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Steve Wright: The 'cruel' serial killer who hated women
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BBC News

The Economic Cost of Serial Killer Steve Wright's Crimes

An analysis of the massive financial fallout from Steve Wright's crimes, detailing the multi-million pound police investigation and the long-term economic impac

  • LONDON – The 2008 conviction of Steve Wright for the murder of five women in Ipswich brought a close to a chapter of immense human tragedy. But for economists and public finance analysts, it marked the beginning of a decades-long financial reckoning. While the headlines focused on the "cruel" nature of the crimes, a parallel story unfolded on public and private ledgers—one of staggering costs, economic disruption, and a financial shadow that lingers over the Suffolk region to this day. The case serves as a stark case study in the profound economic consequences of major crime, with total costs, both direct and indirect, estimated to run into the tens, if not hundreds, of millions of pounds over the long term.
  • Unprecedented Scale: At its peak, the investigation involved over 500 officers from more than 30 different police forces across the UK. The cost of salaries, overtime, accommodation, and inter-force support payments quickly escalated into the millions.
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Gianni Infantino: Fifa president apologises for comments about British football fans
© BBC News
BBC News

Fifa's Infantino Apologises to British Fans for Comments

Fifa President Gianni Infantino issues a formal apology for calling British football fans "criminals" in comments made at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

  • LONDON – Fifa President Gianni Infantino has issued a formal apology for controversial remarks targeting British football supporters, a move that comes amid escalating tensions between world football's governing body and fan groups over the spiralling cost of attending major tournaments. The apology, delivered in a televised interview, attempts to quell a firestorm ignited by comments that stereotyped English fans as "criminals" who "riot around the world."
  • The Controversial Statement: In his initial comments, Infantino was reported to have said English people "just go and riot around the world" at football matches, referring to them as "criminals." These remarks were widely interpreted as a crude and outdated stereotype, ignoring decades of progress in fan safety and culture.
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Ford Denies Collaboration With Chinese EV Maker. Tesla Stock Is Dropping Anyway.
© Yahoo Finance
Yahoo Finance

Ford Denies China EV Deal as Tesla Stock Drops on Fears

Ford refutes rumors of a partnership with a Chinese EV maker for a low-cost platform, yet the news rattles investors, causing Tesla's stock to decline.

  • NEW YORK – Ford Motor Company on Tuesday moved swiftly to quash rumors of a potential collaboration with a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer for its next-generation, low-cost EV platform. Despite the firm denial, the market tremor it created sent a clear signal, rattling investors and dragging down Tesla’s stock in a stark illustration of Wall Street’s growing anxiety over the specter of Chinese competition in the U.S. auto market.
  • Official Stance: A Ford spokesperson stated, "We are not in collaboration with any Chinese automaker for our low-cost EV platform. Our internal teams are leading this development. We are committed to delivering a profitable, breakthrough electric vehicle for the American consumer, and we will do it on our own terms."
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Aptiv Earnings Were Solid. What They Mean for the Stock.
© Yahoo Finance
Yahoo Finance

Aptiv's Solid Q4 Earnings: What This Means for the Stock

Aptiv's Q4 results beat Wall Street forecasts with strong revenue and EPS, highlighting its success in high-growth areas like electrification and connectivity.

  • Earnings Per Share (EPS): Aptiv reported an adjusted EPS of $1.86. This figure narrowly surpassed the Wall Street consensus estimate of $1.85, demonstrating the company's ability to protect its profitability.
  • Revenue: Quarterly sales reached $5.2 billion, a figure that comfortably beat the projected $5.1 billion. This nearly 2% revenue beat is significant in a high-volume, tight-margin industry and indicates healthy order flow and market share.
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Business

Financial news and market updates

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Beat the Market the Zacks Way: Five Below, Novo Nordisk, Ekso in Focus
© Yahoo Finance
Yahoo Finance

Zacks' Top Stock Picks: Five Below, Novo Nordisk, Ekso

Discover how Zacks' quantitative, earnings-focused approach helps identify top-performing stocks like Five Below and Ekso in a volatile market.

  • The Zacks Rank: This is a short-term rating system, most effective for a one- to three-month holding period. It categorizes stocks from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell). A high rank indicates that analysts are positively revising their earnings estimates for the company, a signal that has historically been correlated with near-term stock price appreciation.
  • The Zacks Recommendation: This system provides a longer-term outlook, aiming to predict a stock's performance over the next six to 12 months. Similar to the Rank, its foundation is built upon trends in earnings estimates, providing a more strategic, forward-looking perspective.
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European stocks rise as oil tumbles, while tech worries weigh on New York
© Yahoo Finance
Yahoo Finance

European Stocks Rise as Oil Falls; US Tech Worries Weigh

European stocks rally as a sharp drop in oil prices boosts sentiment, while Wall Street falters due to renewed concerns over technology sector valuations.

  • LONDON/NEW YORK – Global markets presented a fractured picture on Monday as a sharp drop in oil prices, fueled by hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough between the U.S. and Iran, propelled European stocks higher. In stark contrast, Wall Street struggled for direction, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq faltering under the weight of renewed concerns about stretched valuations in the artificial intelligence sector.
  • Economic Relief: For the energy-importing economies of Europe, lower crude prices act as a de facto tax cut for consumers and reduce operational costs for key industries like manufacturing, logistics, and airlines. This boosts investor sentiment by alleviating inflationary pressures and improving the outlook for corporate margins.
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Exchange-Traded Funds, Equity Futures Lower Pre-Bell Monday Amid Precious Metals Downturn
© Yahoo Finance
Yahoo Finance

Stock Futures, ETFs Fall as Precious Metals Slump

U.S. equity futures and major ETFs are lower pre-market, driven by a sharp downturn in precious metals and a stronger dollar amid rate hike concerns.

  • NEW YORK – U.S. equity futures pointed to a lower open on Monday, with major exchange-traded funds following suit, as a sharp downturn in precious metals markets and a resurgent U.S. dollar signaled a broad risk-off sentiment to start the week. The move reflects investors recalibrating their expectations for Federal Reserve policy in the face of a resilient economy, pushing bond yields higher and creating significant headwinds for both commodities and rate-sensitive growth stocks.
  • Equity Futures: As of 7:30 a.m. ET, futures tied to the S&P 500 were down approximately 0.6%. Nasdaq 100 futures, which are heavily weighted toward technology and growth stocks, indicated a steeper decline of around 0.8%, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were tracking a 0.4% loss.
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Wall Street Set to Open Lower Monday as Investors Await Major Tech Earnings
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Yahoo Finance

Wall Street Opens Lower Ahead of Major Tech Earnings

U.S. stocks are set for a lower open as investors cautiously await crucial earnings reports from major tech companies after the S&P 500's worst week in a year.

  • NEW YORK – Wall Street is bracing for a pivotal week, with U.S. stock futures pointing to a lower open on Monday as investors adopt a cautious stance ahead of a deluge of earnings from the market's most influential technology titans. The nervous sentiment follows a punishing period for equities that saw the S&P 500 log its worst weekly performance in over a year, raising the stakes for corporate results to either justify lofty valuations or trigger a deeper market correction.
  • This Week's Focus: The market's direction will be dictated by the interplay of corporate earnings, key inflation data, and evolving geopolitical risks. A strong showing from tech could reignite the rally, while disappointments could confirm fears that the market has gotten ahead of itself.
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Tesla Stock Falls. Ford Could Help Bring Chinese EVs to America.
© Yahoo Finance
Yahoo Finance

Tesla Stock Falls as Ford Eyes Chinese EVs for U.S.

Tesla (TSLA) stock drops on reports that Ford may partner with Chinese EV makers like BYD to bring low-cost electric vehicles to the U.S. market.

  • NEW YORK – Tesla (TSLA) shares declined in early trading Monday following a report that rival Ford Motor Co. is exploring a landmark collaboration with Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, a move that could dramatically reshape the American EV landscape and intensify competitive pressure on the market leader. The development underscores a potential strategic pivot by a legacy U.S. automaker to leverage China's advanced, low-cost EV ecosystem to challenge Tesla's domestic dominance.
  • Cost and Scale: Chinese EV makers, particularly BYD, have achieved immense economies of scale and have pioneered cost-effective battery and manufacturing technologies. Partnering would allow Ford to access this efficiency without bearing the full cost of development.
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Politics

Political news and analysis

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Scottish government confirms it will not back prostitution offences bill
© BBC News
BBC News

Scottish Gov Rejects Prostitution Bill Over Safety Fears

The Scottish Government will not support the Prostitution Offences Bill, citing grave concerns that criminalising the purchase of sex could increase violence.

  • EDINBURGH – The Scottish Government has confirmed it will not support a controversial Member's Bill aimed at criminalising the purchase of sex, dealing a significant blow to a legislative effort that sought to fundamentally reshape Scotland's laws on prostitution. The decision, which effectively stalls the bill's progress, was communicated in a letter to Holyrood's Criminal Justice Committee, citing grave concerns that the proposed law could inadvertently increase the risk of violence against sex workers.
  • Support for the Principle: The government agrees with the core tenet of the so-called "Nordic Model," which targets demand for paid sex rather than the individuals who sell it. This signals a continued appetite for policy reform in this area.
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Tulip Siddiq given jail sentence as Labour criticises process
© BBC News
BBC News

UK MP Tulip Siddiq Sentenced to Jail in Bangladesh

British MP Tulip Siddiq has been sentenced to jail in absentia by a Bangladeshi court. The Labour Party condemns the verdict as politically motivated.

  • LONDON – A British Member of Parliament has been handed a jail sentence by a court in Bangladesh, a move the UK's Labour Party has condemned as a politically motivated attack devoid of due process. Tulip Siddiq, the MP for Hampstead and Kilburn and a prominent member of the Labour frontbench, was tried in absentia in Dhaka, escalating concerns over the politicisation of the judiciary in the South Asian nation and creating a delicate diplomatic situation for the UK government.
  • The Sentence: Ms. Siddiq was sentenced to three years in prison. The court also issued a warrant for her arrest, which would be enforceable if she were to travel to Bangladesh.
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Faisal Islam: Mandelson, Darling and the conversation I can't forget
© BBC News
BBC News

Dimon's Davos Threat to UK Over Post-Crisis Rules

Faisal Islam reveals a tense showdown where JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon threatened UK ministers over banking regulations and debt after the 2008 financial crisis.

  • Sovereign Debt as a Weapon: The JPMorgan chief reportedly questioned the wisdom of his bank's significant holdings of UK government debt (gilts). He is said to have "wondered if that was now such a good idea," a thinly veiled threat that his institution could dump UK bonds or cease being a reliable buyer, a move that would have rattled markets and increased borrowing costs for the British government at a moment of extreme vulnerability.
  • Investment on the Line: Mr. Dimon directly linked his bank's future investment in the UK to the government's policy agenda. He stated that JPMorgan was "thinking of building a new office in London but they had to reconsider that now." This put a tangible, multi-billion-dollar investment and thousands of potential jobs on the line, targeting the heart of London's status as a global financial centre.
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The House races to end shutdown. And, Trump wants to close Kennedy Center for 2 years
© NPR News
NPR News

Gov't Shutdown Persists; Trump Targets Kennedy Center

A government shutdown over immigration policy furloughs workers while President Trump adds controversy by proposing a two-year closure of the Kennedy Center.

  • WASHINGTON – A high-stakes political standoff over immigration policy has plunged parts of the federal government into a partial shutdown, furloughing thousands of workers and injecting fresh volatility into the nation’s capital. As lawmakers race to find an off-ramp, President Trump has ignited a new firestorm with a proposal to close the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for two years, compounding the financial and political pressures on one of the nation’s premier cultural institutions.
  • The Impasse: Senate Democrats refused to approve funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) without commitments from Republicans to negotiate on immigration enforcement reforms. This move elevates the policy dispute into a direct confrontation over the government's operational budget.
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Starmer believes Mandelson 'should not be member of Lords'
© BBC Politics
BBC Politics

Starmer Calls for Mandelson's Removal from House of Lords

PM Keir Starmer has declared that Lord Peter Mandelson should not be in the House of Lords, a stark public rebuke signaling a break from the New Labour era.

  • LONDON – In a move that signals a definitive and potentially ruthless break with the New Labour era, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has declared that Lord Peter Mandelson, a principal architect of the party's past successes, should no longer sit in the House of Lords. The stark statement, delivered by the prime minister's official spokesman, represents an unprecedented public rebuke of a Labour grandee and escalates the new government's push for political and constitutional reform.
  • The Bottom Line: This is not a policy announcement but a direct political statement. Starmer is using the authority of his office to publicly delegitimise a key figure from Labour's past, framing him as incompatible with the government's new ethical and political direction.
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Finance

Banking and investment news

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Aptiv Reports Solid Earnings. Here’s What’s Hurting the Stock.
© Yahoo Finance
Yahoo Finance

Aptiv (APTV) Q4 Earnings Beat, Stock Falls on Outlook

Aptiv PLC (APTV) beat Q4 earnings and revenue forecasts, but the stock dropped. Find out why a cautious 2024 outlook is weighing on investor sentiment.

  • DUBLIN – Automotive technology supplier Aptiv PLC delivered fourth-quarter results that narrowly surpassed Wall Street's expectations, a testament to its operational execution in a complex market. Yet, the company's stock fell in early trading, as investors looked past the solid finish to 2023 and focused on a more cautious outlook for the year ahead, reflecting broader anxieties about a global slowdown in electric vehicle demand and persistent economic headwinds.
  • Earnings Per Share: The company reported adjusted earnings of $1.86 per share, just ahead of the $1.85 per share consensus estimate.
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Stock Market Today: Dow Futures Steady; Disney, Palantir, Oracle, Tesla Are Early Market Movers (Live Coverage)
© Yahoo Finance
Yahoo Finance

Stock Market Today: Dow Futures Flat; Disney, Tesla Move

Stock market futures are mixed as investors await key inflation data. See early pre-market movers including Disney, Palantir, Oracle, Tesla, and Dow futures.

  • NEW YORK – U.S. stock futures were mixed in early pre-market trading Monday as investors braced for a pivotal week of inflation data, with a palpable sense of caution tempering market enthusiasm. While Dow futures held steady, contracts tied to the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 edged lower, signaling a potential risk-off start to the week as major indexes hover near critical technical support levels.
  • Inflation Watch: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) reports, due later this week, are the main events. Any signs of re-accelerating inflation could dampen hopes for a Fed rate cut in the first half of the year and apply further pressure to equities.
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Faisal Islam: Mandelson, Darling and the conversation I can't forget
© BBC Business (Finance)
BBC Business (Finance)

Dimon's 2008 Threat to UK Govt Revealed by Faisal Islam

Faisal Islam reveals a tense 2008 meeting where JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon confronted UK ministers Mandelson & Darling, threatening to pull investment over policy.

  • LONDON – In the crucible of the 2008 global financial crisis, as governments scrambled to prevent a systemic collapse, a private conversation laid bare the raw power dynamics between a sovereign nation and the titans of global finance. A newly surfaced account from senior journalist Faisal Islam reveals a moment of intense pressure, where JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon confronted two of Britain's most senior ministers, Peter Mandelson and Alistair Darling, with a stark choice regarding the future of his bank's investment in the UK.
  • Government Under Pressure: Alistair Darling, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Peter Mandelson, as Business Secretary, were at the heart of the UK's response. They had nationalised Northern Rock and orchestrated bailouts for RBS and Lloyds Banking Group. Public debt was soaring to fund these interventions.
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Free baby bundles sent to newborn parents but some miss out
© BBC Business (Finance)
BBC Business (Finance)

Welsh Baby Bundle Scheme Faces 'Postcode Lottery' Scrutiny

Wales' 'Cwtsh Cymru' baby bundle scheme is under fire. A phased rollout means some new parents miss out, sparking debate on its cost vs. childcare funding.

  • LONDON – A flagship Welsh Government initiative to provide free "baby bundles" to all new parents is facing scrutiny over its staggered rollout and its economic effectiveness, as critics argue the funds could be better used to tackle the "frightening cost of childcare."
  • What's in the box: Each bundle contains a curated selection of items, with an estimated value of over £150. They are designed to support a baby's first weeks and months and include products from Welsh businesses where possible.
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Zacks.com featured highlights include Harmony Biosciences, Universal Health Services, Concentrix and Global Payments
© Yahoo Finance
Yahoo Finance

Zacks Highlights HRMY, UHS, Concentrix & Global Payments

Zacks.com highlights Harmony Biosciences, Universal Health Services, Concentrix & Global Payments as top stocks based on strong cash flow in a mixed market.

  • CHICAGO, Feb. 2, 2026 – As investors grapple with a mixed market and renewed concerns over the technology sector's growth trajectory, a focus on fundamental value is re-emerging as a key defensive strategy. Amid this cautious sentiment, an analysis by Zacks.com highlights four companies—Harmony Biosciences, Universal Health Services, Concentrix, and Global Payments—as compelling opportunities based on a rigorous screening process that prioritizes strong cash generation, a metric often considered more reliable than earnings.
  • Why it matters: A low P/CF ratio suggests a stock may be undervalued relative to its ability to generate cash. This cash can be used to pay down debt, fund operations, reinvest for growth, weather economic downturns, and ultimately return capital to shareholders.
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