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Jeff Bezos Remains Florida’s Richest Person Yet Again as His Net Worth Jumps to $378 Billion, Forbes Says

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Amazon is helmed by the richest person in the world, Jeff Bezos

MIAMI — Amazon founder Jeff Bezos remains Florida’s wealthiest resident, according to Forbes’ newly updated ranking of the 400 richest people in America, with his fortune climbing to $378 billion this year even as he continues to sit behind Tesla and SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk atop the overall national list.

Forbes placed Bezos at No. 2 nationally on its annual list, unveiled this week, while Musk held the top spot for the fifth consecutive year. Bezos briefly reclaimed the title of the world’s wealthiest person on Monday, according to real-time wealth tracking, even as Forbes’ own annual snapshot, based on stock prices and exchange rates as of early September, kept him in second place behind Musk on the formal published ranking. Musk’s net worth on this year’s list reached $908 billion, the highest figure ever recorded in the Forbes 400’s history, giving him a lead over Bezos of more than $500 billion.

Bezos’ net worth has grown substantially over the past year. Last year, Forbes valued his fortune at $241 billion; this year’s updated figure of $378 billion represents an increase of well over $100 billion, reflecting continued strength in Amazon’s stock alongside gains tied to his other business interests.

Nearly three years have now passed since Bezos first announced plans to leave Seattle, the city long associated with Amazon’s headquarters, in favor of a new home in Florida. He announced the move in November 2023 on Instagram, saying at the time that he wanted to live closer to his parents, who had relocated back to Florida. Bezos has continued to maintain ties to the state’s business and civic landscape since making the move, including through his space exploration venture Blue Origin, which operates out of Cape Canaveral on Florida’s Space Coast.

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Bezos was not the only notable Florida billionaire to appear prominently on this year’s Forbes list. Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan ranked as Florida’s No. 8 wealthiest resident, with a net worth of $16.5 billion, placing him at No. 70 on the overall national ranking of America’s richest individuals.

President Donald Trump also appeared among the billionaires included on this year’s Forbes 400, with a net worth of $7 billion, placing him among a group of 48 individuals on the list who share that same valuation, according to Forbes’ rankings.

This year’s Forbes 400 list overall reflected record levels of wealth concentration among America’s richest individuals. The 400 people included on the list are collectively worth $8 trillion, an increase of $1.4 trillion from the prior year’s total, according to Forbes. The minimum net worth required to qualify for inclusion also reached a new high this year, climbing to $4.4 billion, up $600 million from the previous year’s cutoff.

Forbes has compiled and published the list annually since it was first launched by Malcolm Forbes in 1982, using it as what the publication describes as the definitive ranking of the wealthiest individuals in the United States. This year marked the list’s 45th annual edition.

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Bezos’ continued position as Florida’s richest resident underscores how significantly his relocation has reshaped the state’s own internal wealth rankings since his 2023 move. Florida has increasingly become a preferred destination for high-net-worth individuals relocating from other states in recent years, drawn in part by the state’s lack of a personal income tax, and Bezos’ continued residency in the state, combined with his rising net worth, has kept him firmly established at the top of Florida’s own list of resident billionaires for a second consecutive year.

Beyond his position on the Forbes list, Bezos has continued to expand his business interests since relocating to Florida. Blue Origin has remained active in the commercial space sector, competing alongside Musk’s SpaceX and other private space companies for both government and commercial launch contracts. Amazon, the company Bezos founded in 1994 and led as chief executive until stepping down from that role in 2021, has also continued to post strong financial results, a factor that has directly supported the growth in Bezos’ overall net worth reflected in this year’s Forbes ranking, given that a substantial portion of his fortune remains tied to his continued ownership stake in the company.

The gap between Bezos and Musk atop the national rankings has widened considerably over the past year, even as Bezos’ own fortune has grown substantially in absolute terms. That dynamic reflects the outsized scale of gains Musk has recorded across his various business ventures, including Tesla, SpaceX and his newer AI venture xAI, over the same period, a pace of wealth accumulation that has left even the world’s second-richest individual trailing by an increasingly large margin.

With Forbes’ list now published for the year, attention is likely to turn toward how the fortunes of both Bezos and Musk, along with the rest of the country’s wealthiest individuals, continue to evolve over the coming months, particularly given the substantial role that publicly traded stock holdings play in determining the rankings from one year to the next, leaving even the list’s most dominant figures subject to significant swings in net worth tied to broader market conditions.

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NATO pathway opened for Australian defence industry

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NATO pathway opened for Australian defence industry

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Generali options flow points to institutional roll, not new directional bet

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(PHOTO) Owala’s New Pokemon Water Bottles Land at Target for the Franchise’s Big 30th Anniversary Bash

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Little Tikes Launches Neutral 'Cloud Collection' Turning Classic Cozy Coupe

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Owala’s New Pokemon Water Bottles Land at Target Wednesday for the Franchise’s Big 30th Anniversary Bash

Drinkware brand Owala is releasing a new collection of Pokemon-themed water bottles exclusively at Target on Wednesday, timing the launch to coincide with the video game franchise’s 30th anniversary celebrations.

The Owala x Pokemon collection features five distinct FreeSip water bottle designs built around some of the franchise’s most recognizable characters. Confirmed designs include a bright yellow, cream and blue bottle centered on Pikachu, marketed as the “Pikachu I Choose You” edition, alongside separate bottles dedicated to Charizard and Gengar, a design featuring Eevee alongside its evolved forms Sylveon and Vaporeon, and a Kanto Starter Trio bottle bringing together Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. Owala gave fans an early look at the collection through a short video posted to Instagram ahead of the official release, showcasing the designs across the lineup.

Owala’s FreeSip bottles, the format used across the new Pokemon collection, are known for a two-way spout system that lets users drink either upright through an integrated straw or tilt the bottle back to use a wider opening. The stainless steel bottles also feature insulated construction, a leak-resistant push-button lid, and a carry loop that doubles as a lock when closed, features consistent with Owala’s broader special-edition bottle lineup.

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Target has not yet published final retail pricing for the collection, though at least one confirmed listing shows a 16-fluid-ounce stainless steel Pikachu design available on Target’s website. Given that Owala’s existing special-edition FreeSip bottles at Target typically retail in the range of $25 to $30 depending on size and finish, industry watchers have said the new Pokemon collection is likely to fall within that same general pricing tier, though exact prices for each of the five designs had not been officially confirmed as of the collection’s launch.

Target typically publishes new product drops to its website around 3 a.m. Eastern time, though the retailer had not officially confirmed the exact release time for the Pokemon collection ahead of Wednesday’s launch, according to retail coverage tracking the release. Target did tease the collaboration on its website in the days leading up to launch, confirming the collection was arriving Wednesday without detailing full pricing or size information for each design at that time.

Ahead of the official release, photos purporting to show the bottles already stocked on store shelves at some Target locations began circulating online, including images shared to social media and community forums showing the Charizard and Kanto Starter Trio designs apparently pulled directly from shelves before the collection’s confirmed launch date. One widely shared image showed a bagged Charizard bottle still bearing a printed “Remove Before Display” instruction, suggesting at least some Target locations had received and begun unpacking shipments of the collection ahead of schedule.

The character lineup selected for the collaboration leans on some of Pokemon’s most consistently popular and recognizable figures. Pikachu, the franchise’s mascot, anchors the collection, while Charizard and Gengar represent two of the series’ most enduringly popular non-mascot characters among longtime fans. The inclusion of Eevee and its evolved forms, along with the original three Kanto starter Pokemon, rounds out a lineup aimed at covering a broad cross-section of the franchise’s decades-spanning fan base without requiring more niche or recent character selections.

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The collaboration’s timing is no coincidence. Wednesday’s release coincides directly with Pokemon’s 30th anniversary, marking three decades since Nintendo’s original Pokemon video games first launched and sparked what has since grown into one of the best-selling media franchises in history, spanning video games, a long-running animated series, and a global trading card game. The Owala collaboration joins a broader wave of 30th-anniversary merchandise tied to the milestone, including a Pokemon Trading Card Game 30th Celebration set that has also drawn significant attention from collectors and retailers in recent weeks, as well as a separate collaboration between apparel brand Adidas and Pokemon featuring three bomber jackets sold exclusively through Dick’s Sporting Goods.

As with many of Owala’s prior special-edition and licensed collaborations, the Pokemon collection is expected to be available for a limited time only, a pattern that has previously driven quick sellouts for the brand’s other themed drops, including past Halloween-specific FreeSip designs and other limited-run collaborations sold exclusively through Target. Owala has built a reputation in recent years for regularly releasing themed and collaboration bottles through Target, a pattern that has turned each new drop into a closely watched event among the brand’s dedicated fan following, many of whom track upcoming releases through retail-focused deal and collector community websites.

The exact online release time and full pricing details for all five Pokemon designs are expected to become clear once Target’s individual product listings go live, with retail tracking sites advising shoppers interested in the collection to check Target’s website directly on the morning of the release, given the retailer’s history of limited initial stock for similarly hyped licensed collaborations. Shoppers interested in the broader Owala lineup, including the brand’s standard FreeSip water bottles in various sizes, can find those products available now through Target’s website and in select stores, independent of the new Pokemon-specific collection’s release.

Drinkware brand Owala is releasing a new collection of Pokemon-themed water bottles exclusively at Target on Wednesday, timing the launch to coincide with the video game franchise’s 30th anniversary celebrations.

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The Owala x Pokemon collection features five distinct FreeSip water bottle designs built around some of the franchise’s most recognizable characters. Confirmed designs include a bright yellow, cream and blue bottle centered on Pikachu, marketed as the “Pikachu I Choose You” edition, alongside separate bottles dedicated to Charizard and Gengar, a design featuring Eevee alongside its evolved forms Sylveon and Vaporeon, and a Kanto Starter Trio bottle bringing together Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle. Owala gave fans an early look at the collection through a short video posted to Instagram ahead of the official release, showcasing the designs across the lineup.

Owala’s FreeSip bottles, the format used across the new Pokemon collection, are known for a two-way spout system that lets users drink either upright through an integrated straw or tilt the bottle back to use a wider opening. The stainless steel bottles also feature insulated construction, a leak-resistant push-button lid, and a carry loop that doubles as a lock when closed, features consistent with Owala’s broader special-edition bottle lineup.

Target has not yet published final retail pricing for the collection, though at least one confirmed listing shows a 16-fluid-ounce stainless steel Pikachu design available on Target’s website. Given that Owala’s existing special-edition FreeSip bottles at Target typically retail in the range of $25 to $30 depending on size and finish, industry watchers have said the new Pokemon collection is likely to fall within that same general pricing tier, though exact prices for each of the five designs had not been officially confirmed as of the collection’s launch.

Target typically publishes new product drops to its website around 3 a.m. Eastern time, though the retailer had not officially confirmed the exact release time for the Pokemon collection ahead of Wednesday’s launch, according to retail coverage tracking the release. Target did tease the collaboration on its website in the days leading up to launch, confirming the collection was arriving Wednesday without detailing full pricing or size information for each design at that time.

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Ahead of the official release, photos purporting to show the bottles already stocked on store shelves at some Target locations began circulating online, including images shared to social media and community forums showing the Charizard and Kanto Starter Trio designs apparently pulled directly from shelves before the collection’s confirmed launch date. One widely shared image showed a bagged Charizard bottle still bearing a printed “Remove Before Display” instruction, suggesting at least some Target locations had received and begun unpacking shipments of the collection ahead of schedule.

The character lineup selected for the collaboration leans on some of Pokemon’s most consistently popular and recognizable figures. Pikachu, the franchise’s mascot, anchors the collection, while Charizard and Gengar represent two of the series’ most enduringly popular non-mascot characters among longtime fans. The inclusion of Eevee and its evolved forms, along with the original three Kanto starter Pokemon, rounds out a lineup aimed at covering a broad cross-section of the franchise’s decades-spanning fan base without requiring more niche or recent character selections.

The collaboration’s timing is no coincidence. Wednesday’s release coincides directly with Pokemon’s 30th anniversary, marking three decades since Nintendo’s original Pokemon video games first launched and sparked what has since grown into one of the best-selling media franchises in history, spanning video games, a long-running animated series, and a global trading card game. The Owala collaboration joins a broader wave of 30th-anniversary merchandise tied to the milestone, including a Pokemon Trading Card Game 30th Celebration set that has also drawn significant attention from collectors and retailers in recent weeks, as well as a separate collaboration between apparel brand Adidas and Pokemon featuring three bomber jackets sold exclusively through Dick’s Sporting Goods.

As with many of Owala’s prior special-edition and licensed collaborations, the Pokemon collection is expected to be available for a limited time only, a pattern that has previously driven quick sellouts for the brand’s other themed drops, including past Halloween-specific FreeSip designs and other limited-run collaborations sold exclusively through Target. Owala has built a reputation in recent years for regularly releasing themed and collaboration bottles through Target, a pattern that has turned each new drop into a closely watched event among the brand’s dedicated fan following, many of whom track upcoming releases through retail-focused deal and collector community websites.

Advertisement

The exact online release time and full pricing details for all five Pokemon designs are expected to become clear once Target’s individual product listings go live, with retail tracking sites advising shoppers interested in the collection to check Target’s website directly on the morning of the release, given the retailer’s history of limited initial stock for similarly hyped licensed collaborations. Shoppers interested in the broader Owala lineup, including the brand’s standard FreeSip water bottles in various sizes, can find those products available now through Target’s website and in select stores, independent of the new Pokemon-specific collection’s release.

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Yes Bank shares jump 4% as Citi, Morgan Stanley see lender as key beneficiary of new UPI charges. Earnings boost ahead?

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Yes Bank shares jump 4% as Citi, Morgan Stanley see lender as key beneficiary of new UPI charges. Earnings boost ahead?
Shares of Yes Bank jumped over 4% on Wednesday after Citi, Morgan Stanley and other brokerages highlighted that the private lender will likely be one of the key beneficiaries of the newly announced charges on select UPI transactions above Rs 2,000.

Yes Bank shares jumped to Rs 24.10 apiece on the NSE on Wednesday morning, leading advances on the Nifty Bank and Nifty Private Bank indices, which were trading with marginal gains. The stock has gained more than 6% over the past week and 11% so far in 2026.

New charges on select UPI transactions

The government is all set to introduce a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on some Person-to-Merchant (P2M) UPI transactions from October 15 onwards, requiring merchants to pay a 0.4% fee on transactions above Rs 2,000, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) announced on Tuesday. A maximum fee of Rs 300 can be levied on such transactions of Rs 75,000 or more.

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Also read | Paytm, Mobikwik, Pine Labs shares rally up to 7% after govt announces UPI fees above Rs 2,000. Why brokerages are bullish

The authorities clarified that consumers will not be charged for making UPI payments, while Person-to-Person (P2P) transfers will also remain free. Small merchants classified under the P2PM framework, including vendors receiving up to Rs 1 lakh a month through UPI QR codes, will continue to be protected from MDR.

Why is Yes Bank a key beneficiary of MDR on UPI transactions

Citi called Yes Bank a standout beneficiary of the new MDR charges on select UPI transactions, given its more than 40% share in UPI beneficiary volume, ET Now reported, adding that the international brokerage expects this to potentially amplify the private lender’s earnings impact from UPI monetisation.
Citi estimates that Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank and IndusInd Bank could see a 2% boost to profit before tax, while Axis Bank, State Bank of India and Federal Bank could see a 1-2% increase in earnings, the report said.Morgan Stanley also said that Yes Bank remains a relative gainer, ET reported, although the international brokerage expects the profit before tax benefit to be much lower than the 10% estimated earlier.

Also read | UPI charges from October 15: FAQs on who will pay 0.4% MDR and what consumers, small vendors & large merchants need to know

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Yes Bank Chief Vigilance Officer resigns

Meanwhile, Yes Bank’s Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) Binu Soman has tendered his resignation for better career growth opportunities, the company said in an exchange filing on Tuesday. He submitted his resignation on June 17, and the bank has relieved him from his duties from Tuesday onwards.

“The Bank places on record its appreciation for the services rendered by Mr. Binu Soman during his association with the Bank,” the company said.

Disclaimer: This article has been written by Debaroti Adhikary, who is not a SEBI-registered Research Analyst or an Investment Adviser. Debaroti Adhikary and his/her ‘relative(s)’ (as defined under Section 2(77) of the Companies Act, 2013) do not hold any financial interest in the companies mentioned in this article as of the date of publication. The views/recommendations mentioned in this article, wherever applicable, are those of the respective SEBI-registered Research Analyst/brokerage and have been reproduced/reported with due attribution. They should not be construed as the views or recommendations of The Economic Times Digital or the journalist. Readers are advised to consider the original research report and make their investment decisions based on their own assessment. Brokerage disclaimers here.

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We managed to get jobs after uni – here's how we're keeping them

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A woman wrapped in a blanket and holding a hot drink sits at a table with a laptop on it. The table has scrunched-up tissues on it as well.

Four recent job starters share their tips on what helped them have a smooth transition and survive their first few days.

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BlackRock Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Q2 2026 Commentary

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Businessman Presenting Income Growth with Stacked Coins on Wooden Table and Focused Gesture in Office Environment

BlackRock Strategic Income Opportunities Fund Q2 2026 Commentary

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Eurozone Industry Still Lacks Momentum

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Engineer checking machine parts of a heavy machine

Eurozone Industry Still Lacks Momentum

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Iraqi Butcher Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Selling Pork as Beef in Holy Shia Shrine City of Najaf

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BAGHDAD — An Iraqi court has sentenced a butcher to 10 years in prison after he was caught selling pork as beef in Najaf, one of the holiest cities in Shia Islam, in a case that drew widespread attention and no shortage of dark humor across Iraqi social media.

Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council said the man was arrested this month after being found in possession of 75 kilograms of pork that he had been passing off as beef to customers in the city. “Najaf Criminal Court has sentenced a convicted person to 10 years in prison for selling meat not suitable for human consumption,” the council said in a statement announcing the ruling, which was handed down Monday.

Najaf draws millions of pilgrims from around the world each year who travel to visit the mausoleum of Imam Ali, the Prophet Mohammed’s son-in-law, the fourth Islamic caliph, and the first Shia Imam. The city’s religious significance made the discovery that a local butcher had been selling pork, a meat strictly forbidden under Islamic dietary law, particularly jarring for residents and visitors alike.

While Islam forbids the consumption of pork on the grounds that it is considered impure, Iraqi law does not explicitly ban its sale within the Muslim-majority country, which is also home to a Christian minority. Prosecutors instead built their case around a 1998 law that criminalizes the sale of “dog or donkey or other meat… that is unfit for human consumption,” a statute the court applied to the butcher’s conduct in selling pork under false pretenses as beef.

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News of the arrest spread quickly on social media, generating a mix of public reactions. Some Iraqis used the case to call for stronger food safety enforcement more broadly, while others responded with humor, sharing videos of pigs online captioned “here is Najaf” in reference to the case.

Among those caught up in the scandal was Najaf resident Ahmad al-Mansouri, who described his own unwitting experience buying meat from the butcher in question. “I think I have eaten more pork than beef or lamb over the past years,” Mansouri told AFP, speaking jokingly about his past purchases. Mansouri said he had been drawn in by the quality and price of the ground meat he bought from the butcher, describing it as “excellent quality” and notably cheaper than prevailing market rates, which led him to return to the shop more frequently over time.

Reflecting on the eventual discovery, Mansouri said the arrest came as a shock to regular customers who had no reason to suspect what they were actually purchasing. “We were surprised when he was arrested on charges of selling pork,” Mansouri said.

The case highlights a broader challenge around food safety oversight in parts of Iraq, where enforcement mechanisms for verifying the authenticity of meat and other food products sold in local markets can vary considerably between cities and vendors. Najaf’s status as a major pilgrimage destination, drawing visitors from Shia Muslim communities around the world, has added particular sensitivity to any case involving the mislabeling of food products that conflict with Islamic dietary restrictions, given how directly such cases can affect the religious observance of unsuspecting pilgrims and residents alike.

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The 10-year sentence reflects the seriousness with which the Najaf Criminal Court treated the case, even though Iraqi law does not carry a specific prohibition on the sale of pork itself. By anchoring the prosecution in the broader 1998 statute addressing the sale of meat unfit for human consumption, the court was able to pursue a significant custodial sentence despite the absence of a law targeting pork sales specifically, a legal approach that may set a precedent for how similar cases are prosecuted in the future.

It remains unclear from the Supreme Judicial Council’s statement how long the butcher had allegedly been selling pork disguised as beef before his arrest, or how many customers may have unknowingly purchased the mislabeled meat during that period. The council’s statement did not indicate whether additional charges or civil penalties related to consumer fraud were pursued alongside the criminal case, nor did it specify whether health authorities in Najaf conducted any follow-up inspections of other meat vendors in the city following the butcher’s arrest.

The case has added to broader public conversation in Iraq around food safety standards, with social media reaction split between calls for stricter oversight of meat vendors and the darker humor that quickly overtook much of the online discussion surrounding the story. For residents like Mansouri, the episode has left a lasting impression, even as he described his own reaction to the situation with a degree of resigned humor rather than anger, reflecting a broader public response to the case that has blended genuine concern over food safety enforcement with the kind of dark comedic commentary that quickly spread across Iraqi social media platforms following news of the arrest and subsequent sentencing.

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Stock Futures Rebound as Investors Buy the Dip Ahead of Crucial Fed Rate Decision

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Barron's

Stock futures were rising on Wednesday as investors opted to buy the dip ahead of the Federal Reserve’s policy decision.

S&P 500 futures climbed 0.2%. Nasdaq 100 futures added 0.4%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures ticked up 80 points, or 0.2%.

The major indexes closed in the red the previous session as oil prices jumped to their highest level in months due to worries about Yemen’s Houthis disrupting crude supply from Saudi Arabia.

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UK inflation: What is the rate and why are prices still rising?

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A line chart showing interest rates in the UK from January 2021 to April 2026. At the start of January 2021, rates were at 0.1%. From late-2021, they gradually climbed to a high of 5.25% in August 2023, before being cut to 5% in August 2024, 4.75% in November, 4.5% in February 2025, 4.25% in May, 4% in August, and 3.75% in December. At the Bank of England's latest meeting on 30 April 2026, rates were held at 3.75%.

Inflation soared in 2022 because oil and gas were in greater demand after the Covid pandemic, and energy prices surged again when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Before the war in the Middle East broke out, UK inflation had been expected to be at or around the target level of 2% over the next five years, according to the official forecasts published in March 2026.

But in April, the Bank of England warned that disruption to global energy markets could push UK inflation as high as 6% in the worst-case scenario.

When the latest ceasefire took effect, analysts said it could limit further inflation hikes. Oil prices initially fell sharply after the deal was announced, but have risen again since the US and Iran resumed attacks in the Strait of Hormuz in July.

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As a result, UK petrol prices are likely to climb back up. This – coupled with the increase in household energy bills from 1 July when the new Ofgem price cap took effect – is expected to push UK inflation higher.

The new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced that VAT on household electricity bills will be scrapped, but that will not take effect until October. It is predicted to have a small downward impact on inflation.

Precisely because food and energy prices can be very volatile, the Bank of England also considers other economic measures such as “core inflation”, which excludes these costs.

Core CPI was 2.6% in the 12 months to August 2026, unchanged from the 12 months to July.

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