6:46 am, January 19, 2026
Slowdown in rising cost-of-living set for December pause, say economists
UK inflation could have ticked higher last month, as Christmas getaways helped fuel price rises at the end of the year, economists have said.
Some economists are expecting the rate of Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation to have risen in December after falling sharply the previous month. Predictions are CPI could rise to 3.3% in December, from 3.2% in November.
A hike to tobacco duties, which was announced at the autumn budget in November, is set to have pushed up overall inflation during the month as is the price of plane tickets amid stronger demand for Christmas travel. Analysts forecast that airfares could have jumped by about 30% between November and December.
UK’s best and worst energy suppliers, according to Which? rankings
Scottish Power, EDF and British Gas have been named the worst energy suppliers in an annual ranking by Which?
All three firms received overall scores of less than 60% as well as just two stars in the consumer group’s customer survey.
E (Gas and Electricity) received the highest overall score of 79%, receiving four stars for customer service, ease of contacting it and the clarity of its statements. Octopus Energy came second, followed by 100Green and Sainsbury’s Energy.
Bentley reveals exclusive one-off Batur Convertible #4
Bentley has revealed the latest special customer order for a Batur Convertible.
The Batur Convertible #4 has been specified in tri-tone exterior paint, featuring a 6mm gloss silver fine-line on the bonnet. The unique shades of contrasting ‘Breslow Blue’ and ‘Midnight Breslow Blue’ were named after the client.
Inside, there is an animated welcome light that projects a handwritten script of the owner’s name via 415,000 microscopic mirrors. Also, there is caramel tan seat upholstery with light blue colour accents, and even the contours of the Batur volcano, where the car’s name originates from, can be found sculptured in the floor mats.
The markets
Stocks in London ended little changed on Friday, with blue chips edging lower after notching another record as investors held fire ahead of the long weekend in the US.
The FTSE 100 index closed down just 3.65 points at 10,235.29. It had earlier hit a new intra-day best level of 10,257.75. The FTSE 250 ended up 31.39 points, 0.1%, at 23,311.37, and the AIM All-Share closed just 0.27 of a point higher at 804.75.
The pound was quoted lower at 1.3382 dollars at the time of the London equities close on Friday, compared to 1.3388 on Thursday. The euro stood at 1.1596 dollars, lower against 1.1607.
Starmer to speak at Downing Street after Trump tariff threats over Greenland
Sir Keir Starmer will speak at Downing Street after Donald Trump’s threats to ramp up tariffs until a deal is reached for the US to buy Greenland.
The prime minister has told the US president it is ‘wrong”’ to apply tariffs to the UK and other European allies opposing his efforts to take over Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark.
On Monday, Sir Keir will set out the UK’s approach to working with allies and how the country will be ‘led by our values’, according to a government source.
Kemi Badenoch joins protesters calling for Government to stop China mega-embassy
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch called for the government to stop China’s proposed central London ‘mega-embassy’ when she spoke at a protest on Saturday.
The government is facing mounting calls to reject Beijing’s plans for the embassy at Royal Mint Court over security concerns.
Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the site on Saturday afternoon, some with flags and banners, chanting ‘no mega-embassy’. The protest comes as Sir Keir Starmer is reportedly poised to announce the proposal has finally been approved after the decision was repeatedly pushed back.
Latest on Car Dealer
Grey remains supreme as Britain’s favourite new car colour, but one shade surged…
More than half a million grey new cars (558,050) were registered last year – up 2.7% to a record total for the shade – accounting for more than a quarter (27.6%) of all new car registrations.
Luxury car chop shop busted after stolen Mercedes GPS tracker leads police to headquarters
A ‘professional and sophisticated’ chop shop that was stealing and stripping down luxury cars fell apart after the tracker in a pinched Mercedes led police right to its headquarters.
Family-run Bowker Motor Group reshuffles leadership team as part of ‘strategic restructure’
Family-run car dealer Bowker Motor Group has announced a ‘strategic restructure’ for 2026 with several changes made to the firm’s leadership team.
Nissan GB names former Santander Leasing exec as its new fleet director
Russell Forbes has been appointed as Nissan GB’s new fleet director.
Weather
Cloudy for many today with patchy rain, especially in Northern Ireland, reports BBC Weather. Drier, brighter spells develop in the south-east, parts of Scotland, west Wales and south-west England.
Tonight starts with clearer skies in the north-west, but cloud and rain spread into the north and east, before turning drier and clearer from the west later.
