stock jumps nearly 6% as Citi hikes target — what to watch next week

7 February 2026
Seagate shares rose 5.9% to $429.32 Friday after Citigroup raised its price target to $480 and reiterated a buy rating. The gain ended a two-day slide but left the stock 6.6% below its Feb. 3 high. CEO Dave Mosley sold 20,000 shares on Feb. 2 under a pre-arranged plan, SEC filings show. U.S. jobs and inflation data next week are seen as key tests for tech stocks.
Cummins (CMI) stock price rebounds after earnings whipsaw as investors eye data-center power demand

Cummins (CMI) stock price rebounds after earnings whipsaw as investors eye data-center power demand

7 February 2026
Cummins shares jumped 6.8% to $577.73 Friday, recovering from a nearly 9% post-earnings drop the day before. The company reported Q4 revenue up 1% to $8.54 billion, took a $218 million charge tied to its hydrogen business, and guided for 2026 EBITDA of 17–18% of sales. Demand for data center generators offset weakness in North American truck markets. Analyst reaction was mixed; Truist raised its price target.
Corning stock hits first record close since 2000 as jobs, CPI data loom

Corning stock hits first record close since 2000 as jobs, CPI data loom

7 February 2026
Corning shares surged 8.3% to $122.16 Friday, their highest close since the dot-com era, after Meta agreed to buy up to $6 billion in fiber-optic cables. The stock is up 40% since late 2025, fueled by strong first-quarter guidance and AI data-center demand. Insiders sold shares following the rally, SEC filings show. Investors await next week’s U.S. jobs and inflation data for rate signals.
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