Barclays cuts 5,000 jobs as profits jump ahead of looming bank tax; French bond yields hit fresh 24-year high – business live
Posted on Thursday October 22, 2026

UK bank says 1,000 job cuts already done with a further 4,000 to go before year end, driven by advances in AI, described as ‘icing on the cake’ by Barclays boss

• You be the chancellor: play our budget game to see if you can balance the books

• Maritime and port workers: how is the Middle East conflict affecting you?

The French 10-year government bond yield has risen above the equivalent US Treasury yield for the first time since 2013.

The French yield, or interest rate, jumped 10 basis points to 5.09% this morning, while the 10-year US Treasury yield fell 4bps to 5.07%.

I am disappointed and you can be sure this will get my attention.

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Oil prices jump to five-month high as attacks threaten global supply
Posted on Thursday October 22, 2026

Iran’s IRGC says it hit four vessels in the northern Gulf and three more struck mines near the strait of Hormuz

• Shipping workers: how is the Middle East conflict affecting you?

• Business live – latest updates

Oil prices jumped to a five-month high on Thursday after ​attacks in Saudi Arabia and hits to tankers in the strait of Hormuz threatened further disruptions to the world’s crude supply.

Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil prices, rose by 3% to hit $112 a barrel for first time since 18 May.

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Meta strikes deal with Zuckerberg to protect him from California wealth tax
Posted on Thursday October 22, 2026

Company says deal will keep its chief executive living in California even if state brings in one-off billionaire tax

• Business live – latest updates

Meta has struck a deal with Mark Zuckerberg to protect him from the threat of a California wealth tax targeting billionaires.

The social media company behind Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp revealed on Wednesday night that the arrangement would keep its chief executive living in California, where its headquarters are located.

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Save high street by taxing online sales at higher rate, Burnham urged
Posted on Thursday October 22, 2026

Exclusive: British Chambers of Commerce president tells PM to ‘level the playing field’ for struggling high streets

• How Middleton’s revival could be grist to the mill for Britain’s struggling towns

Andy Burnham has been urged by one of his most senior former advisers to tax internet sales at a higher rate than those in physical shops to help “level the playing field” for struggling high streets.

As the prime minister and his chancellor, John Healey, prepare for their first budget next week, Andy Haldane joined calls for them to take action to stop the shutters coming down on growing numbers of shops across the UK.

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Flaw in PHP computer language leads to shutdown of websites around world
Posted on Thursday October 22, 2026

Precautionary takedowns come as experts say bad actors could exploit vulnerability in language used by 70% of sites

Websites around the globe have gone dark after a serious vulnerability was found in a computer language used to build much of the world wide web.

Belgian, Dutch, Finnish, French and German sites were among those that governments took down temporarily as they scrambled to patch the critical weakness in PHP, a language used by almost 70% of websites.

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Meta ordered to pay $25bn to New Mexico in Cambridge Analytica data-privacy case
Posted on Wednesday October 21, 2026

Jury had found Meta misled consumers after Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign obtained user data without consent

A judge in New Mexico ordered Meta Platforms to pay $25bn on ⁠Wednesday after a jury found the company had misled consumers in a case arising from allegations that a political consulting firm involved in Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign obtained data from millions of Facebook users ⁠without their consent.

“Facebook’s wrongdoing – ⁠over the course of ​years and systematically broadcast to the public – goes to the heart of Facebook’s core business practices,” Judge Francis Mathew wrote in his order following the verdict.

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England v Sri Lanka: men’s tri-series cricket one-day international – live
Posted on Thursday October 22, 2026

• Updates from Rawalpindi, play starts at 9am BST

• Does cricket need a Ballon d’Or? | Mail Rob

3rd over: England 5-0 (Banton 2, Duckett 3) Duckett survives a run-out chance after taking a quick single on the off side. He was just short of his ground when Arachchige’s throw bounced past the stumps at the bowler’s end.

Another quiet over, with only one big stroke from Banton that didn’t beat the cover fielder. Sri Lanka have bowled an excellent length and England look like they want to get the measure of the pitch before they unsheath the long handle.

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South Africa v Australia: second men’s cricket Test, day five – live
Posted on Thursday October 22, 2026

• Updates as the Proteas host Australia in Gqeberha

• Play starts after rain forces early lunch

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“At risk of overcooking the Shield chat,” writes Eamonn Maloney, “you don’t have to select from a bunch of mediocrities averaging 35 when it’s early in the season and the small sample size is inflating averages. Made a big ton? In you go son!”

If they had more than four days between matches, you might be right, the emergency calls may be going out. Though on the other hand, the current regime is happy to ignore Shield cricket completely when they feel the vibe is more compelling: Maddinson, Connolly.

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