Budget-related speculation at minimum this year, according to Lloyds Business Barometer

Business confidence has climbed to its highest level since March, as resilient consumers brush aside the impact of the Iran conflict and with less Budget. speculation that in recent years.

The Lloyds Business Barometer revealed confidence amongst British firms rose four points in August to 53 per cent, the strongest reading since hostilities broke out in the Middle East and above the 12-month average.

Optimism regarding the broader economy also surged to 49 per cent, a notable increase of seven points. Some 64 per cent of bosses surveyed by the lender reported feeling upbeat about the state of the UK, while those expressing pessimism fell to 15 per cent.

“Businesses are reporting stronger customer demand, greater optimism about the wider economy and growing confidence in their own trading outlook,” said Amanda Murphy, chief executive of Lloyds’ commercial arm, as reported by City AM.

“While businesses continue to operate in a challenging environment, easing cost pressures and fewer firms expecting to raise prices in the coming year should allow them to focus less on managing headwinds and more on pursuing growth.”

The surge in confidence comes despite Donald Trump’s campaign in Iran entering its sixth month. The Strait of Hormuz – a critical shipping corridor for the oil and gas trade – has remained closed to the majority of petrochemical exports throughout the conflict, driving up energy prices and strangling the supply of other essential commodities such as fertiliser.

Researchers credited stronger confidence levels to buoyant consumer demand, which has remained resilient despite elevated energy prices and the looming threat of a renewed surge in inflation. On Wednesday, regulator Ofgem confirmed that household energy bills will climb by as much as four per cent from October, reaching their highest level in three years.

Meanwhile, Brent crude has risen by more than 40 per cent since the start of the year.

Price rises have been particularly sharp in refined oil products such as diesel and kerosene – used as jet fuel – the cost of which virtually doubled overnight following Donald Trump’s first strike on Iran.

According to the barometer, companies’ trading outlook rose two points to a three-month high of 58 per cent, with two thirds of firms anticipating an increase in output over the coming year. The proportion of businesses expecting to raise prices in the next 12 months also fell by three per cent to just over half.

Business confidence has been strengthening across several closely monitored surveys, marking a departure from previous summers when widespread Budget speculation eroded fragile private sector morale and dampened investment.

New Chancellor John Healey has up to now chosen to keep a tight lid on speculation regarding which taxes may increase at his first fiscal event in October, despite the broader financial picture pointing strongly towards a higher overall tax burden.

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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

The social media platform X announced that it performed a probe regarding “suspected Chinese inauthentic accounts” participating in influence efforts, uncovering a bot farm of around 200,000 accounts, of which 200 accounts were posting in a way that could distort true debate regarding U.S. artificial intelligence and energy policy.

“The X Safety team conducted an investigation into suspected Chinese inauthentic accounts involved in influence operations: We identified a bot farm of approximately 200,000 accounts. Within this farm, we found 200 accounts posting in a manner that could manipulate a legitimate debate about American AI and energy policy,” the post on the X Global Government Affairs account noted.

“These posts contained claims that AI data centers are driving up household electricity prices and straining the grid. Others included AI-generated cartoons that depicted data-center operators enriching themselves at the public’s expense,” the post continued.

NEW YORK BECOMES FIRST STATE TO FREEZE NEW AI DATA CENTERS IN MOVE CRITICS WARN COULD DRIVE AWAY JOBS

The popular social media platform X announced that it conducted a probe regarding “suspected Chinese inauthentic accounts” participating in influence efforts. (Getty Images / Getty Images)

“We remain committed to maintaining an open and authentic platform where people debate topics of public interest. We take seriously any attempts to undermine the integrity of the global town square and suspend accounts that violate our Authenticity policy,” the notice concluded.

The post featured several screenshots of examples of relevant posts. One showed a post depicting what appeared to be an anti-data center comic strip titled, “DATA CENTERS GET SUBSIDIZED WHILE WE FOOT THE BILL!” A message at the bottom read, “ELECTRICITY RATEPAYERS GET STUCK WITH THE COST!”

OPENAI, 100+ COMPANIES WARN OF COMING SURGE IN AI-POWERED CYBERATTACKS, CALL FOR GLOBAL DEFENSE PUSH

A person holds signs during a nationwide protest against AI data center expansion outside Peace Hall in New Port Richey, Fla., on July 18, 2026.  (Thomas Simonetti / AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Data centers have been a topic of debate within the U.S. amid concerns regarding environmental impacts and energy costs in local communities.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote in a post on X last week, “The concerns by citizens from across the political spectrum re: hyperscale data centers are rooted in distrust of these Big Tech titans and their designs on expanding tech power over the citizenry. It’s not just — or even mainly — about concerns about water and power usage.”

But some, including President Donald Trump, want to ensure that China does not outpace the U.S. in AI-related advancements.

TRUMP SAYS ANY GOVERNOR OR MAYOR SHOULD WANT TO WELCOME AN AI DATA CENTER

In part of a Truth Social post last month, the president asserted, “The Radical Left Dumocrats must not be allowed to cause us to lose Data Centers, AI, and all of this incredible new Technology, to China, and other countries!”

The Grafton welcomed acts from The Beatles to Duke Ellington

Major renovation plans for one of Liverpool’s former iconic nightclubs will now go ahead a year after the city council agreed to the scheme. Last March, Liverpool Council’s planning committee tentatively gave the go-ahead to recommend 90 apartments in a six storey development on the site once occupied by The Grafton on West Derby Road, Kensington.

The historic venue, located next to The Olympia, opened in 1924 as a ballroom and later became a legendary nightclub – hosting acts like The Beatles and Duke Ellington. However, it is currently vacant and derelict, having been closed as a club for years.

While city councillors warmly welcomed proposals to redevelop the site, the plans were briefly put on hold after officials omitted any consultation with Historic England from their report. After the heritage body confirmed it would back the plans for the site, a lengthy wait took hold for a final decision.

Now the local authority has confirmed 15 months on it has formally agreed for the site to be converted. In 2023 Equans Regeneration submitted plans to Liverpool Council to turn the site into a housing development made up of 90 apartments over a six-storey block.

The scheme would comprise 47 one and 43 two-bedroom rent-to-buy apartments, to be managed by affordable housing provider Sovini. Officials acknowledged how the site has been vacant for more than 15 years and presents a health and safety hazard in its current state, described as “an eyesore.”

Agent Brad Wiseman told the committee last year how regeneration of the location would provide “the investment that is desperately needed to transform the site, give it a new identity and deliver new affordable homes for city residents.” Mr Wiseman said the development would only be made possible by the receipt of grant funding from Homes England.

There had been hopes initial work – subject to Historic England approval – would start quickly but major transformative options would not begin until Homes England cash had been received. The local authority is duty bound to run the plans past the body, which forms part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, because of its proximity to a listed building.

In a statement, Catherine Dewar of Historic England said: “Liverpool Council wrote to us on March 11 (2025) to consult us on proposals to largely demolish The Grafton Rooms to provide new homes. We’ve prioritised our assessment of the plans and today we’ve responded to say that we’re not objecting to these proposals.

“The Grafton Rooms is not a listed building but we do have an interest in protecting the setting of the Grade II* Olympia Social Club next door, which is a wonderful example of the work of Frank Matcham, the country’s most celebrated Edwardian theatre architect. We recognise the benefits that the proposal’s new housing will bring for the area and we value the retention of the well-known façade of The Grafton Rooms as part of the project’s vision.

“We are committed to working alongside local authorities and developers to find new and viable uses for Liverpool’s much-loved heritage.”

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Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro pre-orders may open a day later than the company’s usual schedule this year, according to a new report, with the shift reportedly tied to the timing of a somber anniversary on the calendar.

Apple has already confirmed it will hold its annual fall product event on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at the Steve Jobs Theater on its Cupertino, California, campus. The company is widely expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at the event, along with its first foldable iPhone and new Apple Watch models. Under Apple’s typical launch pattern, pre-orders for new iPhones open on the Friday immediately following the announcement, with devices shipping to customers the following week.

This year, that would place pre-orders on Friday, Sept. 11. But German publication Macwelt, a sister site to Macworld, reported this week that a source has indicated Apple will instead push pre-orders back to Saturday, Sept. 12. Macworld and other outlets that cover Apple’s product cycles closely, including 9to5Mac and MacRumors, have since reported on the claim, citing Macwelt’s sourcing.

The reasoning behind the potential shift centers on the date itself. Sept. 11, 2026, marks the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and Apple has a history of avoiding scheduling major product pre-orders and launches on the date out of sensitivity to the anniversary. The company has made similar adjustments in past years when its typical launch schedule has landed on or near Sept. 11.

According to the report, the timing of pre-orders may not be the only change this year. Sources cited by Macwelt indicated that Apple could also alter the time pre-orders open. Apple has traditionally opened iPhone pre-orders at 5 a.m. Pacific time, but the report suggests the company may instead open pre-sales at midnight Pacific time on Saturday, a notably earlier start than the norm.

If the Sept. 12 pre-order date holds, it would put the iPhone 18 Pro’s retail release roughly a week later, with several outlets projecting a launch date of Friday, Sept. 18, based on Apple’s typical one-week gap between pre-orders and in-store availability. There is precedent for this kind of adjustment: when Apple’s iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus were unveiled on Wednesday, Sept. 9, in 2015, pre-orders for those devices similarly opened on a Saturday, Sept. 12, rather than the preceding Friday.

Macwelt’s track record on Apple leaks has been mixed. The publication has previously published accurate scoops on Apple’s product plans, but it also incorrectly reported the release date of the iPhone 17e earlier this year, according to Macworld’s own reporting. As a result, outlets covering the story have cautioned that while a Sept. 12 pre-order date appears plausible, the specific details, including the reported midnight opening time, could still change before Apple’s official announcement.

Apple has not publicly confirmed the pre-order schedule for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, and the company is not expected to do so until closer to, or during, its Sept. 9 event. The Sept. 9 event date itself was confirmed earlier this week when Apple sent media invitations featuring the tagline “Surprise and shine” alongside an image of a glowing Apple logo.

This year’s product cycle is notable for reasons beyond the pre-order schedule. Apple is reportedly breaking from its usual pattern by not introducing a standard iPhone 18 model alongside the Pro lineup in September. Multiple reports, including from analysts tracking Apple’s supply chain, indicate the base iPhone 18 will instead debut in spring 2027, with Apple prioritizing its premium Pro models and its long-rumored foldable device for the traditional fall launch window.

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to be powered by Apple’s new A20 Pro chip, built on a 2-nanometer manufacturing process that the company has said will improve both performance and power efficiency. Other rumored changes to the Pro lineup include a smaller Dynamic Island cutout, an upgraded main camera with variable aperture technology, and Apple’s next-generation C2 modem.

Apple’s foldable iPhone, which analysts and outlets covering the leak have referred to as the iPhone Ultra, is expected to be unveiled at the same September event, though some reports suggest its actual on-sale date could be delayed into the fourth quarter because of production constraints. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said supply of the device is likely to be constrained at launch.

Whatever the final schedule turns out to be, the shifting dates underscore how closely Apple’s fall launch calendar interacts with the surrounding calendar in any given year. With Labor Day falling on Monday, Sept. 7, and the Sept. 11 anniversary landing just two days after Apple’s planned keynote, the company appears to be navigating both dates carefully as it finalizes plans for one of its most closely watched product launches in years.

Apple did not respond to requests for comment on the reported pre-order schedule.

Naduni Abeywickrama, who was travelling from London to Aberdeen, added that the delay was “extremely frustrating”.

She added: “No one seems to be making a scene, but I feel frustrated because this is the second time this has happened.”

Toilets in the airport’s North Terminal are closed as a result of the supply issue, while the majority of toilets in the South Terminal are unaffected.

Food outlets in the North Terminal remain open, but for passenger seating only.

Anthony Rochester, head of networks at SES Water, said that it “had restored water supplies to Gatwick Airport and the surrounding areas by re-routing our network”.

“We’re continuing to work closely with the airport as we understand water isn’t yet flowing throughout their buildings”, he added.

In July, both terminals at Gatwick Airport lost running water for several hours after a power failure at a treatment works in the area.

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