N0S.Tech Market & Investing News Digest — May 19, 2026
Your daily curated roundup of investing, AI, fintech, and market news — brought to you by N0S News.
1. Petrol hits highest price since start of Iran war
The average price of unleaded has risen to 158.52p a litre, according to the RAC, who warn that it could rise further in the coming weeks.
2. Swatch boss says crowds are ‘good news’ after watch launch sparks chaos
Nick Hayek Jr says the pocket watch launch saw “overcrowding like hell” at a small number of its UK stores.
3. HS2 costs could top £100bn and trains will be slower than first planned
The new cost range and train speed are being announced as a “reset” of the delayed, over-budget and vastly scaled-back project is carried out.
4. UK unemployment rate unexpectedly rises
The number of UK job vacancies also fell to its lowest level in five years as the initial impact of the Iran war on businesses starts to be seen.
5. Robo-top: The machines that could make your next t-shirt
Most clothes are made in Asia, but new machines could bring some of that work back to the West.
6. Elon Musk has lost yet another legal battle. Why he’ll still keep fighting
Musk has lost his high-profile lawsuit against OpenAI, but is not likely to change his aggressive style.
7. Son of Mango boss arrested over father’s fatal fall from cliff
Isak, 71, died in December 2024 after falling from a ravine while walking in the Montserrat mountains near Barcelona.
8. Faisal Islam: Burnham seeks to calm markets by committing to fiscal rules
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is looking to manage the markets as well as the Makerfield byelection
9. Musk loses OpenAI court battle after jury finds he waited too long to sue
Jurors spent weeks hearing about Musk’s claim that Altman had “stolen a charity.”
10. Starbucks Korea sacks CEO over controversial ‘Tank Day’ promotion
Starbucks withdrew the campaign for its drink tumblers after many said it referenced a bloody crackdown.
11. New High Street crime unit to target gangs fronting shops after BBC investigation
It follows BBC News exposing drug gangs, money laundering, immigration crime, and ghost directors linked to shop fronts.
12. Standard Chartered to cut thousands of roles as AI use increases
The UK-headquartered banking giant aims to move some of the effected workers to other roles in the business.
13. Oil price slumps as Trump says he called off Iran attacks
Energy markets have been on a wild ride as the key Strait of Hormuz waterway remains effectively closed.
14. PlayStation Plus to raise monthly subscription fee
The video game firm says the increase is due to “ongoing market conditions”.
15. 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.
16. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt booed by graduates at mention of AI
The reaction underscores a growing anxiety among students over AI’s impact on jobs and their future careers.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. Why are people so excited about Swatch’s Royal Pop watch?
A watch range by Swatch and luxury brand Audemars Piguet is causing a frenzy as people queue for days to get their hands on one.
21. 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.
22. 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.
23. ‘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.
24. 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.
25. 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.
26. 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.
27. Why does Amazon have no Western rivals?
The internet giant dwarfs other online retailers on both sides of the Atlantic.
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. St Brelade concerns of empty shops and cost of living
People say they are frustrated families have to turn to food banks in a “rich island like Jersey”.
40. Petrol hits highest price since start of Iran war
The average price of unleaded has risen to 158.52p a litre, according to the RAC, who warn that it could rise further in the coming weeks.
41. Swinney defends food prices policy ahead of first minister vote
The SNP leader says the proposed price cap on basic foodstuffs is not intended to force a fight with the UK government.
42. Parents’ anger at school buses being axed
Parents criticise the Devon school’s plan to end school buses at the end of the academic year.
43. The charity shop which boosted takings by moving outdoors
The shop can now make £2,000 in one day after moving to trade outdoors just one day a week.
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. ‘I sold it for over £1k’: Why people want new Swatch
The launch of an exclusive pocket watch has sparked a frenzy that forced stores worldwide to close and in some cases saw police officers and security deal with huge unruly crowds.
50. ‘I sold it for over £1k’: Swatch launch sparks ‘chaotic’ scenes
Some shoppers have been trying to resell a new line of watches priced at £335 each for up to £16,000.
51. The Climate Question
How Thailand and Vietnam are seeing rapid growth in EV sales and manufacturing
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