N0S.Tech Market & Investing News Digest — May 18, 2026
Your daily curated roundup of investing, AI, fintech, and market news — brought to you by N0S News.
1. UK growth forecast upgraded by IMF but risks remain
Growth has been upgraded from 0.8% to 1% for 2026 in the influential body’s latest forecast.
2. Is the UK’s once favourite car coming back as an EV?
The company has announced plans to build seven new models in Europe including a small electric hatchback.
3. Tube strikes called off by RMT union
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union calls off a series of 24-hour strikes starting on Tuesday.
4. HS2 failings blamed on high-speed focus and political pressure
A new reviews confirms the high-speed rail line’s “original sins” include a technical design, changing political priorities and ballooning costs.
5. Global oil prices and bond yields rise after Trump warns Iran over stalled peace talks
Energy markets have been on a wild ride as the key Strait of Hormuz waterway remains effectively closed.
6. Why does Amazon have no Western rivals?
The internet giant dwarfs other online retailers on both sides of the Atlantic.
7. Robert paid £726 to skip the driving test waiting list. New laws mean others won’t be able to
The government is cracking down on third parties who use bots to buy tests and resell them at inflated prices.
8. Instant AI answers can trivialise human intelligence, warns Royal Observatory
Paddy Rodgers said the Observatory’s rich history showed the power of human knowledge and the need to avoid “dependence” on AI.
9. ‘They took £20,000 I didn’t owe’: Parents hit by child maintenance errors
John Hammond is one of 30 parents who told BBC Your Voice they’d experienced problems with the CMS.
10. Swatch stores close for second day after crowds
The launch of a new £335 pocket watch has drawn criticism after queues of shoppers built up again.
11. British Gas pays £20m over prepayment meter force-fitting scandal
The regulator say the energy supplier breached licence conditions aimed at protecting customers in vulnerable situations.
12. Beckhams become billionaires as Oasis make rich list for first time
The list is based off the paper’s estimates of the minimum wealth of Britain’s 350 richest people or families.
13. Heathrow rival could lead expansion, watchdog says
The aviation watchdog is considering new rules for Heathrow ahead of its possible expansion.
14. X pledges quicker action on hate and terror content in the UK
Ofcom said the commitments were of particular importance after recent crimes targeting Jewish communities in the UK.
15. Trump and Xi conclude ‘very successful’ talks but few deals confirmed
There were plenty of choreographed ceremonies but no trade breakthroughs after the two-day visit.
16. UK borrowing costs rise and pound falls as leadership drama continues
Analysts say the moves have been fuelled by concerns a Burnham-led government would increase government borrowing.
17. Claim, counter-claim and tech’s seedy side exposed: Five things we learned in the Musk-Altman trial
As the jury deliberates, this is what we found out during the weeks-long trial with two tech titans at its heart.
18. US hotel owners expected a World Cup boom - so far it hasn’t happened
An industry body survey found hotels in World Cup host cities see the tournament as a “non-event”.
19. AI could put people off tech jobs and hurt the economy, warns Raspberry Pi boss
Eben Upton warns against claims that Artificial Intelligence will destroy vast numbers of computing roles over the coming years.
20. India’s Adanis agree to pay $18m to settle civil fraud case in the US
The US securities regulator had accused the Adanis of paying bribes and misleading investors, which they denied.
21. Why Modi wants Indians to buy less gold and take fewer foreign holidays
Modi has urged Indians to save dollars as war and oil shocks strain the rupee and economy further this year.
22. Faisal Islam: Six things we now know about the UK economy in charts
The UK economy is showing resilience – it’s worth diving into the data in more detail to understand why.
23. UK economy sees surprise growth in March despite Iran war
The economy grew by 0.3% in the month, official figures show, confounding analysts’ forecasts of a small contraction.
24. Honda makes its first annual loss in 70 years
The firm will now pivot away from scrapping its target for all of its vehicles to be electric by 2040.
25. Warning higher Europe air fares ‘inevitable’ due to Iran war
Flying by air will get more expensive as oil prices remain high, says international industry body boss.
26. HMRC to use AI from British tech firm to spot fraud and tax return errors
Quantexa, a financial data platform, won the £175m contract to spot fraud and tax return errors.
27. Woman in bank row over depositing £900 HMRC cheque
Annabel Yates says she faces a 94 mile round trip to bank a cheque because of changes at Lloyds.
28. Rise in solar panel sales as people ‘want to save money’
One director, who has just bought 2,000 panels, hopes to safeguard the company’s future bills.
29. Inside the secretive and lucrative world of orchid breeding
It can take a decade to bring a new orchid to market, so breeders keep their hi-tech processes secret.
30. Smart glasses are ‘an invasion of privacy’ - Meta’s are selling better than ever
The biggest tech firms are set to sell millions of smart glasses despite growing privacy concerns.
31. Big tech bets on new mascots in bid to seem more cuddly
The likes of Apple, Microsoft and Google are all putting cartoon characters centre stage.
32. Not so dusty: How tech is changing woodworking
Woodworking shops have been transformed by tech to make tools safer and more precise.
33. Cyber-crime increasingly coming with threats of physical violence
While hackers used to sneak into computer systems, intimidation of staff is now more common.
34. How Sir David Attenborough built ‘Green Hollywood’
The city is responsible for 80% of the world’s natural history TV shows.
35. How sunburn inspired a new way to store energy
Molecules that can capture heat could be a useful technology to decarbonise heating.
36. Gulf economies face long-term hit from Iran conflict
Commentators say it will take years or even decades to repair the damage.
37. Robots move in as waste firms struggle to find staff
Humanoid robots are being added to the automation of waste sorting.
38. Will AI lead to more accurate opinion polls?
It’s cheaper and faster to collect people’s opinions using AI, but will it make polls more accurate?
39. ‘Vicious circle of rising costs is fuelling crisis for traders’
“Dried apricots 12 months ago were £35 for a 12kg box, now they’re £100 a box,” says cheesemonger.
40. ‘We need working-class voices to enrich culture’
Northumberland journalist Kate Pasola says there is a need to break down socioeconomic barriers.
41. How can the PM improve the lives of Londoners?
The BBC Politics London show asks three bodies which policies could improve Londoners’ lives.
42. ‘Not having a proper funeral left me with painful memories’
Ed Cullen says his mum had an unattended cremation which saved money but was “devastating” for him.
43. Cost of living concerns in St Helier Central
The BBC has heard concerns about poverty and cost of living from St Helier Central voters.
44. The threat to summer holidays looming from jet fuel shortages
What impact might shortages have on our summer holidays - and what could be done about it?
45. Scammers are becoming ever more sophisticated - this is what the fightback looks like
Scams have exploded over the last few years. Can countries and companies come together to turn the tables on the scammers?
46. The £5.30 orange juice that tells the story of why supermarket prices are sky high
Butter, chocolate, coffee and milk have all seen prices rocket. Tracing back through the story of one particular supermarket staple begins to explain why
47. Prepare for turbulence - how a prolonged Middle East conflict could reshape how we fly
The Gulf’s hub airports made long-distance travel cheaper - but now their future looks unclear.
48. Sir John Curtice: Why Labour’s Brexit focus has shifted from Leavers to Remainers
Will the pursuit of a closer relationship with the EU risk courting electoral disaster by alienating Brexit-backing voters?
49. Watch: What was argued at the Musk-Altman trial?
It’s the jury’s turn to deliberate in the showdown over OpenAI that has pitted two of the biggest names in tech against each other.
50. Major police operation targets drug and knife crime
West Midlands Police brings Operation Fearless to Handsworth.
51. Changes to PIP payments
Finance expert Laura Pomfret explains to PIP payments.
52. The Food Chain
How batch cooking can save time, money and food waste
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