Watson's Daily

Friday 19/06/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Iran wants Hormuz tolls, Hegseth announces a review, the Bank of England keeps rates unchanged and Burnham wins. In TECH NEWS, SpaceX looks for even more money and warns on EU satellite plans, JP Morgan Chase…

Thursday 18/06/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the US and Iran sign a deal, the Fed keeps rates unchanged, UK inflation stays steady and Makerfield happens today. In TECH NEWS, Amodei urges G7 leaders to be united, SpaceX's Cursor acquisition could be a…

Wednesday 17/06/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Iran claims victory, oil goes below $80 and renewables get a boost. In TECH NEWS, the Anthropic debacle gets discussed, France's spy agency replaces Palantir, SpaceX is now bigger than Amazon and buys Cursor while Snap…

Tuesday 16/06/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, an Iran/US deal is reached, markets expect US interest rate rises, Venezuelans go off Trump, the UK economy contracts, Starmer looks ready to backtrack on EV targets and announce an "Australia plus" ban on social media…

Monday 15/06/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, an Iran/US deal is reached, markets expect US interest rate rises, Venezuelans go off Trump, the UK economy contracts, Starmer looks ready to backtrack on EV targets and announce an "Australia plus" ban on social media…

Friday 12/06/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Trump claims to be close to a deal with Iran, Yellen warns over US debt, the ECB raises interest rates, Starmer faces more issues, gold hits a low and industrial metals prices stay strong. In TECH…

Thursday 11/06/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the US attacks Iran again, Trump says "I love the inflation" and threatens not to renew the trade deal with Canada and Mexico, China orders less oil and US tech stocks fall. In MANUFACTURING NEWS, Lockheed…

Wednesday 10/06/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the US launches strikes on Iran, the NASDAQ loses ground, China factory gate prices rise, Reeves moots the possibility of tax rises to fund defence spending and Starmer gets feisty. In M&A NEWS, GSK announces a…

Tuesday 09/06/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Israel and Iran stop counterstrikes, Berlin ditches the Franco-German fighter jet project, Switzerland weighs up a Franco-Italian tie-up, the Pentagon put Alibaba, Baidu and BYD back on the blacklist, Trump's $100k visa fee is blocked and…

Monday 08/06/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Israel attacks Iran and oil prices rise, Trump pressures Warsh and ministers are told to cut budgets to boost defence spending but the national debt is huge. In INVESTMENT & BUSINESS TRENDS, it looks like we…

Friday 05/06/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Hizbollah rejects the ceasefire, the US plans to cut commitment to NATO, we look at why the Gulf states and Ukraine need each other, Burnham confirms his intention to replace Starmer and Bitcoin drops. In RETAILER…

Thursday 04/06/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Israel and Lebanon agree to a ceasefire, Putin relies on India, Bessent dismisses inflation as a blip, Trump tries tariffs again, the UK government puts money in the pot for Universal Studios, Gulf states talk oil…

Wednesday 03/06/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, tetchiness rages between the US and Iran, buoyant US markets mask what's underneath, gold becomes the world's top reserve asset, UK government borrowing is higher than expected and MPs don't want Palantir. In IPO NEWS, Chinese…

Tuesday 02/06/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, we see the latest Trump war negotiation claims, he drops his "anti-weaponization" fund, Frederiksen gets a third term and the new Hungarian PM does some spring cleaning. In BUSINESS & EMPLOYMENT TRENDS, the OECD concludes that…

Monday 01/06/26

In BUSINESS & EMPLOYMENT TRENDS, robotaxis continue to spread across the US, Accenture UK's boss says that most businesses haven't yet profited from AI, hospitality bosses blame higher taxes for the youth jobs crisis and Bain, BCG and Alvarez say…

Friday 29/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Netanyahu orders troops to take control of 70% of Gaza, Washington is supposedly nearing a ceasefire deal and Chevron's CEO warns of oil price rises to come. In TECH NEWS, we see how the AI boom…

Thursday 28/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the US strikes Iran, oil prices rise and a global recession is on the cards. In CONSUMER & RETAIL NEWS, UK consumers face higher prices, Lidl overtakes Morrisons, Waitrose steps up its game and Modella Capital…

Wednesday 27/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, back-channel Iran talks continue, Trump wins again, the UK imposes sanctions on a crypto exchange and BP kicks out its chair. In EMPLOYMENT NEWS, Samsung workers negotiate a massive bonus, ByteDance does its best to stop…

Tuesday 26/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, we see the latest on the war, the ongoing energy shock and Reeves' appeal to "buy British". In UK EMPLOYMENT NEWS, long-term unemployment hits a ten-year high, workers hang on to jobs, UK universities reduce headcount…

Friday 22/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Russia suffers, Erdoğan tightens his grip, Saudi Arabia reins in superfluous investment, the UK government gives and takes and Trump postpones an AI order. In BUSINESS & CONSUMER TRENDS, UK business activity drops, Investec makes a…

Thursday 21/05/26

In IN BIG PICTURE NEWS, the oil price falls, India's Modi has to let the Iran impact filter through, UK inflation slows, Reeves abandons supermarket price caps but promises free bus rides, Starmer ditches the fuel duty increase and eases…

Wednesday 20/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the Xi-Putin summit kicks off, the Trumps get immunity and eliminate critics, the US cuts troop numbers in Europe, other countries get inspired by Iran, Reform chooses a candidate to fight Burnham and Shell urges Labour…

Tuesday 19/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the US eases Russian oil sanctions, Xi prepares to meet Putin and the UK leadership debacle continues. In M&A NEWS, NextEra is to buy Dominion Energy in a whopping $67bn deal, Anglo American strikes a $3.9bn…

Monday 18/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, China's industrial production slows, Gulf freight rates rise, Xi and Trump make some progress, the UK nears a trade deal with Gulf states, the UK leadership battle hots up, a full-blown energy crisis approaches and Spain…

Friday 15/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Washington hosts Lebanon/Israel talks, Warsh gets the Fed job, US markets remain impervious and Japan's markets benefit, China's fuel exports fail to rebound, the UK economy has an unexpected bounce and Starmer faces a Burnham-shaped leadership…

Thursday 14/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Starmer faces more challenges, the King's Speech set out the government's roadmap, Farage faces an enquiry and we await the outcome of the Xi/Trump summit. In CONSUMER & EMPLOYMENT-RELATED NEWS, restaurant businesses try to adapt to…

Wednesday 13/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Iran expands the scope of the war, Russia buts growth forecasts, Starmer survives (for now) and US inflation jumps. In CAR-RELATED NEWS, Stellantis and Ford adapt, Panasonic's battery business gets a Tesla boost and Tesla invests…

Tuesday 12/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, there's nothing doing in the war, an FCC Commissioner identifies a witch hunt, Starmer tries to cling on, UK borrowing costs rise, Ramaphosa fights impeachment, coal shipments jump and Saudi Aramco warns about fuel stocks. In…

Monday 11/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Iran responds badly, Trump hands China a big opportunity, LNG could be Trump's next anti-Europe weapon, Starmer fights for his life and Saudi Aramco profits boom. In CONSUMER & EMPLOYMENT NEWS, consumers face tougher times, off-plan…

Friday 08/05/26

In IN BIG PICTURE NEWS, the war rumbles on, Trump's 10% global tariff is ruled illegal, Wall Street's rebound comes courtesy of a few major winners, Labour loses out big time, climate campaigners slam Shell and BP plans to further…

Thursday 07/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, déjà vu kicks in on the war and the consequences continue. In TECH & MEDIA NEWS, Samsung hits $1tn, Arm forecasts big sales, DeepSeek approach a $45bn valuation, SpaceX rents capacity to Anthropic and Disney sees…

Wednesday 06/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, "Project Freedom" hits a bump, Modi returns to dominance, the UK's long-term borrowing costs reach a high, oil reserves plunge and Norway plans to reopen three gasfields. In AUTOMOTIVE NEWS, UK EV sales boom, Nissan moves…

Tuesday 05/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, we consider the latest war developments and impact, China builds soft power, Putin tightens his security, Starmer remains defiant and the Trump crypto venture fights back. In BUSINESS & CONSUMER TRENDS, UK goods exports haven't recovered,…

Friday 01/05/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, we see the latest war developments and consequences, US GDP bounces back and stocks hit record highs, Trump drops scotch tariffs, the ECB and BoE keep rates unchanged and oil companies are having another look at…

Thursday 30/04/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, oil surges again, the Fed leaves rates unchanged, Trump's golden visa fails to excite and there are rumours of a cabinet reshuffle. In TECH NEWS, Big Tech spending plans keep growing and Google expresses pride about…

Wednesday 29/04/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the UAE leaves OPEC, more winners and losers from the war emerge, Trump fights back, Germany accelerates defence spending, Starmer bats away a Mandelson probe, Reeves talks rents and Abu Dhabi is to make big investments…

Tuesday 28/04/26

In IN BIG PICTURE NEWS, Charles does America, Merz criticises Trump, central banks look poised to do nothing, Canada launches a sovereign wealth fund, global oil stockpiles get depleted and Shell does a big deal. In TECH NEWS, China blocks…

Monday 27/04/26

In IN BIG PICTURE NEWS, the Iran war continues to reverberate, another person takes a pop at Trump and the UK government faces tricky times. In BUSINESS TRENDS, UK high streets rebound and more hospitality venues close. In MISCELLANEOUS NEWS,…

Friday 24/04/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the UK's public sector borrowing climbed in March, business activity increased, prediction markets create a kerfuffle, BP gets push-back and there's more to oil prices. In EMPLOYMENT NEWS, Meta, Microsoft, Nike and KPMG all announce job…

Thursday 23/04/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the war drags on, Russia's facing a banking crisis, Putin moves to shut down a major pipeline to Germany and the EU rethinks drilling in the Arctic. In BUSINESS & CONSUMER TRENDS, UK firms keep going…

Wednesday 22/04/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, we see the latest developments and fallout from the war, Kevin Warsh promises not to be a sock puppet, Starmer's authority continues to weaken and UK unemployment falls unexpectedly. In AUTOMOTIVE NEWS, China looks at spreading…

Tuesday 21/04/26

In IN BIG PICTURE NEWS, oil jumps and markets fall back, US refiners benefit from the war, China sends warships to the Pacific, Japan OKs ban on weapons exports, South Korea's in a pickle, Maga's war chest builds, Trump's Labour…

Monday 20/04/26

In IN BIG PICTURE NEWS, the war drags on, economists say the UK will "flirt" with recession, there's a push to get EU deals in steel and EVs, Starmer can't shake off the Mandelson problem and banks meet with Reeves…

Friday 17/04/26

In IN BIG PICTURE NEWS, Trump dishes out the threats again, NHS drug shortages loom, China's Q1 GDP grows pace accelerates, the UK government is still under pressure and the silver market looks poised. In BUSINESS TRENDS & EMPLOYMENT NEWS,…

Thursday 16/04/26

In IN BIG PICTURE NEWS, Trump dishes out the threats again, NHS drug shortages loom, China's Q1 GDP grows pace accelerates, the UK government is still under pressure and the silver market looks poised. In BUSINESS TRENDS & EMPLOYMENT NEWS,…

Wednesday 15/04/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, we see the latest war developments and repercussions while BP reorganises for the future. In CONSUMER NEWS, we look at spending changes and olive oil accusations. In TECH NEWS, Amazon ups the ante with SpaceX and…

Tuesday 14/04/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, the war continues, Trump has a bad day, Carney consolidates, China's exports slow down and we consider the implications of regime change in Hungary. In TECH NEWS, Anthropic really creates a stir, Bain & Co gets…

Monday 13/04/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Hungary gets a new leader, Iran peace talks fail and Brexiters turn one-by-one on Trump. In CONSUMER NEWS, we see the impact of the war on the majority and the minority. In FINANCIALS NEWS, optimism among…

Friday 10/04/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, Lebanon suffers hell, the Strait stays shut and North Sea oil prices hit a high. In TECH NEWS, Bessent brings in bank CEOs to talk cybersecurity, OpenAI suspends the Stargate UK datacentre project, Khan pressures social…

Thursday 09/04/26

In IN BIG PICTURE NEWS, the US and Iran talk but industries react while the move splits opinion. In CONSUMER-RELATED NEWS, Constellation Brands suffers a revenue slide, petrol prices won't get back to normal for a while and UK house…

Wednesday 08/04/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, there's a ceasefire but the impact from the Iran war persists while Trump backs Orbán and Vietnam swears in its most powerful leader. In BUSINESS TRENDS, carmakers increasingly eye a defence pivot, EV sales hit a…

Tuesday 07/04/26

In IN BIG PICTURE NEWS, Trump threatens, Iran keeps attacking, Ukraine's drones limit Russia's oil windfall and we consider Britain's defences. In BUSINESS & INVESTMENT TRENDS, SMEs are to suffer the brunt of energy cost rises, new Rayner laws kick…

Thursday 02/04/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, we see Trump's latest outbursts on the war, Hormuz as inspiration for China and prospects for gold. In UK CONSUMER NEWS, there are tough times ahead for mortgages and food prices. In TECH NEWS, Intel buys…

Wednesday 01/04/26

In BIG PICTURE NEWS, we consider the latest war developments and impact, Trump's domestic woes, Italy's decision to carry on with coal and the dire state of investment in the UK economy by British companies. In M&A AND FUND-RAISING NEWS,…