Updated
Updated · Euronews · Jun 22
Pound Hovers Near 2026 Low After Starmer Resigns as Brent Crude Falls Below $80
Updated
Updated · Euronews · Jun 22

Pound Hovers Near 2026 Low After Starmer Resigns as Brent Crude Falls Below $80

3 articles · Updated · Euronews · Jun 22

Summary

  • Sterling traded near its 2026 low before trimming losses after Keir Starmer resigned as UK prime minister, with investors weighing whether a Labour leadership change could revive fiscal concerns.
  • Andy Burnham, the favourite to replace Starmer, confirmed his candidacy on Monday; analysts said gilt and GBP/USD moves stayed relatively contained because a Burnham transition had already been partly priced in.
  • Brent crude fell 0.91% to $79.12 and WTI dropped 0.70% to $75.32 after Qatari and Pakistani mediators reported encouraging progress in the first round of US-Iran talks.
  • That easing in oil reflected hopes for a 60-day final agreement, an end to fighting on multiple fronts and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, helping keep broader market moves mixed rather than disorderly.

Insights

As a new leader eyes nationalization, can the UK escape its decade of political turmoil and economic stagnation?
The US-Iran deal reopens a vital strait but ignores key threats. Is a larger conflict now inevitable?
With Mideast tensions easing, is the global AI boom's fragile supply chain now secure from disruption?