6:50 am, July 15, 2026
BP set for further boost from oil prices, but braces for £740m write-down
BP has said it expects a further boost to oil trading in its second quarter due to the soaring cost of crude, but flagged a write-down of around $1bn £740m) and expects production to fall amid the Middle East conflict.
The FTSE 100 giant said its oil trading result is set to be ‘slightly higher’ than the first quarter, when the wider customers and products division saw profits surge to $2.5bn (£1.87bn).
This compared with $1.4bn (£1.04 bn) in the previous quarter and $103m (£77.1m) a year ago.
Teenagers to face overnight social media curfew and infinite scrolling shut-down
Sixteen and 17-year-olds will face a voluntary overnight social media curfew, the shut-down of infinite scrolling and breaks in AI chatbot use under plans announced by Technology Secretary Liz Kendall.
The changes, part of the Government’s wider restrictions on social media for children, will see default settings prevent access for older teenagers between midnight and 6am.
Features that keep users hooked, such as never-ending video reels and algorithmic feeds, will be automatically turned off.
Farizon SV Sport brings more style and equipment to the van’s model line-up
Farizon has revealed a new range-topping variant to the SV van line-up with the ‘SV Sport.’
Farizon is a Chinese commercial vehicle division of Geely and the SV van was the firm’s first model to enter the UK market.
The SV Sport is equipped with lots of sporting extras; including a redesigned front bumper with a front splitter, sculpted side skirts with ‘SV Sport’ badging, a roof-mounted spoiler and a new rear bumper with an integrated diffuser and fog light.
The markets
The FTSE 100 shrugged off a weak start to close higher on Tuesday as soft US inflation figures helped offset jitters caused by soaring oil prices.
The FTSE 100 closed up 31.10 points, 0.3%, at 10,529.39.
In European equity markets on Tuesday, the Cac 40 in Paris ended up slightly, while the Dax 40 in Frankfurt rose 0.1%.
Tuesday on Car Dealer
Car Dealer Power 2026: Who won what at this year’s awards?
Car Dealer Power 2026 saw BMW retain Manufacturer of the Year, with Omoda/Jaecoo finishing second and Toyota third. Volkswagen was the biggest climber, while Vauxhall ranked last. Around 2,000 dealer responses also determined winners across 24 supplier categories. For the full list of winners and highly commended companies, visit the dedicated Car Dealer Power 2026 page.
Government confirms pay-per-mile charges on EVs as plans get mixed response
The government will introduce a 3p-per-mile charge for electric vehicles from April 2028, with plug-in hybrids paying 1.5p per mile. The eVED scheme will use estimated mileage and annual checks, but faces criticism over complexity and costs.
Dealer group Bowker reports dip in profits as ‘challenging trading conditions’ continue
Bowker reported a 30% fall in pre-tax profit to £1.9m in 2025 despite turnover rising 18.3% to £381.4m. The dealer group blamed weaker margins, higher costs, rising taxes and challenging market conditions, while Porsche Centre Bolton helped boost sales.
Car dealer group Cambria expands Chery network with sixth dealership
Cambria is expanding its Chery presence with a sixth UK showroom opening at Invicta Motors Croydon. The dealer group says strong customer demand and Chery’s growing market share are driving further investment in Chinese brands.
Ann Widdecombe killed in ‘targeted attack’, counter-terror police say
Veteran politician Ann Widdecombe was killed in a ‘targeted attack’, counter-terrorism police investigating her death have said.
The head of counter-terrorism policing said on Tuesday that the question of whether a TV appearance might have motivated her killing, and whether the suspect was targeting other Reform UK figures were both lines of inquiry.
Former MEP Miss Widdecombe, 78, was found dead at her home in Haytor on Dartmoor, Devon last Thursday.
Security stepped up as England and Argentina fans prepare for World Cup showdown
Police have stepped up security across Atlanta as the city prepares to host England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina – a fixture fans have said has ‘so much history and so much rivalry’.
The Atlanta Police Department said extra officers and resources had already been deployed around the city before Wednesday’s match, with increased patrols planned around the Mercedes-Benz Stadium as well as ‘entertainment districts and other high-traffic areas’.
The move comes as thousands of England and Argentina supporters descend on the city for the first World Cup knockout meeting between the nations since David Beckham’s red card in England’s dramatic last-16 exit in 1998.
Weather outlook
The UK has had as many 30C days in 2026 as in the infamous year of 1976, as the country experiences its third heatwave of the summer, the Met Office said.
Temperatures on Monday peaked at 30.1C in Hurn in Dorset, making it the ninth day in a row when 30C has been exceeded somewhere in the country.
Temperatures are set to ease by the second half of the week, with peak temperatures dipping to the mid to high-20s for many by Saturday, the Met Office said.
