NATIONAL

A ninth interest rate hike in a row by the Bank of England looks to be a foregone conclusion on Thursday and investors will be looking for clues on how many more will be needed with the economy sliding into recession but inflation still above 10%.

British inflation slowed more than expected in November but remained near the highest level in more than 40 years, official data showed Wednesday, as a cost-of-living crisis sparks fresh UK strikes.

CGI opens a new office in Newcastle as the multinational IT company aims to foster networking in the North East region through its expansion.

Investment funds and other non-bank financial institutions face their first 'stress test' next year to apply lessons from the near-meltdown in Britain's pension fund sector, the Bank of England (BoE) said on Tuesday.

Average pay for British public sector workers fell to a 19-year low in October, after adjusting for inflation, according to official data on Tuesday that underscored why so many are going on strike.

Britain's jobless rate rose for a second month and there were other signs in data on Tuesday that some of the inflationary heat in the labour market is cooling as the economy stumbles, including an increase in older people looking for work.

The United Kingdom recorded the highest number of working days lost to labour disputes in October for more than 10 years, official data showed on Tuesday, as employees went on strike to demand higher pay in the face of soaring inflation.

The UK on Tuesday announced new sanctions against senior Russian military commanders, as well as Iranians involved in the producing and supplying drones to target Ukraine.

The Bank of England warned on Tuesday about "significant pressure" on households and businesses due to higher inflation and borrowing costs, but said they were more resilient than before the global financial crisis.

Up to 100,000 members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will hold a one-day stoppage on Thursday

Microsoft is to take a 4% equity stake in London Stock Exchange Group as part of a 10-year commercial deal to migrate the exchange operator's data platform into the cloud, the British company said on Monday.

The government declared sexual harassment in public places as a criminal offence, with sentences of up to two years in jail awaiting perpetrators.

British nurses will go on strike this week, hitting already stretched hospitals and cranking up pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to quell the biggest wave of industrial action to hit the country in decades.

Britain's economy remains on course for a long-lasting recession on fallout from the highest inflation in decades, analysts said on Monday, even if official data showed growth in October.

Britain's economy rebounded in October a little more strongly than expected from September when output was affected by a one-off public holiday to mark the funeral of Queen Elizabeth, but a recession remained on the cards, official data showed on Monday.

A British businessman accused of conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions placed on Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska will fight extradition from Britain at a hearing in May, his lawyers told a London court on Monday.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly on Monday set out his long-term vision for UK foreign policy, urging a move towards new partnerships in Latin America, Asia and Africa.

The authorities have put UK medical staff on alert for signs of the deadly camel flu as people return from Qatar after watching the FIFA World Cup.

Two major airports in the UK have been closed due to heavy snowfall. On Sunday evening, snow forced Stansted Airport to suspend all flights.

Four children are in critical condition after they fell through the ice at a lake in Solihull, UK.

Britain proposed over 30 reforms on Friday to bolster the City of London's role as a global financial centre, now outside the European Union and facing competition from Amsterdam, Paris and Frankfurt, as well as New York and Singapore.

The government has already said it plans to lift a cap on bankers' bonuses, and to require UK regulators to prioritise growth and competitiveness, alongside market stability.

British Conservative politicians on Sunday launched two campaigns to address concerns about the direction of the party and the government, the latest challenge to new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's attempts to unite a fractured party.

Britain, Italy and Japan said Friday they will jointly develop a future fighter jet in a project that UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said would guarantee national security and safeguard thousands of jobs.

Britain on Friday announced wide-ranging sanctions against 30 targets worldwide, including officials in Iran accused of pursuing "egregious sentences" against anti-regime protesters.

Britain said the human rights situation in China worsened last year and announced sanctions on Friday against 30 people worldwide, including officials from Russia, Iran and Myanmar it deems responsible for human rights abuses or corruption.

The CBI has urged the UK government to clarify its position on the energy bill scheme and explore policy reforms in tackling the rising energy bills.

The Ministry of Defence is also in talks with the National Health Service, Downing Street said, after ambulance drivers voted to join nurses in striking this month.

Britain will set out reforms on Friday to ease bank capital rules, one of 30 measures the government says will unlock investment and secure its position as the world's "foremost financial centre".