N0S.Tech Market & Investing News Digest — May 20, 2026
Your daily curated roundup of investing, AI, fintech, and market news — brought to you by N0S News.
1. Supermarkets hit back over pressure to cap price of milk, bread and eggs
A minister confirms talks have taken place but says there will be no mandatory cap on essential food prices.
2. Fuel duty freeze extended until the end of the year
Fuel duty was initially cut by 5p in March 2022, under the Conservative government.
3. UK waters down new Russian oil sanctions as fuel prices rise
The change reflects increasing supply concerns over certain fuels due to the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
4. Inflation falls to 2.8% but is expected to rise from here
Energy prices were lower due to the government’s energy bill support package and lower wholesale prices before the Iran war.
5. Boss of Sarah Ferguson-linked firm used royal links to threaten worker with jail
In a recording obtained by the BBC, the worker was threatened with jail for allegedly hacking emails at lifestyle app vVoosh.
6. 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.
7. ‘Ghost brokers’ targeting 17 to 25 year-olds with fake car insurance online
The finance watchdog warns bogus brokers are selling fake car insurance through social media.
8. TV presenter says abusive ex gave her no access to her own money
Ruth Dodsworth’s former husband was jailed for coercive and controlling behaviour and stalking.
9. China confirms it will buy 200 Boeing jets after Trump-Xi summit
The two sides will also work towards an extension to the tariffs truce they agreed in October, China’s Commerce Ministry said.
10. UK should set maximum working temperature rules, advisers say
Successive governments have failed to prepare the UK for extreme heat, the climate watchdog says.
11. Google to release first smart glasses since Google Glass flop
The glasses will go on sale sometime in autumn and allow Google’s artificial intelligence product to interact with a user.
12. NS&I to begin contacting victims of lost funds scandal
Over 30,000 estates could not be accessed due to an error identifying all of a late customer’s NS&I products.
13. Adverts for DNA self-swab kits banned as misleading
The Advertising Standards Authority has ruled Enough’s online posts contained unproven claims.
14. HS2 could cost up to £102.7bn 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.
15. Faisal Islam: Why a full HS2 line could still be built despite the latest fiasco
The Transport Secretary has said the high-speed rail line will not be completed until 2039.
16. 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.
17. What’s happening to UK petrol and diesel prices?
Motoring group RAC warns pump prices could keep rising if there is no resolution to the Iran war.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. 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.
21. 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.
22. 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
23. 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.”
24. 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.
25. 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.
26. 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.
27. 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.
28. Why does Amazon have no Western rivals?
The internet giant dwarfs other online retailers on both sides of the Atlantic.
29. 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.
30. 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.
31. 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.
32. 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.
33. Not so dusty: How tech is changing woodworking
Woodworking shops have been transformed by tech to make tools safer and more precise.
34. Cyber-crime increasingly coming with threats of physical violence
While hackers used to sneak into computer systems, intimidation of staff is now more common.
35. How Sir David Attenborough built ‘Green Hollywood’
The city is responsible for 80% of the world’s natural history TV shows.
36. How sunburn inspired a new way to store energy
Molecules that can capture heat could be a useful technology to decarbonise heating.
37. Gulf economies face long-term hit from Iran conflict
Commentators say it will take years or even decades to repair the damage.
38. Robots move in as waste firms struggle to find staff
Humanoid robots are being added to the automation of waste sorting.
39. 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?
40. Supermarkets hit back over pressure to cap price of milk, bread and eggs
A minister confirms talks have taken place but says there will be no mandatory cap on essential food prices.
41. What’s happening to UK petrol and diesel prices?
Motoring group RAC warns pump prices could keep rising if there is no resolution to the Iran war.
42. Domestic rates bills debt hits £1m in Northern Ireland
Advice NI said its debt advice service last year dealt with more than £1 million pounds in total rates debts for the first time.
43. Will UK interest rates go up?
The interest rate set by the Bank of England affects mortgage, loan and savings rates for millions.
44. What is happening to UK prices?
The war in Iran is expected to push UK Inflation further above the Bank of England’s 2% target.
45. 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?
46. 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?
47. 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
48. 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.
49. 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?
50. Business Daily
Trump’s pick for the US Fed chair risks rebuke from the president if rates do not fall
51. ‘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.
52. ‘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.
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