Wednesday briefing: Why are people turning global crises into high‑stakes bets?

In today’s newsletter: Prediction markets are reshaping how people interact with world events, turning warfare into a tradable speculation

No double-bunking or snacks – but snoring is fine: Air New Zealand’s economy sleep pods set for launch

Passengers can book a four-hour session in the bunk beds from May for Auckland-New York flights but airline cautions against smuggling in children

Analysis by IFS shows George Osborne’s mortgage schemes launched in 2013 had little effect on social mobility

ASA rules ads on Instagram and Daily Mail website broke ban on promoting items high in fat, salt and sugar

Growth forecasts cut for US and global economy, while UK suffers sharpest downgrade in G7

David Hinton will receive only his £400,000 salary this year after thousands of customers were left without water

Chancellor faced with fund’s forecast that impact of Iran war will leave Britain as G7’s biggest loser

With a summer glut on cards, customers are being urged to use more energy when renewables are abundant

Meg O’Neill to return to upstream and downstream divisions after shift away from low carbon push

Recent losses on loans in relatively unregulated sector are not a systemic risk to financial sector, says JP Morgan boss

Congressman says keeping gas supplies at home could lower costs for Americans amid price hikes sparked by war

Critics warn of ‘absolute disaster for the flying public’ if two air travel giants try to combine

The average gas price is now more than $4 a gallon amid the Iran war. We’d like to hear how this has affected you

International Monetary Fund has lowered its forecast for UK growth in 2026 and 2027, due to Iran war and weak growth in late 2025

Hui Ka Yan expresses remorse in trial proceedings after collapse of world’s most indebted property developer