Commentary
Disinflation is a greater force right now than inflation
Investors, consumers and policymakers may justifiably fear the specter of tariff-fueled inflation later this year and beyond, but it's powerful global disinflationary forces that are weighing most heavily right now.
Five charts on key US electricity and power generation trends
U.S. power producers have lifted output from both fossil fuels and clean energy sources to new highs so far in 2025, on the back of steadily rising energy demand from data centers, businesses and households.
Asia could outstrip Europe as key beneficiary of U.S. capital flight
As global investors consider reducing their exposure to U.S. financial assets, the key question is where money flowing out of the U.S. will go. While Europe may be the obvious destination, relative value metrics may favour emerging Asia.
Foreign exposure to US assets may be lower than feared
It is widely believed that investors around the world have a disproportionately high exposure to U.S. assets, particularly stocks, an imbalance that could roil U.S. markets if corrected. But what if these fears are overblown?
Rio Tinto bets lithium will retain its battery metal crown
It's a tough time to be a lithium producer as the light metal sinks under the weight of excess supply.
BP needs to scrap its Big Oil mentality, and its buybacks
BP has jumped from crisis to crisis in recent years, severely eroding the British firm's stature as one of the world's leading oil companies. Given the increasingly challenging dynamics in today's oil market, BP may finally need to accept that it is no longer a true oil major and can't keep managing cash like one.
Eastern Europe's stealthy surge in solar generation
Eastern Europe is often overlooked in discussions about solar power generation in Europe, where the likes of Germany and Spain dominate the growth in deployed solar electricity production.
India's iron ore imports to trend higher, but it's no China
The rise of India's steel sector is touted as a boost for iron ore miners seeking to find new markets as China's output eases, but the reality is likely to fall short of the hype.
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Telegraph
35 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Boss of London ad champion quits after losing crown to French rival
The boss of WPP is to step down months after the British advertising behemoth lost its crown to a French rival. Mark Read will leave after more than three decades at WPP, including seven years as chief executive. He will continue in the role until the end of the year while the board searches for his successor. Mr Read's departure, though long-expected in the industry, comes at a turbulent time for WPP. The London-based group, which employs around 110,000 people worldwide, last year lost its title as the world's largest ad company by revenues to French rival Publicis. Meanwhile, its two other largest rivals – Omnicom and Interpublic – have agreed to merge in a $30bn (£22bn) deal that will further erode WPP's dominance. The British company is also grappling with industry-wide turmoil sparked by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), which threatens to upend the work of ad agencies. This has compounded the challenge posed by tech giant such as Google and Meta, which have grown their share of the advertising market in a direct threat to traditional holding groups. Mr Read's tenure has been dominated by efforts to simplify WPP, which had ballooned into a sprawling network of companies under his predecessor Sir Martin Sorrell, who left the company he founded following allegations of misconduct, which he has always denied. As chief executive, Mr Read oversaw the merging of a number of agencies while selling off some non-core businesses, including the £2.5bn sale of a 60pc stake in market research group Kantar. More recently, the ad boss has also vowed to invest heavily in AI, pumping £300m into the technology this year and investing in generative AI startup Stability AI. Declining shareholder value However, WPP's growth has ground to a halt in recent years and the company's share price has more than halved during Mr Read's tenure, pushing its market value below £6bn. Shares fell a further 2pc after his departure was announced. Alex DeGroote, a media analyst, said: 'The company is much simpler today than it was when he came on board as chief executive.' But he added: 'There's just a feeling of the company having lost a lot of ground to the likes of Publicis, so I can't honestly say that he will be remembered as having delivered immense shareholder value.' Mr Read's future has been in doubt since Philip Jansen, the former BT boss, was appointed as WPP chairman at the beginning of the year. Mr Jansen said Mr Read had 'played a central role in transforming the company into a world leader in modern marketing services'. Mr Read said: 'After seven years in the role, and with the foundations in place for WPP's continued success, I feel it is the right time to hand over the leadership of this amazing company. 'I am excited to explore the next chapter in my life and can only thank all the brilliant people I have been lucky enough to work with over the last 30 years, and who have made possible the enormous progress we have achieved together.'
The Sun
35 minutes ago
- The Sun
Fury over Angela Rayner's push for new workers' rights law as firms warn ‘final nail in the coffin' for small businesses
LABOUR'S push to expand union rights will be the "nail in the coffin" for small businesses, entrepreneurs warned today. Firms slammed Deputy PM Angela Rayner's proposed workers' rights law as 'one of the most damaging proposals ever aimed" at the sector. Under 'pernicious' new rules, union chiefs would be given a legal right to enter any workplace, such as a bakery or hair salon, to recruit and organise. Access to small and medium businesses would be enforceable even against an employer's will, and bosses could be threatened with fines. Meanwhile, the 40 per cent vote threshold for union recognition could be slashed to just 2 per cent of staff. Furious entrepreneurs blasted the workers' rights proposals as completely stacking power against the modest employer. They demanded an exemption for small and medium sized firms, who employ 61 per cent of the private sector workforce. John Longworth, Chair of the Independent Business Network, said: 'The automatic right of access for unions to invade SMEs is one of the most pernicious aspects of the Employment Rights Bill. 'This is all about union power and union income. 'It's likely to lead to business closures and higher unemployment.' Roger Walters, Founder of Supercity Aparthotels, said: 'This Bill is just another pop at capitalism. 'If it's not defeated, Great Britain will become another Russia or North Korea.' John Elliott, Founder of EBAC Dehumidifiers, added: 'This is bad . 'We all agree employees should have rights, but we need to explain to the public that employers have rights too. 'It should be an equal relationship.'
The Sun
35 minutes ago
- The Sun
Crystal Palace's European D-Day revealed with Eagles facing anxious wait to find out if they'll be booted out or not
CRYSTAL PALACE are expected to be left in limbo over their European fate until June 27. The Eagles sealed a place in the Europa League group stages for the first time in their history by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final. 1 But complications around John Textor's stake in both Palace and French club Lyon have resulted in the South Londoners' spot being in doubt. There was hope at Selhurst Park that a quick resolution would be found, but Uefa's Club Financial Control Body is not expected to announce their decision until the end of this month. Uefa rules on multi-club ownership prevent any two clubs controlled by the same person or group from competing in the same competition. Both Palace and Lyon have qualified for next year's Europa League, but the Ligue 1 side would have precedence as they finished higher in their domestic league. Textor is the majority owner of Lyon and Palace's largest shareholder at 43 per cent. The American could have placed his Eagles shares into a blind trust, as many other owners have done to avoid this outcome, though the deadline to do so was March 1. Palace have already met with Uefa in Switzerland arguing that Textor has no controlling influence at Crystal Palace. While he is the largest shareholder, the billionaire has an equal 25 per cent voting right and has complained about a lack of control and influence in the past. Senior figures at the club are therefore confident that they will be able to find an agreement with Uefa which will see them take part in the Europa League next season. A resolution could come sooner should Textor simply sell his shares. The 59-year-old has been looking to sell his stake in Palace for some time now following a breakdown in relations with chairman Steve Parish. Textor, who tried to buy Everton last year, is now thought to be open to selling his shares to fellow American investors David Blitzer and Joshua Harris. Any deal would be difficult to complete in such a short timeframe, though it would immediately put an end to any concerns over breaching Uefa rules. Were the CFBC to find against Palace, Forest would move up into their Europa League spot from the Conference League while Brighton would find themselves in Europe.
