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UK Economy News 30 December 2025 - 8 January 2026

Fresh Lloyds, Barclays and NatWest price targets hint at more upside for UK bank sharesLONDON,

Fresh Lloyds, Barclays and NatWest price targets hint at more upside for UK bank sharesLONDON,

Jefferies raised price targets for Lloyds to 119p, Barclays to 560p, and NatWest to 720p, citing room for UK bank shares to rerate despite a strong 2025. Lloyds traded near 99.6p, Barclays at 481p, and NatWest at 629p on Thursday. Barclays kept Lloyds “overweight” but cut NatWest to “equal weight,” citing diverging capital and earnings outlooks.
8 January 2026
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FTSE 100 Forecast 2026: UK Stock Market Pulls Back From Records as Oil Slides

FTSE 100 Forecast 2026: UK Stock Market Pulls Back From Records as Oil Slides

The FTSE 100 fell 0.7% to 10,054.34 by 1052 GMT, led lower by BP and miners after recent record highs. Oil prices dropped as the U.S. announced a $2 billion Venezuelan crude deal, with Shell down 2.4% and BP off 3.1%. UK construction PMI slumped to 40.1 in December. Auction Technology rejected 11 takeover bids from FitzWalter Capital, the first such move for a UK-listed firm this year.
7 January 2026
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National Grid shares edge higher as UK utility nears 52-week high ahead of Jan 13 dividend

National Grid shares edge higher as UK utility nears 52-week high ahead of Jan 13 dividend

National Grid shares rose 0.5% to 1,178 pence in early London trade Wednesday, extending gains after Tuesday’s rally. The company will pay an interim dividend of 16.35p per share on Jan. 13, with full-year results due May 14. Trading volume Tuesday was 6.7 million shares, below the 50-day average. Ofgem approved £28 billion in network investment last month, set to raise consumer bills by £108 by 2031.
7 January 2026
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SSE shares edge up in London after SSEN flags January flexibility auction

SSE shares edge up in London after SSEN flags January flexibility auction

SSE Plc shares rose 0.7% to 2,271 pence in London by 1007 GMT, following news that its SSEN Distribution unit will launch a long-term flexibility auction on Jan. 12, seeking 46 megawatts. The stock traded between 2,249 and 2,277 pence. Investors are watching grid upgrades and regulatory developments as Britain’s electricity networks expand. SSE’s interim dividend is due Jan. 30.
6 January 2026
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Experian (EXPN.L) stock slips after Ascend upgrade adds UK business data — here’s what investors watch next

Experian (EXPN.L) stock slips after Ascend upgrade adds UK business data — here’s what investors watch next

Experian shares fell 0.7% to 3,403 pence in early London trading Tuesday, reversing part of Monday’s 2.9% rally. The move follows the UK launch of an upgraded Ascend platform with commercial data on eight million businesses. Shares go ex-dividend Jan. 8, with a Q3 trading update due Jan. 21. The stock remains about 16% below its July high.
6 January 2026
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Lloyds Banking Group share price rises to 1-year high as mortgage cuts and BoE data sharpen results focus

Lloyds Banking Group share price rises to 1-year high as mortgage cuts and BoE data sharpen results focus

Lloyds shares rose 1.6% to 101.51p in early London trading, hitting a 52-week high. Bank of England data showed consumer borrowing jumped £2.08 billion in November, while mortgage approvals slipped to 64,530. HSBC cut mortgage rates Monday, raising talk of a price war. Investors await Lloyds’ Jan. 29 results for signals on mortgage margins and loan growth.
6 January 2026
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Claire’s and TOFS teeter on administration as UK high street faces fresh jobs shock

Claire’s and TOFS teeter on administration as UK high street faces fresh jobs shock

London, January 5, 2026, 17:53 GMT Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) are close to filing notices of intention to appoint administrators, a step that would shield the retailers from creditor action while they pursue a rescue, Sky News reported on Monday. ( source) The chains employ about 2,500 people and trade from just over 300 stores, the report said. The filings would come just after the Christmas trading period, when UK retailers typically make a large share of annual profit. The timing matters because it lands at the start of the year, as large retailers prepare to disclose
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

Uber rewrote UK driver contracts outside London to limit exposure to new VAT rules, shifting tax liability to drivers, The Economic Times reported. Shares closed Friday at $82.86, up 1.4%, but remain below key moving averages near $88. Investors are watching for fallout in UK pricing and upcoming U.S. economic data. Uber’s next earnings report is scheduled for Feb. 4.
5 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

Uber shares rose 0.9% to $82.48 Friday after Britain barred London private-hire firms from using a VAT scheme, a move expected to raise £700 million annually. Uber rewrote contracts outside London to shift VAT responsibility to drivers, most of whom fall below the registration threshold, the Guardian reported. Lyft gained 1.6% and DoorDash slipped 1.5% in U.S. trading.
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

Cornwall Insight forecasts the UK energy price cap will drop 8% in April, lowering a typical annual dual-fuel bill to about £1,620. Ofgem’s cap for Jan.–Mar. rose 0.2% to £1,758, driven by higher policy and supplier costs. The April cut is linked to budget changes moving some levies to general taxation. Wholesale prices have eased, but some network charges are still set to rise.
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

Uber shares closed down 0.5% at $81.71 on Dec. 31 after reports said the company is rewriting UK driver contracts outside London to shift VAT liability ahead of a rule change due Friday. The new rule will add 20% VAT to London app-booked rides. U.S. markets were closed Thursday for New Year’s. Investors are watching for UK regulatory response and Uber’s pricing moves when trading resumes.
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

MoneySavingExpert’s December 29 update lists easy-access savings rates up to 4.5% and one-year fixed deals at 4.46%. NS&I says Premium Bonds offer a 3.60% annual prize fund rate with 22,000-to-1 monthly odds per £1 bond. Martin Lewis advises most savers will earn more from guaranteed interest unless tax is a factor. The next Premium Bonds prize draw is set for January 2.
30 December 2025
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Stock Market Today

Zhongji Innolight stock slides nearly 4% into China’s Monday open — what traders watch next

Zhongji Innolight stock slides nearly 4% into China’s Monday open — what traders watch next

8 February 2026
Shanghai, Feb 8, 2026, 08:33 GMT+8 — Market closed. Zhongji Innolight Co Ltd (300308.SZ), a maker of optical communication transceiver modules used in cloud data centres and 5G networks, ended Friday down 3.9% at 540.01 yuan. The Shenzhen-listed stock will be back in focus when China’s A-share market reopens on Monday. (Reuters) Why this matters now: Zhongji has become a lightning rod for China’s “AI infrastructure” trade, with local media pointing to its crowded fund positioning. The same report said the wider optical-module segment has been under pressure as U.S. tech shares swing and expectations for AI-driven data-centre demand keep
AMD stock bounces 8% after brutal midweek slide — what investors watch before Monday

AMD stock bounces 8% after brutal midweek slide — what investors watch before Monday

8 February 2026
AMD shares jumped 8.28% to $208.44 Friday, rebounding after steep losses earlier in the week. Chip stocks rallied as investors bet on continued AI data center spending by major tech firms. Nvidia rose 7.8%, Broadcom gained 7.1%, and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index closed up 5.7%. Markets now await macroeconomic data and Nvidia’s late-February results.
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