SCROLL NEWS / DISCOVERY
Search headlines
Find the stories shaping the conversation.
Results for " store " 2,708 found 🔀 AI-powered Shuffle
WATCH: Local business reopens after north Phoenix arson damages multiple storefronts
More than three months after police said a man set fire to a shopping center in north Phoenix, businesses are starting to recover and reopen.
Another retail chain closing all stores after 33 years in business
Another familiar name on high streets is disappearing as mounting financial pressure and fierce competition continue to reshape the retail industry. The company spent years trying to survive a market that has become increasingly unforgiving. After multiple insolvency proceedings, shrinking sales, ...
Loss of retail business raises concerns for Euclid City Council members
The recent closure of Burlington’s Coat Factory in Euclid is leaving some City Council members with questions regarding the state of retail businesses in the city. The store, which was located at 22400 Shore Center Drive, closed earlier …
Senior Walmart executives depart amid reshuffling under new CEO, WSJ reports
At least two senior Walmart executives - COO of warehouse chain Sam's Club, Tom Wardn and head of store operations for the retailer's U.S. business - are leaving, marking a major reshuffle under CEO John Furner, WSJ reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Forza Horizon 6 Races Toward Estimated 5M Sales and $325M in Week One Despite Game Pass Cannibalizing Some Sales
Forza Horizon 6 is reportedly nearing 5 million copies sold and $325 million in gross revenue in its first week on store shelves.
Health update on Dick Stoner; asking the community to send cards
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – Stoner’s Funstore provided a health update on its founder, Dick Stoner, in a Facebook post on Thursday. They are also asking the community to send cards to hel…
Vanderbilt's Candice Storey Lee named athletic director of year
Sports Business Journal cites extensive work on school's athletic facilities, as well as impressive sports results
James Bond Finally Returns in Action-Packed Trailer for Next Week's New Release
James Bond's official return is just one week away, with a stunning final trailer teasing what's in store for the super spy's next adventure.
Something Good: Tallahassee business surprised with brand-new pressure washer after recent theft
Hill Top Country Store is a popular stop for locals and travelers along U-90 is thankful for a gift from a community member after a recent theft.
$85.2 million gift from John and Tashia Morgridge will support Science Hall transformation
The historic building will undergo renovation starting in 2027 to restore its iconic exterior, modernize its interior to support learning and research.
Montana Tech captures 2025-26 George R. Bandy Memorial All-Sports Award
It was the fourth straight year that the Orediggers claimed the all-sports trophy. The Frontier Conference this year restored the award's original and complete title.
Republicans expected to abandon $1B security proposal for White House and Trump's ballroom
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican leaders on Thursday are expected to abandon a proposal for $1 billion in security money for the White House complex and President Donald Trump’s ballroom amid backlash from members of their own party. Pressured by the White House, Republicans tried to add the money to a roughly $70 billion bill to restore funding to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol. But the security proposal met with opposition
Republicans expected to abandon $1B security plan for White House and ballroom
Republicans have tried to add the money to a roughly $70 billion bill to restore funding to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol
Dark money group funds Nebraska initiative to limit sports participation to biological sex
Filings with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission show that Fairness for Girls raised $3.1 million in just two months from one single donor: A 501(c)(4) nonprofit called Restore the Good Life Inc.
EXCLUSIVE: World Health Assembly Votes To Suspend USA's Voting Rights, Restore Iran's
GENEVA – The World Health Assembly Committee B resolved to penalise the United States for outstanding dues, while restoring Iranian voting rights on Thursday. Officials announced the sudden payment of Tehran's outstanding debts just as the summit commenced, averting an immediate penalty.
Researchers say the Trump administration is finding new ways to punish science
Even with federal grants largely restored, scientists say the Trump administration is still preventing those funds from reaching them. The consequences, they say, are already becoming clear.
Soil science: How AI could help scientists secure a vital global resource
Soils store carbon, sustain ecosystems, and underpin global food and water systems. A new Frontiers in Science paper details how AI tools can help us adapt soils—and the systems they nurture—to a changing ...
Hidden in plain sight: Oregon’s illicit massage business boom
The storefronts can look like ordinary massage businesses, but advocates and prosecutors in Oregon say some are part of a broader human trafficking network.
Businesses betting on the future in St. Johns despite empty storefronts
Despite empty storefronts, St. Johns business owners see signs of growth and resilience as new shops and projects fuel hope for revival.
Xbox expands leadership team with major hires
Xbox has added two big names to its leadership team: Matthew Ball and Scott Van Vliet. The new recruits are part of an on-going drive from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma to move faster, build better products, and make more focused business decisions. The Game Business can reveal that Ball is joining as Chief Strategy Officer. He is a popular industry analyst who is responsible for the annual The State of Video Gaming report, which is widely read across the business. His first job will be to strengthen the console side of Xbox, which is facing significant pressures, not least from the rising costs of memory and storage. In an interview with The Game Business earlier in the year, he admitted he was “pretty frightened” by the situation for the console sector. Ball had previously worked as head of strategy and planning for Amazon Studios, and wrote the 2022 international best-seller The Metaverse. He is currently CEO of Epyllion, a venture partner at investment group Makers Fund and senior advisor at KKR & Co. Meanwhile, Scott Van Vliet joins as Chief Technology Officer. He was previously in charge of Azure OpenAI and AI Core infrastructure at Microsoft, and he also led engineering for Microsoft Teams during the COVID 19 pandemic. But he has a games background. He previously worked across games for Amazon, including Alexa, Amazon Game Studios and the Amazon App Store. He directly worked on the Minecraft: Fire TV Edition. Prior to that, he was VP of Digital Play at Mattel, and worked across brands such as Batman, Barbie, Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja and Cut The Rope. His job will be to improve how Xbox builds products so teams can move faster and deliver stronger results. For more breaking stories, sign-up to The Game Business today Subscribe In addition to these new hires, Xbox has promoted Chris Schnakenberg to Corporate Vice President, Partnerships & Business Development. He was previously VP of partnerships and business development, and joined from Activision Blizzard, where he spent 12 years in various strategy, business development and partner relations role. His focus is on third-party games, publishers and developers working with Xbox. The news follows a number of new hires and promotions earlier in the month, including Jason Ronald taking leadership over Xbox’s upcoming Project Helix console. “These changes are about strengthening our foundation by creating more clarity and improving execution,” Sharma said in an email to staff. “As we head toward Showcase and beyond, we’ll continue making the changes needed to position XBOX for the future.” Matthew Ball is speaking with Christopher Dring at The Game Business Live on Monday, June 8. More details on the event can be found here.
Xbox expands leadership team with major hires
Xbox has added two big names to its leadership team: Matthew Ball and Scott Van Vliet. The new recruits are part of an on-going drive from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma to move faster, build better products, and make more focused business decisions. The Game Business can reveal that Ball is joining as Chief Strategy Officer. He is a popular industry analyst who is responsible for the annual The State of Video Gaming report, which is widely read across the business. His first job will be to strengthen the console side of Xbox, which is facing significant pressures, not least from the rising costs of memory and storage. In an interview with The Game Business earlier in the year, he admitted he was “pretty frightened” by the situation for the console sector. Ball had previously worked as head of strategy and planning for Amazon Studios, and wrote the 2022 international best-seller The Metaverse. He is currently CEO of Epyllion, a venture partner at investment group Makers Fund and senior advisor at KKR & Co. Meanwhile, Scott Van Vliet joins as Chief Technology Officer. He was previously in charge of Azure OpenAI and AI Core infrastructure at Microsoft, and he also led engineering for Microsoft Teams during the COVID 19 pandemic. But he has a games background. He previously worked across games for Amazon, including Alexa, Amazon Game Studios and the Amazon App Store. He directly worked on the Minecraft: Fire TV Edition. Prior to that, he was VP of Digital Play at Mattel, and worked across brands such as Batman, Barbie, Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja and Cut The Rope. His job will be to improve how Xbox builds products so teams can move faster and deliver stronger results. For more breaking stories, sign-up to The Game Business today Subscribe In addition to these new hires, Xbox has promoted Chris Schnakenberg to Corporate Vice President, Partnerships & Business Development. He was previously VP of partnerships and business development, and joined from Activision Blizzard, where he spent 12 years in various strategy, business development and partner relations role. His focus is on third-party games, publishers and developers working with Xbox. The news follows a number of new hires and promotions earlier in the month, including Jason Ronald taking leadership over Xbox’s upcoming Project Helix console. “These changes are about strengthening our foundation by creating more clarity and improving execution,” Sharma said in an email to staff. “As we head toward Showcase and beyond, we’ll continue making the changes needed to position XBOX for the future.” Matthew Ball is speaking with Christopher Dring at The Game Business Live on Monday, June 8. More details on the event can be found here.
Teen curfew at Camp North End is impacting business, store owners say
Some store owners at Camp North End say the teen curfew is hurting business.
GTA 6 Price Mistakenly Appears on PlayStation Store For 16p
Whilst getting Grand Theft Auto 6 for the low price of 16p would be a bargain, the PlayStation Store listing appears to be an error.
Fells Point bar owner warns vacant storefronts signal strain on Maryland businesses
Sitting inside Max’s Taphouse in Fells Point, owner Gail Furman discusses the stretch of vacant spaces near one of Baltimore’s most recognizable bars.
A Centre Region Uni-Mart Closes After 30 Years
A State College area convenience store and gas station has closed after three decades in business. The Uni-Mart store and Exxon gas station at 3180 W.
Black leaders turn to collegiate sports in fight over Southern representation
The NAACP’s Out of Bounds campaign urges Black student athletes to avoid committing to top athletic programs in the South unless Black political power is restored.
Moving my dad into a nursing home improved both our lives
After years of caregiving stress, moving my father into long-term care restored his dignity and gave our family relief.
Fortnite Returns to the App Store Worldwide as Epic Signals 'Final Battle' With Apple
Fortnite is back on the App Store in every country except Australia, Epic Games announced today, as the company declared it is entering the "final battle" of its long-running legal dispute with Apple. Epic said the decision to push Fortnite back onto iOS globally was prompted by Apple's own words to the U.S.
"We see this as the beginning of the end of the Apple Tax worldwide" - Fortnite returns to the App Store globally as Epic prepares for "the final battle"
Epic gains the upper hand in its long-running battle with Apple over App Store costs. Fortnite returns to iOS worldwide (excl. Australia) as a result.
Steam Adds, Edits, and Removes Dozens of Store Tags
Steam has changed the official tags you'll find attached to games on Valve's digital storefront.
Steam's NSFW and Mature tags ditched by Valve in favour of "more descriptive" ones like Sexual Content and Gore, as part of wider revamp
Fresh changes by Valve to the Steam store's tags include NSFW and Mature being removed in favour of "more descriptive" ones.
China's hottest brands like Luckin, Pop Mart aim to win over Americans
From Luckin to Pop Mart, China's hottest companies are trying to become cool, build stores in the US, and sell directly to Americans.
Starbucks layoffs prompt renewed concern about Seattle business climate
The return of a bookstore, in the heart of what was once a thriving retail and dining district, should be a cause for celebration.
Crumbl Cookies Closes Chapel Hill Location After 3 Years In Business
The store, located in Suite 150 at 133 West Franklin St., first opened its doors in February of 2023. It was open for just over three years.
Notable San Francisco Designer’s Napa Valley Ranch for Sale
Ken Fulk's restored ranch property in St. Helena boasts a two-bedroom cottage, entertainment barn, tent bungalows and a “Cowboy Shack.”
Off-Strip outlet mall to add 9 new retailers this year
Las Vegas North Premium Outlets is adding nine new storefronts to its retail lineup. Some of the retailers are bringing their first outlet stores to the Las Vegas mall.
Memphis retailer Outdoors Inc. to close after 52 years in business
The store sold everything from paddling gear to skis, bikes and more. A going out of business sale is now active.
The Bronx to get first city-run grocery store, Mamdani says
The development will also include 740 units of affordable housing.
From Budapest to Princeton, Catholic scholars mobilize to reconnect faith and political life
CatholicPOST seeks to restore Catholic social doctrine to its rightful place in intellectual life and academic discussion.
Business News: Royal Pop Sales Resume After Launch Rush For Audemars Piguet X Swatch Collaboration Forced Store Closures
This weekend's Royal Pop launch ends in disappointment and frustration at more than a dozen Swatch boutiques globally.
GTA 6 Pre-Orders Set To Arrive Today As PS5 Store Updates Early
Reports claim six initial versions will be revealed.
Historic Entertainment Venues in Oxford, Valparaíso, and Osaka Reflect Growing Pressures on Cultural Infrastructure
Explore community-led efforts to restore historic theaters and preserve cultural heritage amid real estate pressure.
First Disney Store Limited Time Location Opening This Week
As Disney continues experimenting with smaller-scale retail concepts, the Disney Store is becoming a little easier to find in person.
Laramie County health and food inspections (5/8/26–5/14/26)
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department inspects restaurants, bars, convenience stores, delis, grocery stores, bed and breakfasts
Natrona County health and food inspections (5/8/26–5/14/26)
CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper-Natrona County Health Department inspects restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, mobile food units, commissaries and
Retailers are making expensive bets that shoppers still want to go to stores
The nation’s biggest retailers are pouring billions of dollars back into their stores, even as more sales move online, in an effort to lure more shoppers and raise employee efficiency.
The Bookies Bookstore suggests books on pups, murder and politics
The staff from the Denver bookstore recommends meditations on dogs, a deadly tourist trap and teenagers in political power.
Boston City Council ‘mean girl politics’ accusations fly amid $4.9B budget cuts battle
Boston City Councilor Erin Murphy decried “mean girl politics” after her latest late file order was blocked again by Councilor Sharon Durkan, this time delaying a hearing on ways to restore firefighter cancer screening funds.
Stores Baffled After Being Sent Boxes Of Rare Poop Slinger Game
Collectors, retailers and influencers alike attempt to figure out which end of the gift horse these mystery packages are coming from
Business Notes: Sheetz looks to open location near Williamsburg
Possible Sheetz coming, Tipsy Beans reopens and a new market is coming to Williamsburg.
Trump Returns From China With Little Progress to Reopen Hormuz
Iran said transit through the Strait of Hormuz will normalize once security conditions are restored, after US President Donald Trump returned from a visit to China with an agreed desire to reopen the critical maritime route but little in the way of a path to achieving it.
Scientists reversed memory loss by recharging the brain’s tiny engines
Researchers have shown for the first time that malfunctioning mitochondria — the cell’s energy generators — may directly cause cognitive decline in neurodegenerative diseases. By creating a new tool that temporarily boosts mitochondrial activity in the brain, scientists restored memory performance in mouse models of dementia. The discovery hints that energy failure inside neurons could happen before brain cells die, potentially offering a new target for future Alzheimer’s treatments.
Flower business proves "life-giving" for Lily of the Valley florist
Andrea Patten started arranging and selling bouquets as Lily of the Valley Floral just for fun. But just a few months into the venture, she’s selling bouquets at a local grocery store regularly and has done special orders for holidays and events. Patten told WTIP that she’s always enjoyed working with flowers, but never saw...
A dead mouse and live roaches: Latest Kansas City-area restaurant inspections
Restaurants and grocery stores around Kansas City had some of the most health code violations in the metro recently.
Walmart's online grocery delivery boom is stretching store workers
A relatively small Walmart rule change caused a big stir, highlighting the tension the surging e-commerce business is creating for retail workers.
NYC business owners oppose Mamdani’s city-run grocery stores: ‘It’s a concern’
Multicultural Business Coalition chairman Frank Garcia assesses New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s plan to open city-owned grocery stores on ‘The Bottom Line.’
Supreme Court rejects bid to restore Virginia congressional map favoring Democrats
In recent days, the justices have sided with Republicans in Alabama and Louisiana who hope to redo their congressional maps to produce more GOP-leaning seats following the court’s voting rights decision.
WATCH | Vehicle barrels through window of Mechanicsburg business
Business was booming at a Mechanicsburg trailer store on Thursday when a SUV came crashing through the building's window.
Apple Card Promo to Offer Free AirPods Pro 3
Starting as early as next week, customers who sign up for an Apple Card at Apple's retail stores in the U.S. will receive $249 cash back when they purchase AirPods Pro 3, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The promotion has yet to be officially announced by Apple, so exact terms and conditions are not available at this time. AirPods Pro 3 are priced at $249 in the U.S., so customers who sign up for an Apple Card will effectively get free AirPods Pro through this promotion.
NYC Council trying to ease storefront gate transparency law's impact on business
LEGO 2K Drive Is Being Delisted From Digital Storefronts Next Week
Just three years after release
Seesaw rulings on Texas’ smokeable hemp ban is bad for business, retailers say
Some smoke shops say the flurry of court actions since March 31 has already forced them to scale back hours, cut staff and prepare to shut down.
Chartbook 449: Voldemort on Threadneedle street. The Bank of England and the "haunted house" of English politics.
Imagine the scene: In some Harry Potter version of 21st-century London, a group of deathless UK Treasury officials gathered from across the last century huddle over warm pints and glasses of Chardonnay. Around the table there are officials from the 1920s, the 1930s, the 1970s, 2022 and today. Inevitably, in May 2026, the subject of conversation is the disintegration of the current Labour government. Despite its huge majority in parliament, it has been reduced to tatters by catastrophic local election result. These exposed the fact that rather than having a government with a clear popular majority, the UK is like most other modern societies divided into 5 segments each of which commands between 26 and 16 percent of the vote. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the leadership at Nos 10 and 11 Downing Street - where the Prime Minister and the Chancellor (Treasury Secretary) work - seem paralyzed. They are caught between mounting discontent over unfairness and the cost of living, and tough fiscal strictures that push them into making unpopular spending decisions. In the London pub, the Treasury officials from across the ages, can barely hide their satisfaction at the latest display of democratic politics caught in the vice-grip of financial logic. “Remember the mur d’argent and the banker’s ramp?” “Just like yesterday!” There are smirks around the table. Then the representative of 2026 pipes up: “One thing you have to say about the current lot (referring to the latest hapless Labour government), you don’t have to teach them about the bond market!” There is a murmur of ascent from the Treasury Mandarins. The trauma of the fiscal crisis of September-October 2022 sits deep. Back then, in the final stages of Tory decay, a ‘mini budget’ that challenged fiscal orthodoxy led to a brief but fierce panic in one of the oldest government bond markets in the world (aka gilt market). Now all you have to do is to mention the “bond market” to hush debate. [ Paul Mason@paulmasonnews In the name of public service, and as ex-economics editor of BBC Newsnight, I offer to do a zoom call, tonight, with any Labour MP who wants to understand why bond markets do not "fall into line" with governments. 1/ 3:57 PM · May 12, 2026 · 466K Views 224 Replies · 674 Reposts · 3.93K Likes ](https://x.com/paulmasonnews/status/2054229532404519082?s=20) “And the funny thing is”, the young man in the huddle continues, “they don’t even want to talk about … ”. There is a sudden hush. Significant looks are exchanged around the table. About? One of the senior figures puts down his glass with a decisive “clink”. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has entered their thoughts. Meanwhile, a few miles away in a grubby pub in Bloomsbury, two conspirators from the camp of Critical Macrofinance huddle over cans of low-alcohol IPA. They look at each other and blurt out loud: “The Bank!” “Everyone in the bloody Labour party is talking about the bond market. But why aren’t they even mentioning … the Bank of England!?” “Why is no one talking about Voldemort?” In Paul Mason’s blogpost, after much chest-thumping about basic fiscal logic, the basic point about the Bank of England is buried in the fine print at #3 in his list of suggestions as to what a radical Labour government might actually be able to do! [ Conflict & Democracy Down with the bond market! Down with gravity! It may seem unfair to focus on Labour MP Paula Barker for her off-the-cuff assertion that the bond market would have to “fall in line” with Andy Burnham, should he replace Keir Starmer as prime minister. But Burnham himself told the New Statesman that Labour had to “get beyond this thing of being in hock to the bond markets… Read more 2 days ago · 100 likes · 3 comments · Paul Mason ](https://htsf.substack.com/p/down-with-the-bond-market-down-with?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) Back in Bloomsbury they shake their heads and ask: “Didn’t we learn anything from the Eurozone crisis?” Meanwhile, as if summoned to the conversation by some higher force, the “pink pages” announce: “The days of ultra-cheap government borrowing have come to an end” and Martin “Whizzard” Wolf publishes the graph of the season Look at the UK in 2026, perilously positioned on the upper edge of the pack. No wonder no one in London needs any lessons about the “bond market”. But, look again. Imagine how they feel in Rome. What is London’s nightmare in 2026? The nightmare is that you end up like Italy in the early 2010s during the Eurozone crisis. Once comfortably situated in the middle of the pack, watching with horror as your ten-year yields explode to 7 percent and “spreads” become a national nightmare. One of the largest economies in Europe, a founding member of the euro, stigmatized. But the message of the Italian experience is ambiguous. After all, the stigma didn’t last. In 2026, Italy borrows at rates lower not only than the UK but the US. The US, which, as everyone knows, enjoys the “exorbitant privilege” of being the issuer of reserve, safe asets. What kind of magic is this? How did Italy, in the space of fifteen years, go from being good, to bad and back again? Which brings us back to our dissident friends in their Bloombury boozer and their memories of the Eurozone crisis. Italy never was Britain - with its ongoing fiscal deficits. Without interest payments, on primary balance, from 2000 to 2020 Italy ran a tight fiscal ship. Even in 2008 it barely went into deficit and when it was being put on the rack in the early 20210s its primary surplus matched that of austere Germany. So, what happened? How did it end up stigmatized? Of course Italian politics didn’t help. Berlusconi was at the helm and he had legal issues. But amongst friends in the Bloomsbury pub, Berlusconi is a sideshow, the name we whisper to each other is “Trichet”. From 2004 to 2011 the ECB was headed by Jean-Claude Trichet, ex of the French Treasury, more German than the Germans. After 2009 as the news of the Greek fiscal disaster broke, the European bond markets wento into panic mode and Trichet began a brutal game of cat and mouse. Between 2009 and 2011, Trichet intervened in the bond market to help, only when he thought he had compliance with austerity. When he thought they were uncooperative, he withdrew. In the summer of 2011, he even made direct suggestions to his Italian counterparts in Rome, as to how Italy should be governed. It was this cat and mouse game that drove the bond markets crazy and exposed Italy to a violent squeeze. When Mario Draghi took over the ECB at the end of 2011 and declared “whatever it takes”, the pressure on Italy, gradually eased. It is that starring role that has made Draghi into the towering figure in European politics that he remains today. So now you see why voices in London hush when it comes to the Bank of England. “The bond market” isn’t an irresistible objective force like the weather or an avalanche. It can appear like that. But that depends on the way it is being handled, or not handled by the central bank. Which is why the silence about the Bank of England in London right now is so significant. If you think this all sounds a bit fishy, coming from a left-liberal Keynesian like myself, well, let me introduce you to Robin Brooks, who, to put it mildly, plays on a different quidditch team to me. Here, from the position of a fiscal hawk is Robin’s celebratory account of the Bank of England’s role since 2022; In October 2022, at the height of the bond market blow-up in the UK, something incredible happened. Governor Andrew Bailey told British pension funds the Bank of England would end its support program for the country’s fragile gilt market, drawing a line under how much help the central bank was willing to give to exposed pension funds and - implicitly - the government. By the end of that week, Kwasi Kwarteng - the finance minister - had resigned. Prime Minister Liz Truss would soon follow. This episode is so incredible because it contrasts with what happened in the Euro zone earlier that year. Bond markets in Spain and Italy were under pressure amid high inflation and rising interest rates. In the middle of this, Mario Draghi - Italy’s Prime Minister - resigned, compounding pressure on bond markets of high-debt countries on the Euro periphery. Unlike the Bank of England, the ECB caved. It bought Italian and Spanish government bonds in an effort to cap yields and introduced a new tool that signaled to markets it might do such caps more frequently going forward. Faced with pressure on bond markets, the ECB capitulated to political pressure from high-debt countries like Italy and Spain. The Bank of England stood its ground and toppled the Truss government. This kind of thing has long-lasting consequences. It means markets price a higher probability of yield caps in the Euro zone, which keeps Italian and Spanish yields artificially low, while markets feel free to push up UK yields without fear of central bank intervention. As I flagged in yesterday’s post, this means you really can’t compare UK yields to those of other high-debt countries. The UK looks worse, but only because its central bank isn’t interfering with markets. There’s more to this than just that 2022 episode. The Bank of England has also been much more aggressive in its quantitative tightening (QT) than other central banks. If one motivation for quantitative easing (QE) is to lower bond yields - especially longer-dated ones - then it stands to reason QT pushes yields up. The left chart above shows a four-quarter moving average of UK government debt issuance (black line) in percent of GDP and which sectors absorb this issuance, including the Bank of England (blue bars). The right chart above compares the Bank of England’s accumulation or run-off of government bonds (blue line) with that of other central banks, where this blue line is the same as the blue bars in the left chart. The Bank of England was quicker and more aggressive than other central banks in downsizing its bond holdings, so UK yields will have risen more than elsewhere also for this reason, not just because of Governor Andrew Bailey’s remarks in October 2022. Back in October 2025, after a conversation in New York with friends in British politics, my sense of dysphoria was such that I raised the issue of the Bank of England openly in the FT Since 2008, the UK has slid into a deep economic and political predicament. Growth has stagnated to a degree far worse even than in the 1970s. The Tory leadership’s wager on the Brexit referendum spectacularly backfired, leaving the UK isolated from Europe and at the mercy of its special relationship with the US, many of whose political class regard the UK as a basket case. After years of austerity, the Labour party lurched to the left and then back to the centre. The Tory party has been eclipsed by the populist nationalism of Reform. Any British government should be worrying first and foremost about how to restart growth. Instead, Keir Starmer is beset by shades of the gilt market panic triggered by the Liz Truss government in 2022. The debt level is higher than in recent years, but there is no cause for panic. UK debt is at far from critical levels and of long duration. Whether you want to “take back control” or launch progressive economic policy, a democracy dogged by fear of bond market vigilantes is unhealthy. In a country that is a monetary sovereign, this climate points to one thing: a disconnect between the government and the central bank. Since 1997, the independence of the Bank of England has become a sacred cow. But independence is what you make of it. And in the wake of the gilt market crisis of September 2022, relations between the Bank of England and the UK government need a reset. In normal times, there is no doubt that an inflation-targeting independent central bank can serve a country well. But since 2008, the UK and other advanced economies have not had the luxury of such simple problems. To their credit, central bankers around the world have not stood on orthodoxy. After 2008, the US Federal Reserve rescued the global banking system and, through quantitative easing, it stabilised the Treasury market in the face of huge deficits. In Europe, things were trickier. Both the Bank of England under Mervyn King and Jean-Claude Trichet’s European Central Bank played cat and mouse with national governments. This was a high stakes wager that between 2010 and 2012 escalated bond market tension and triggered a disastrous turn to austerity. Shaken by the impact of those shocks, their successors, Mark Carney and Mario Draghi adopted a more protective stance (assuming you were not the government of Greece). Recall that Draghi’s legendary slogan, “Whatever it takes”, was uttered to face down the City of London’s bond vigilantes. In 2015, Draghi launched QE — financial repression by another name. In 2016, Carney used the authority of the Bank of England to stabilise markets following the vote for Brexit, an exemplary demonstration of how central banks can underpin democratic choice, even when those choices are wrong headed. All these were independent central bankers steeped in the best practice of the 1990s, who recognised that historic crises demanded radical action. It was the price surge of 2021-2023 that poisoned the atmosphere. Though the shock came mainly from the supply side, central banks ended up in the dock. Nowhere more so than in the UK. The Bank of England reacted with aggressive normalisation. Faced with a cost of living crisis, the governor called for workers to accept real wage cuts. In early 2022, as gas prices were at record levels and Russia’s army was poised to invade Ukraine, the Bank adopted a stringent programme of quantitative tightening, elevating interest rates. When the Truss government got itself in trouble, the Bank took almost a week to come to the rescue. Rather than enacting a charade of normality, it is time to recognise that in 2025 the UK faces a period of historic transition. To meet this challenge, what is needed is a new concordat with the Bank. This should not ignore inflationary pressures or the long-run trajectory of debt, but should affirm the priority of reviving investment-led growth. One could follow Donald Trump in demanding interest rate cuts. The Bank could shadow the ECB in its commitment to capping Eurozone yields. But the top priority should be to lay the ghost of September 2022. The Bank’s slowing of QT last month was a concession. An immediate and complete end would send the right signal. Such a concordat will not by itself restore sanity to politics, solve the housing problem or rebuild the NHS. But it would help to lift the fear of bond market crisis, which is paralysing the effort by democratic politicians to answer the fundamental questions facing the nation. Now, that call for a new concordat between government and Bank of Englands seems more urgent than ever. The problem is that in October 2025, Starmer still had some authority. Today the government is in tatters. And when you are the “under the harrow” - to echo a phrase of Montagu Norman’s from the 1920s - it is the worst possible time to consider institutional change. To make general arguments at a time of crisis can only seem like special pleading rather than a general argument for long-term change. The same, unfortunately, is also true for the other basic institutional reform that Britain urgently needs i.e. the abolition of the out-dated first past the post electoral system and its replacement by a moderated form of proportional representation. And thirdly - whilst we are saying the quiet parts out loud - Britain needs to reopen the question of EU membership. What the local election results of 2026 show is that this remains a key issue. And what they also show is that there is a clear majority that would favor a return. Until these basic features of Britain’s political economy are addressed the country will carry on its politics as though in a haunted house, governed by governments that lack actual majorities, conjuring up false constraints whilst ignoring the real ones. This one is for DG and MI. I love writing the newsletter. If you enjoy it too and fancy buying me a coffee once a month, you know what to do. Click below! Subscribe
Grand Forks business owner uses humor to address pothole problem
A Grand Forks business owner is using social media to make light of a pothole problem she says is affecting her store and surrounding businesses.
Richmond Buzz: Business by locals, for locals
The Richmond is buzzing with new business. In this Buzz, many have set out to make their storefronts as versatile as possible.
3 Biggest Storylines in Texans' Week 1 Opener vs. Bills
The Texans have a compelling first week of action in store this season.
Bradley's Country Store nears 100 years in business in the Miccosukee community
Bradley's Country Store in Miccosukee is turning 99, built on a sausage recipe from 1910 and three generations of family ownership.
ACPD investigating trio of robberies at Arlington businesses
Arlington County police are looking for suspects in three business robberies reported across the county on Tuesday. In each incident, suspects allegedly took merchandise from a retail store and either used force or made threats against employees, according to an Arlington County Police Department crime report. The first happened around 9:30 a.m. on the 4600
Walmart cutting or relocating about 1,000 corporate jobs
Walmart is reportedly cutting or relocating 1,000 corporate jobs as it simplifies its operating structure and pursues a tech-focused growth strategy.
Google may finally have a true Nest Hub successor in the works
A seemingly new device called the 'Google Home Display' has leaked, and we're excited for what might be in store.
Family-run business to hold grand reopening at former Bon-Ton location
A new tenant will soon breathe new life into a former department store in upper Bucks County.
Apple Explores Ways to Welcome AI Agents in the App Store
Apple is exploring ways to better incorporate AI agents into its App Store so it can benefit from the tech industry’s hottest trend while ensuring that the software in its store continues to play by its rules, according to people briefed on the matter. So far, the widespread embrace of agentic ...
Police investigating two burglaries at south Lincoln adult entertainment store
Police said a man wearing black clothes broke a window and entered Romantix off of S. 10th St, took several items and left.
Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II launches May 21
Strategy game sequel Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on May 21, publisher Kasedo Games and developer Bulwark Studio…
Lincoln adult entertainment store burglarized twice in less than a month
Lincoln police are investigating after an adult entertainment store was burglarized for the second time in nearly a month.
Colorado Democrat Jason Crow calls on House leadership to ban trading on prediction markets
U.S. Rep. Jason Crow on Monday joined a bipartisan call asking House Speaker Mike Johnson to adopt new rules banning the chamber’s lawmakers, their families and staff from participating in prediction markets, in a move the Aurora Democrat said can help restore public trust in Congress. The push comes less than two weeks after the […]
Fera Pets Launches Science-Backed Pet Supplements Into Petco End Caps Nationwide
Fera Pets, the premium veterinarian-founded pet wellness brand known for its science-driven formulations and rigorous quality standards, is expanding into Petco stores nationwide, bringing its clinically-formulated supplements to pet parents in a leading brick-and-mortar retail destination within the space.
Introducing Claude for Small Business
We're launching Claude for Small Business, a package of connectors and ready-to-run workflows that put Claude inside the tools small businesses use every day.
UC Irvine researchers invent a wearable sweat sensor for long-term health monitoring
Wireless, battery-free device restores its own sensing surface for continuous use
Android Adds Intrusion Logging for Sophisticated Spyware Forensics
Android Intrusion Logging stores encrypted forensic logs for 12 months, helping experts investigate spyware attacks on high-risk users.
Coffee Science: How to store coffee beans for freshest flavor at home
Starbucks coffee master and educator Lincoln Bechard explains why ‘airtight and away from light’ is the key to keeping coffee beans taste better longer.
Prices for these grocery items have spiked highest since the war began
The effects of the war in Iran are starting to show up in grocery stores.
How 'Seabird Sue' Blends Art and Science to Attract Birds Back to Lost Habitat
For the past decade, Sue Schubel has been making detailed decoys of terns, puffins and other seabirds to entice real ones to restored or new homes
Long-Awaited PS5 Adventure Game Hits PS Store Today
The long-awaited PS5 adventure game developed by a beloved adventure game studio is finally making its way to the PS Store today.
Scientists make old blood stem cells young again in major anti-aging breakthrough
As blood stem cells age, their lysosomes become overactive and damaged, triggering inflammation and weakening the body’s ability to regenerate healthy blood and immune cells. By calming this cellular “overdrive,” researchers restored the stem cells’ youthful function, dramatically boosting their ability to regenerate and produce balanced blood cells.
Oakland County water main break causes business closures
Most people could understand restaurants that require water for cooking and cleaning needed to be closed – but it was harder to understand why retail stores, and a music shop would have to be closed.
Chicago-area burglars target gaming machines in businesses: 'They're in and they're out'
Chicago police are searching for a group of suspects caught on camera smashing their way into a South Loop cannabis store early Monday.
What The Abortion Pill Case Could Mean For The Workforce And Healthcare
A federal appeals court said providers could no longer mail mifepristone anywhere in the country. SCOTUS temporarily restored access for mailing the drug until May 14th.
Jack Sutton closing luxury jewelry store after 4 decades inside New Orleans’ Canal Place
It's the latest departure from the high-end mall and another blow to Canal Street.
Virginia Officials Ask Supreme Court to Restore Voting Map Drawn by Democrats
State officials asked the justices to overturn a Virginia Supreme Court decision that struck down a congressional map, a major defeat for Democrats.
iRacing for Apple Vision Pro Now Available
iRacing is thrilled to announce the iRacing Connect app for Apple Vision Pro is now available on the App Store. The app facilitates connections between the world’s premier motorsport simulation and Apple Vision Pro, bringing the thrill of sim racing to an exciting new platform. iRacing for Apple Vision Pro utilizes foveated streaming to render … Read the Rest »
Yet another new Onn Streaming Stick passes through FCC approval
Walmart just released its new Onn 4K Stick and 2nd-gen Onn 4K Pro streaming devices. The retailer hasn't been able to keep up with demand, as it is difficult to find them in stock online or in stores, yet it's already moving ahead with another new model.
May Merch Store Updates
The second Unleashed Riot Merch store drawing is next week and we’re here with updates on it.
Fitbit Air vs. WHOOP Size Comparison
The Fitbit Air went up for pre-order last week and we're now all waiting to get one on the wrist as soon as possible. For some lucky folks who live near a physical Google Store, that can actually...
Retail Giants Spend Billions to Make Stores Look Nicer
Walmart, Target and Dollar General are among those investing in remodeling thousands of existing stores, even as shoppers take their dollars online.
New Haven County business openings add retail and restaurants
New Haven County business openings include new clothing stores and two Cheshire restaurants.
Starmer, fighting for his political life, pledges to bring Britain closer to Europe
The prime minister plans to use a speech on Monday to argue that he will “face up to the big challenges” and restore “hope” to the country.
"We currently only support Steam and EGS stores for PC": A major upcoming sequel ditches Xbox PC and Xbox Play Anywhere — is this an emerging trend?
Aliens: Fireteam Elite was a surprise win for Xbox PC and Play Anywhere a few years ago. The sequel has not only ditched Play Anywhere, but Xbox PC all up.
Buc-ee's set to debut in 6 new states in major expansion push across US
The popular Buc-ee’s chain is set to debut in six new states, bringing its oversized stores, clean restrooms and fuel hubs to more drivers nationwide.