European Central Bank expected to cut interest rates for first time in five years

A 0.25 percentage point cut to main lending rate is forecast amid growth in Germany, Italy and Spain

Reality check: the truth behind the Tories’ £2,000 tax claim

All you need to know about Rishi Sunak’s tax claim, from who costed the figures, and how, to why it’s so controversial

UK clothing sales to EU plummet as Brexit red tape deters exporters

Small and medium-sized firms badly hit as huge drop in apparel sales helps fuel 18% slide in all-non food exports

‘Arbitrary’ election pledges to cut UK migration will worsen worker shortages

Firms that employ millions in manufacturing, hospitality and construction already struggling to plugs gaps after Brexit

UK faces £33bn hole in finances or return to austerity, thinktank says

Labour and the Conservatives want to reduce national debt, but Resolution Foundation says promises ‘detached from reality’

Falling UK inflation not leading to rise in spending, report finds

May recorded the lowest spending growth since February 2021, Barclays’ snapshot of card activity shows

UK gas prices hit highest level of 2024 after crack closes Norwegian pipeline; UK factories return to growth – as it happened

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as wholesale gas prices rise after disruption to supplies from Norway

European and Canadian central banks expected to cut interest rates this week

New lower rates of 3.75% and 4.75% respectively are likely to be introduced this week after drops in inflation

Debt payments by countries most vulnerable to climate crisis soar

Exclusive: level at highest in more than 30 years, say campaigners, who want ‘rapid and effective’ relief scheme

Immigration must be matched with investment in UK infrastructure to ease pressures

Net migration has benefits but has done nothing to address downward trend in per capita GDP

Starmer must introduce wealth tax after Labour wins election, top Blair aide says

Senior adviser who worked for Tony Blair and Gordon Brown says there is an ‘urgent imperative’ for a new government to address wealth inequality in Britain

Why Labour must adopt radical new tax policies – including on wealth and capital gains

The Brown-era adage ‘Prudence with a purpose’ could be the way to obtain the economic stability that has eluded every UK government since the 2008 financial crisis, say Colm Murphy and Patrick Diamond

Europe must splash the cash (and seize it) to save 2024

There is still an expensive war to fight, and if EU and UK politicians insist on using taxpayer funds for it, there will be little left to spend on public services

Finding a job in Ireland is easy. Finding a place to live is the hard bit

Dublin does not seem a fair city to those who move there to work but can’t afford a home. Ireland’s coalition government says it is acting on housebuilding, but bosses and staff say it must try harder

Is Rishi Sunak facing a repeat of John Major’s 1997 landslide defeat?

The two Tory PMs both told voters the economy had turned a corner – but there is little comparison now with 27 years ago