FTSE 100 LIVE: Stocks fall as UK 30-year bond yields surge and eurozone inflation rises

A deep dive into what's moving markets and happening across the global economy.

The FTSE 100 (^FTSE) and European stocks headed lower on Tuesday as the UK’s long-term cost of borrowing hit its highest level since 1998.

The 30-year gilt yield, or interest rate, has risen to 5.680% in early trading, over the previous 27-year high set on 9 April. It comes a a blow to chancellor Rachel Reeves, who will be drawing up this autumn’s budget.

Jim Reid of Deutsche Bank said: "Even in orderly markets, we’re seeing a slow-moving vicious circle: rising debt concerns push yields higher, worsening debt dynamics, which in turn push yields higher again."

By LaToya Harding

Full story at Yahoo News

This critical data reveals the U.S. economy is on the brink of recession

Consumer spending, the backbone of the American economy, is flashing warning signs reminiscent of the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis.

According to Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, the latest data shows inflation-adjusted household spending has stalled in 2025, raising concerns about the broader economy, he said in an X post on August 31.

To this end, Moody’s Analytics data indicates that real consumer spending in 2025 has grown only slightly through July, marking the weakest performance since the 2008–2009 recession.

By Paul L

Full story at Fin Bold

SA entrepreneurs' two-year journey to secure funding amid Trump's tariffs

Two years is how long it could take to help an entrepreneur get finance-ready before they can unlock government funding, seeking to reindustrialise South Africa in the face of US President Donald Trump’s punitive tariffs.

The government’s response to trade tariffs, which will affect an estimated 7% of all products exported to America, is to create an Export Support Desk to help companies diversify into new markets, a Block Exemption for Exporters to enable collaboration, and an Export and Competitiveness Support Programme to provide financial support.

Separately, the government, in partnership with the private sector, aims to establish a R100 billion aggregated fund to support what the National Empowerment Fund says is “the ever-growing funding requirements for businesses owned and managed by black entrepreneurs to propel inclusive growth across various sectors of South Africa’s economy”.

By Nicola Mawson
Full story at IOL

Nigeria’s tourism industry needs global visibility — Runsewe

Former Director General of Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (NTDA formerly NTDC) and National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Otunba Segun Runsewe has decried the Nigeria’s non participation in international expos and exhibitions like the World Travel Market, ITB Berlin, FITUR in Spain and Arabian Travel Market, ATM, and others, stressing that it is a minus for Nigeria.

He lauded the ex-president of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies, (NANTA) Mrs Susan Akporaye for filling in the gap for Nigeria at the World Travel Market (WTM) in the absence of government agencies charged with that responsibilities.

Speaking at the FTAN retreat in Abuja with the theme: One Federation, one vision: Aligning for the Actualization of Nigerian Tourism Vision – Implication for Unity and Collaboration, Runsewe called for FTAN members to collaborate instead of competing to move the tourism industry forward.

By ‘Wale Olapade

Full story at Tribune Online

Global investors shell-shocked after Trump fires Fed governor

SINGAPORE - Global investors were shell-shocked on Aug. 26 after President Donald Trump struck another blow to the Federal Reserve's independence, caught between the concerns over politicization of policy and payoffs for markets.

Trump's announcement that he was firing Fed Governor Lisa Cook surprised markets, even though he had made clear last week that Cook was a target and has for months attacked Chair Jerome Powell as part of his campaign to get the Fed to cut interest rates.

"It's another crack in the edifice of the United States and its investibility," said Kyle Rodda, a senior financial market analyst at Capital.com in Melbourne.

Full story at USA Today

By Kevin Buckland and Vidya Ranganathan

Rachel Reeves is under pressure to balance the books. This chart shows the scale of UK debt

UK chancellor Rachel Reeves remains under intense pressure to tackle mounting government debt.

The UK think-tank National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) had previously forecast that Reeves was on course to miss her borrowing targets by £41.2bn.

The think-tank also posed a solution: Reeves should raise taxes immediately. It recommended "a moderate but sustained increase", including reform of the council tax system to make up the shortfall.

By Tola Onanuga

Full story at Yahoo News.

Acsa strengthens fuel security as profits double to R1.8bn

Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) has moved to fortify its fuel security amid the country’s ongoing energy challenges, with CEO Mpumi Mpofu warning that South Africa’s heavy reliance on fuel imports remained a risk to airport operations.

Acsa has in the recent past faced significant disruptions to flight operations at its airports as a result of fuel supply challenges due to a variety of reasons, the latest being the shutdown of the National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (Natref), which caught fire on 4 January.

Speaking at the release of Acsa’s financial results for the year ended March 2025, Mpofu on Monday said the company had ramped up its jet fuel storage capacity to 10 days as a safeguard against supply disruptions, which have previously caused significant operational setbacks.

By Banele Ginindza

Full story at IOL