supreme court tour london

Tour of the UK Supreme Court

Official tour of the highest court in the land, housed in a beautiful Grade II Listed building.

Select date and time

• Friday September 20 2:00 PM
• Friday October 11 3:00 PM

The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom

Refund Policy

About this event.

Come and visit the highest court in the land. Your tour will be led by an experienced member of staff who will show you our beautiful courtrooms. Discover a splendid collection of original stained glass and art works.

As well as viewing the ornate exterior, you will be given an insight into the workings of the Supreme Court, the background to its creation and some of the famous cases that have been heard here.

Tours are approximately an hour long, led by an experienced guide, with time for questions throughout.

*PLEASE NOTE: if you are hard of hearing and do not use a hearing aid, please inform [email protected] in advance of your tour*

Frequently asked questions

The Supreme Court is situated on Parliament Square directly opposite the Houses of Parliament, close to the statue of Abraham Lincoln. Our nearest underground station is Westminster and we are also accessible by TFL buses, taxi and riverboat services.

Yes - all visitors will need to pass through airport-style security. Please ensure you arrive in good time to ensure you have enough time to pass through security before your tour. For more information: https://www.supremecourt.uk/visiting/security-information.html

Unfortunately the UKSC will not authorise refund requests in the event you cannot make the tour. We will only consider a departure from this policy in rare, exceptional circumstances which are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Yes, our staff will do their best to accommodate shifting your ticket/s to another date in the event you cannot make the original tour. This will be subject to the demands of Court business and consequently we cannot guarantee a specific alternate date. Please contact [email protected].

No. It is Court policy that children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult when attending an official tour delivered by court staff.

Our tours cover a range of information about the Court - from architecture and art to the separation of powers and the judicial appointments process. There is a broad scope of information presented by our staff which will develop your knowledge about the UK Supreme Court and JCPC.

Unfortunately there are no hearings held on Fridays but you are welcome to return another day to sit in the public gallery. To discover which cases are happening when, please see our website: supremecourt.uk/visiting/court-sittings.html

Yes - if you are hard of hearing and do not use a hearing aid, please inform [email protected] in advance of your tour.

Yes - we have accessible facilities including wheelchair lifts and disabled toilets. If you have any concerns prior to your visit, please contact: [email protected]

Our public tours last approximately 1 hour. Please ensure you arrive promptly as the tour will leave the main lobby at 2pm. You are welcome to leave at any time during the tour, should you wish.

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Outdoor tours

• Visiting the JCPC
• Decided cases
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• How to find us
• Guided tours
• Exhibitions
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Hold your special event at The Supreme Court

This Summer, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (UKSC) is offering outdoor architectural tours of our beautiful, Grade II listed building on Parliament Square.

Tours are led by an experienced guide who will give you insight into the rich heritage of the site. Tours last 15 minutes and include an opportunity to ask questions.

When are outdoor public tours available?

Outdoor tours are offered at 10am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in August, and on the following dates in September:

• Thursday 8th September
• Friday 9th September
• Wednesday 14th September
• Friday 15th September
• Wednesday 21st September

How much does it cost?

Outdoor tours are free of charge.

Do I need to book in advance?

Spaces are available on the day on a first–come, first–served basis. There is no way to book in advance.

How many people can come on a tour?

A maximum of 20 people per tour

I have more questions

If you have any questions, contact Enquiries or telephone 0207 960 1900/1500.

You can keep in touch with us by following us on Instagram and Twitter or visiting our YouTube channel to learn more about our role and work.

To create a suitable home for the new Supreme Court, renovation works at the former Middlesex Guildhall were wide-ranging with a focus on enhancing the historic fabric of the building and transforming the imposing, adversarial atmosphere of what had been a Crown Court into an environment suited to Supreme Court business, that of learned discussion of points of law rather than trial by jury.

On our tour we’ll see how Gibson introduced  light wells that allow light into the building enhancing the fine stained glass windows, wood panelling and ornate ceilings. We’ll also see items from the Guildhall Art Collection including  historic portraits and contemporary works including a striking Welsh slate clock with numerals gilded with English gold leaf.

‘Laws were made to prevent the strong from always having their way’ – Ovid

Following our tour we have tea/coffee/cake in the cafe on the Lower Ground floor, with time to view the permanent exhibition  that provides an insight into the work and history of the UK’s highest court. 

Image credits:  Interior Court No. 1 – photo by David ILIFF/Exterior Supreme Court – photo by Tom Morris/Library – photo by Andrew Le Sueur

Need to know

Meeting point: Outside The Supreme Court, Parliament Square, London, SW1P 3BD Nearest tube stations: Westminster (Please note: covid rules and security check on entry will be applied)

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The Royal Courts of Justice

Take a Look     Book a Tour

The Royal Courts of Justice (London’s High Court) is an enchanting building on London’s Fleet Street.

Next Available Tours: Monday 16 September at 12:00 Thursday 19 September at 10:45 Friday 20 September at 13:45 Thursday 26 September at 15:15 Monday 30 September at 12:00 Thursday 3 October at 15:15 Tuesday 8 October at 13:45 Thursday 10 October at 12:00 Friday 11 October at 14:00 Friday 18 October at 14:00 Tuesday 22 October at 12:00 Tuesday 29 October at 10:45 Friday 1 November at 10:45

The Royal Courts of Justice is reminiscent of a cathedral in both style and scale. Soaring arches and beautiful stained glass windows ornamented with the coats of arms of Lord Chancellors and keepers of the Great Seal, combined with a mosaic marble floor leading to a maze of enchanting corridors to create a majestic setting or exciting visit to one of London’s best kept secrets.

Located on the Strand and just a few minutes from London’s Theatreland. A visit to London would not be complete without seeing the Royal Courts of Justice.

Important: Kindly be informed that all bookings must be pre-booked and paid in advance. We do not accept on-site bookings or payments. All booking requests should be made directly through us via the online booking form and the Royal Courts of Justice  should not be contacted directly.

Thank you for your understanding.

Find Out More

Breathtaking Tours

With miles of enchanting corridors and stunning 19th century Gothic architecture, it is easy to immerse yourself into the history of the courts.

With tours starting from as little as £18 for children (14 years of age and under) & £20 for adults why not discover the amazing history of this fabulous building by booking a tour today.

School Groups are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the exact content of our tours in advance of booking.

Book Today!

New Tour  – Half-Day London Legal

Join us for a unique (and unforgettable) half-day London legal walking tour which combines a tour of inside the fabulous Royal Courts of Justice with a walk through some of London’s beautiful Inns of Court.

Highlights:

• Unique London Legal Tour by guides with legal expertise (some who are judicial-office holders).
• Hear about the history and the development of the Inns and how legal training has evolved over many centuries, whilst walking around them and taking photographs at your leisure.
• A tour of inside the Royal Courts of Justice (no photography allowed inside the RCJ).
• See external views of several very important historical sites,  and hear about the fascinating judicial history and of these sites and their most famous cases.
• Due to the expert knowledge of our Guides we can tailor the tour to meet your group’s individual needs e.g by including a trip to the Old Bailey.
• We can’t guarantee the weather, but we guarantee the tour will always take place.
• Tours last between two and a half to three hours.
• Group bookings only

Please contact us for further details

Book Today!   View our Reviews

How to find us

The Royal Courts are close to many London Hotels and attractions, including Covent Garden, Somerset House, the London Eye, Big Ben and St Paul's Cathedral. 

London Underground

Temple and Holborn (7 Minutes by foot), Chancery Lane (9 Minutes by foot), St Paul's Tube  (15 Minutes by foot)

Bus numbers 4, 11, 15, 23, 26, 76, 172, and 341 stop outside the RCJ.

Bus numbers 1, 59, 68, 91, 168, 171, 188, 243, 521 and X68 stop on Kingsway and Aldwych.

There are numerous cycle hire docks near by.

Opening Hours

The Courts are open from 9:30am to 16:30pm Monday to Friday all year round.

Disabled Access

The building is DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) compliant for wheelchair users.

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How to Tour the Supreme Court

This post covers how to attend a U.S. Supreme Court tour as well as courtroom lectures and oral arguments with tips on how to plan your visit and what you might see.  

• Where is the Supreme Court
• Guided Tours + Exhibits
• Courtroom Lecture
• Attend a Supreme Court Case
• Visit the US Capitol and Library of Congress
• Other Things to Do in DC

HOW TO GET TO THE SUPREME COURT

The Supreme Court Building is located at 1 First Street St NE across the street from the US Capitol Building and the Library of Congress.

Use this link for directions to the Supreme Court . 

Or let us take you here on one of our pay-what-you-like  Capitol Hill Tours .

It is a 7 min walk from the Capitol South Station Metro ( Blue , Orange , Silver ). Exit the station and continue north on First Street for two blocks.

It is also about a 15-minute walk from Union Station ( Red ), which has a paid parking garage. 

If you are new to DC's subway system, then read our guide on how to use the DC Metro system .

There are no parking facilities at the building. Street parking is very limited. You can reserve a space at nearby commercial garages through a service called SpotHero .

Supreme Court Hours:

The Supreme Court is open on weekdays 9 am - 3 pm , excluding Federal Holidays. The building is not open on the weekend.

Like most federal buildings, you will be required to enter through security. There are two doors on either side of the main steps on the plaza level to enter the building.  

Prohibited items  include weapons and other dangerous items.

SUPREME COURT TOURS + CURRENT EXHIBITS

The Supreme Court currently does not offer guided tours; visitors are encouraged to tour the building independently ( or on a tour with us !).  

In reality, visitors are limited to only the public portions of the building, which are mostly the exhibits on the ground floor as well as the Main Hall on the 2nd floor.  

There are several opportunities to visit the main courtroom (see below sections on attending a court lecture or to hear a case ).

Once through security, you will be on the ground floor.

Here you will find a 24-minute film that covers the history of the building, with interviews with the Chief Justice as well as Associate and former Justices.

It's on this floor where you will also find the current exhibitions .

• The Supreme Court Building: America's Temple of Justice
• Reading the Law: Legal Education in America
• Sandra Day O'Connor, First Woman on the Supreme Court
• The Power of Image: Charles Evans Hughes in Prints, Photographs, and Drawings
• Capturing Justice: Judicial Portraits by Augustus Saint-Gaudens

Supreme Court Building Tours

We are able to offer small group private tours that visit inside the Supreme Court on private versions of our Capitol Hill & Library of Congress Tour!

This 2 hour tour would tour inside the Supreme Court Building, inside the Library of Congress & end with tickets to tour inside the Capitol Building with their professional docents (this tour would be an additional 50 minutes to our 2 hour tour)

Our almost twice-a-day public version of this tour does not guarantee entrance into the Supreme Court (though sometimes we can visit inside based on security and opening). On private tours, we can schedule it to ensure we can go inside the Supreme Court.

Contact us to book a private Capitol Hill tour that enters the Supreme Court!

HOW TO ATTEND A SUPREME COURT LECTURE

Since this is a working federal building, you are limited as to where you can go on your self-guided tour.

The only way to visit the courtroom is by attending a docent lecture or attending a case.

You can read about attending a case below but if you are visiting on a day that the court is not hearing a case, you can still have a seat in the courtroom and listen to the history of the court and the building.

30-minute courtroom lectures are held every half-hour from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm.  

Seating is first-come, first-served, so during the busy spring and summer months, expect to get there early to wait in line.

For the most up-to-date information on when lectures are scheduled, visit the lecture calendar .

  HOW TO ATTEND A SUPREME COURT ORAL ARGUMENT

While you can visit the Supreme Court courtroom as a visitor for lectures, cases are also open to the public.

Called Oral Arguments, these are the 1-hour long sessions where each side is allowed 30 minutes to argue before the court.

From the first Monday to October to Mid-April, cases are generally heard on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at 10 am and at 11 am, with additional afternoon sessions as needed.

There are two ways to attend a Supreme Court case.

You could either secure a seat and witness the entire Oral Arguments, or you can catch a quick 3-minute glimpse of the proceedings. (the 3-minute line is suspended still as of Feb 2024)

These two lines form on the plaza before each case.

For a landmark Supreme Court case, some people will line up days in advance to guarantee a spot. On a non-high-profile day, people arrive around 6 am-7 am.

Normally, only the first 50 are able to get in for the entire session.

Numbered tickets are given out prior to seating to allow you time to go to the restroom, cafeteria, and cloakroom.

If you don't get a seat , you can also do a walk-through where you stay for a few minutes and then move on. You can rotate through as many times as you'd like by getting back in line. (This is not an option as of Feb 2024. We hope it returns soon!)

You can also attend Bench Mondays (Mondays, 10 am, mid-May through June) to hear the court opinions and decisions.

These are about 15 - 30 minutes long, but can also form long lines for high-profile cases.

To see what cases are being argued, visit the Argument Calendar.

SUPREME COURT JUSTICES

How many justices are on the Supreme Court?

There are 9 Supreme Court Justices in total: 8 associate justices and one Chief Justice.

How do you become a Supreme Court Justice?

There are only two requirements to be a Supreme Court justice. It is not based on age, citizenship, or experience.

You must be nominated by the President and approved by Senate. It is a lifetime appointment that one holds until they retire.

Who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court?

The Supreme Court Chief Justice is a position appointed by the President, so it is not relevant to the length of time they serve on the court.

The current Supreme Court Justice is John Roberts.

Who are the current Supreme Court Justices?

• Clarence Thomas (1991)
• John Roberts (2005
• Samuel Alito (2006)
• Sonia Sotomeyer (2009)
• Elena Kagen (2010)
• Neil Gorsuch (2017)
• Brett Cavanaugh (2018)
• Amy Coney Barrett (2020)
• Ketanji Brown Jackson (2022)

VISIT THE U.S. CAPITOL BUILDING AND THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Why not make a half-day of it and visit both the U.S. Capitol Building as well as the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress?

Both are adjacent to the Supreme Court Building. 

You could also have lunch at the Capitol Visitor Center.  

For more information on visiting and touring both buildings, click on the links below.

• U.S. Capitol Building
• Library of Congress

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The SUPREME COURT

• 360° virtual tour
• Visiting The Court
• Decided cases
• Court procedures
• About The Supreme Court
• Latest news
• Current cases
• Court sittings
• How to find us
• Guided tours
• Exhibitions
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Hold your special event at The Supreme Court

360 ° virtual tour

Explore the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom on this 360° virtual tour. Alternatively, find out more about visiting the Court .

Explore our three Court Rooms, the Law Library and our main event spaces - the Lawyers' Suite and Lobby Area.

Use the menu in the top left hand corner to navigate between the spaces and the different views available. The tools at the bottom allow you to zoom in and out and move faster or slower.

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News updates from September 12: Trump rules out another debate; OpenAI says new models are capable of reasoning

Today’s top headlines:

Donald Trump rules out another presidential debate against Kamala Harris

Openai launches ai models it says are capable of reasoning, new york’s top cop resigns amid federal investigation into mayor.

Russian missile hits international cargo ship in Black Sea, Zelenskyy says

Amateur astronauts complete first private spacewalk

• News updates from September 12: Trump rules out another debate; OpenAI says new models are capable of reasoning on x (opens in a new window)
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Edited by Zehra Munir , Alexandra White , Jaren Kerr , Peter Wells , Jonathan Wheatley , Oliver Ralph and George Russell

Lauren Fedor in Washington

Donald Trump has ruled out another presidential debate against Kamala Harris, two days after a showdown that saw the Republican former president rattled by his Democratic opponent.

In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, Trump said there would be “NO THIRD DEBATE!” and insisted that he “clearly won” Tuesday’s face-off in Philadelphia with the vice-president.

“When a prizefighter loses a fight, the first words out of his mouth are, ‘I WANT A REMATCH,’” Trump wrote. “KAMALA SHOULD FOCUS ON WHAT SHE SHOULD HAVE DONE DURING THE LAST ALMOST FOUR YEAR PERIOD.”

Read more here

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Zehra Munir in New York

US stocks close at highest level this month on Fed rate cut hopes

US stocks rode a four-session winning streak to close at their highest level this month, as investors remain hopeful that the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates by a larger-than-expected half-point next Wednesday.

Wall Street’s S&P 500 closed 0.7 per cent higher on Thursday, with the consumer cyclicals and technology sectors finishing as the benchmark index’s best-performing sectors. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose 1 per cent.

Treasuries sold off during morning trading, with the yield on the policy-sensitive two-year Treasury rising after economic data showed a slightly stronger than expected monthly increase in US wholesale inflation.

Yields reversed some of that move in the afternoon session as the Wall Street Journal and Financial Times separately reported that the Fed was wrestling with a decision over how aggressively to cut rates next week. The yield was slightly higher at 3.65 per cent in late trading.

Elsewhere, the price of gold hit a record high of $2,560.11 an ounce.

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Alex Rogers in Washington

Harris campaign says it raised $47mn in 24 hours after debate

The Kamala Harris campaign has said that it raised $47mn in the 24 hours following the presidential debate between the Democratic candidate and Donald Trump on Tuesday night — a massive haul that will help the vice-president in the final stretch before Election Day.

“This historic, 24-hour haul reflects a strong and growing coalition of Americans united behind vice-president Harris’ candidacy that knows the stakes this November, and are doing their part to defeat Donald Trump this November,” Harris campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said in a statement.

“While our fundraising programme continues to show historic strength, this momentum cannot be taken for granted. We cannot underestimate the strength of Team Trump and their strong fundraising and organising efforts intentionally designed to divide and sow doubt among Americans.”

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Jaren Kerr in New York

Supermarket Kroger shares jump the most in 6 months on sales outlook

Kroger shares notched their biggest one-day gain since March after the supermarket operator boosted its sales outlook for the year and expressed confidence that its $25bn takeover of Albertsons would be successful.

The Cincinnati-based company forecast that same-store sales excluding fuel would grow 0.75 per cent to 1.75 per cent for the year, lifting the bottom end of its guidance by 0.5 percentage points.

Its earnings in the most recent quarter were better than consensus estimates as customer visits ticked higher.

Kroger shares closed 7.2 per cent higher, with the company’s rosier outlook helping lift grocery sector peers. Shares in Walmart, Costco and Albertsons all outperformed the S&P 500 on Thursday.

Kroger chief executive Rodney McMullen expressed optimism about its pending takeover of rival grocer Albertsons, which a US regulator is trying to block due to antitrust concerns. A federal judge in Oregon could make a decision on the deal as soon as Friday.

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Colby Smith in Washington

Federal Reserve wrestles with decision over how aggressively to cut rates

The Federal Reserve faces a close call over whether to cut US interest rates by a larger-than-expected half-point next week or go with a quarter-point move, as officials wrestle with how quickly to ease monetary policy.

The uncertainty at the central bank over the size of the cut comes as futures markets increasingly price in a more modest quarter-point reduction from the Fed when its pivotal meeting concludes on Wednesday.

Any cut next week would be the Fed’s first in more than four years, and after holding rates at a 23-year high of 5.25-5.5 per cent since last July, would come with seven weeks until November’s presidential election.

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Joshua Franklin in New York

US regulators identify lapses in Wells Fargo’s anti-money laundering practices

US regulators have identified lapses in Wells Fargo’s anti-money laundering and financial crimes risk management practices, the latest compliance issue for the US bank. 

The Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), one of the main US banking regulators, said on Thursday that Wells, the fourth-largest US bank by assets, had agreed to take remedial steps to address the deficiencies. These steps are primarily focused on ensuring the bank is compliant with US rules around anti-money laundering. 

“We have been working to address a substantial portion of what’s required in the formal agreement, and we are committed to completing the work with the same sense of urgency as our other regulatory commitments,” Wells, which remains under a 2018 asset cap for past regulatory issues, said in a statement. 

The bank’s stock was down about 3 per cent following the OCC announcement. 

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Markets update: US stocks hit 2-week high in afternoon trading

US stocks rose to their highest level in two weeks in afternoon trading on Thursday, buoyed in particular by share price moves in the energy and technology sectors.

Wall Street’s S&P 500 was up 0.7 per cent, with every sector of the index except financials advancing. The technology-dominated Nasdaq 100 rose 1.1 per cent as every Magnificent Seven group traded higher. 

Ten-year and two-year Treasury yields rose, climbing to 3.69 per cent and 3.66 per cent, respectively.

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Madhumita Murgia in London

OpenAI will launch an AI product it claims is capable of reasoning, allowing it to solve hard problems in maths, coding and science in a critical step towards achieving humanlike cognition in machines.

The AI models, known as o1, are touted as a sign of the progression of technological capabilities over the past few years as companies race to create ever more sophisticated AI systems. In particular, there is a fresh scramble under way among tech groups, including Google DeepMind, OpenAI and Anthropic, to create software that can act independently as so-called agents — personalised bots that are supposed to help people work, create or communicate better and interface with the digital world.

According to OpenAI, the models will be integrated into ChatGPT Plus starting on Thursday. They are designed to be useful for scientists and developers, rather than general users.

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US airline stocks buoyed by upbeat revenue outlooks from Delta and Alaska

US airline stocks received a boost after two of the country’s biggest carriers issued upbeat guidance on revenue trends and travel demand.

Delta Air Lines said in an update on Thursday that capacity across the industry was also “moderating” and that its revenue trends were “improving through the quarter consistent with expectations”.

Alaska Air lifted its full-year forecast for growth in revenue per available seat mile, an important industry metric, and upgraded its forecast range for earnings per share in the third quarter by more than 50 per cent at the low end.

The fifth-biggest US carrier by passengers, Alaska also said it received a revenue boost in July “related to CrowdStrike disruptions across the industry”, meaning it picked up business, probably at the expense of Delta, which bore the brunt of the severe worldwide IT outage.

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Joe Miller in New York

New York’s police commissioner Edward Caban has resigned amid a sprawling federal corruption investigation, as allegations of graft continue to engulf mayor Eric Adams’s administration.

The move comes days after Caban’s phone was seized by federal law enforcement, along with other senior officials’. Adams’s own devices were seized last November as part of a related probe. 

In a statement, Caban said “noise around recent developments” has made his work impossible and led him to tender his resignation “after 30 years of service to this city”.

He added that he would “continue to co-operate fully with the ongoing investigation”. Lawyers for Caban said they had been informed by federal prosecutors that he was not a target of their investigation. 

Caban, who started his career as a police officer in the Bronx, was appointed by Adams — himself a former police officer — in July 2023. 

A spokesman for Adams, who has not been charged with a crime, did not respond to a request for comment. 

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John Paul Rathbone in Warsaw

Russian war casualties exceed 600,000

Total Russian casualties in Ukraine have reached an estimated 610,000 killed and wounded, according to the latest western estimates. 

That is a large jump from the previous high-end estimate of 500,000 Russians killed and wounded since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, which was released by Britain’s Ministry of Defence in early June. 

Western officials estimate that daily Russian casualties are running as high as 1,200 a day in the Donbas, where the Russian military is grinding away at Ukrainian defences, especially around the crucial city of Pokrovsk. 

To compensate, the Kremlin has launched a mobilisation drive, which is recruiting about 1,000 fresh soldiers a day, one western official said. Despite financial incentives, such as higher wages and sign-on bonuses, that is less than the 1,500 recruits Russia was managing to mobilise last year, the official added. 

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Eric Platt in New York

Berkshire Hathaway’s Ajit Jain reports sale of $139mn of stock

Berkshire Hathaway vice-chair Ajit Jain sold $139mn worth of shares in Warren Buffett’s sprawling conglomerate, joining the billionaire chief executive in cutting his economic stake in the near- $1tn business .

Jain disclosed he had disposed of 200 class A common shares on Monday for a price just under $700,000 apiece, drastically reducing his holdings in the business.

The sales leave the executive with direct or indirect ownership of 166 shares, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, worth about $112mn.

Jain, 73, oversees the company’s insurance operations, which form the backbone of Berkshire Hathaway. He joined Berkshire in 1986 from consultancy McKinsey and used the company’s balance sheet to make it an insurer of last resort, transforming the Omaha-based investment group in the process.

Jain did not respond to a request for comment.

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Joe Daniels in New York

US sanctions 16 Venezuelan officials over contested presidential election

The US has announced sanctions and visa restrictions on Venezuelan officials in response to President Nicolás Maduro’s widely contested electoral victory in July.

Washington is imposing sanctions on 16 associates of Maduro, including the leaders of the National Electoral Council and the Supreme Court.

“The United States is taking action today to promote accountability for Nicolás Maduro and his representatives for obstructing a competitive and inclusive presidential election in Venezuela and abusing the human rights of the Venezuelan people,” US secretary of state Antony Blinken said in a statement. 

The sanctions mark the first punitive measures taken by Washington on Maduro’s inner circle since the July 28 election .

Broad US sanctions were reimposed on Venezuela’s oil sector in April, though Washington has granted individual licenses to companies — including Chevron — to do business in the oil-rich South American nation.

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Philip Georgiadis in London

Transport for London says some customer data accessed in cyber hack

Transport for London has warned some customer data has been accessed in a cyber security breach, including potentially the bank details of thousands of its passengers.

The transport authority said it first identified “suspicious activity” on September 1, and has since discovered that “certain customer data has been accessed”, including some names and contact details.

Bank details of up to 5,000 passengers could also have been accessed through refund data from its Oyster contactless payment system, TfL said.

A 17-year-old boy was arrested in Walsall earlier this month as part of the investigation into the incident affecting TfL, the National Crime Agency said in a separate statement on Thursday.

The boy was detained on suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offences in relation to the attack, and bailed.

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Chris Miller in Kyiv, Polina Ivanova in Berlin and Robert Wright in London

Russian missile hits international cargo ship in Black Sea

A Russian missile has struck an international cargo ship in the Black Sea carrying wheat bound for Egypt shortly after it left Ukrainian waters, Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

The vessel is named Aya and sails under the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis, sources told the FT. It left the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk on Wednesday morning, carrying over 26,000 tons of wheat.

Information on Marine Traffic, the vessel-tracking website, showed that the vessel made a sharp change of course, suggestive of a missile strike, at 11pm local time on Wednesday while in Romania’s maritime economic zone.

The ship "sustained damage to its port side, including a cargo hold and a crane," said Ambrey, a maritime security firm.

There were no casualties, according to Zelenskyy.

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George Steer in London

Markets update: US stocks open slightly higher after inflation data

US stocks made small gains in early trade on Thursday after US wholesale inflation climbed slightly more than expected in August.

Wall Street’s blue-chip S&P 500 rose less than 0.1 per cent, with consumer cyclicals and basic materials among the best performers. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose 0.1 per cent. 

The dollar index slipped less than 0.1 per cent against a basket of six other currencies, while rate-sensitive two-year Treasury yields rose 0.02 percentage points to 3.66 per cent. 

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Alexandra White in New York

US wholesale inflation accelerates in August

US wholesale inflation accelerated in August, suggesting price pressures may not have eased as quickly as expected ahead of the Federal Reserve’s probable rate cut this month.

The producer price index, a leading indicator of inflation, increased 0.2 per cent last month, the labour department said on Thursday, while core PPI — which strips out volatile food and energy prices — increased 0.3 per cent.

The monthly figures were each 0.1 percentage point ahead of economists’ estimates, and July’s results were revised lower.

On an annual basis, the headline PPI eased more than forecast to 1.7 per cent. The year-on-year core reading rose to 2.4 per cent, from a downwardly revised 2.3 per cent, topping expectations for a 2.5 per cent increase.

On Wednesday, core consumer price growth rose more than expected in August.

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Brooke Masters in New York

BlackRock and Partners Group strike deal to sell alternative assets to clients

BlackRock and Partners Group have struck a deal to offer model portfolios containing private equity, private credit and real estate funds in the latest effort by big money manager to sell alternative assets to rich individuals.

The tie-up is aimed at giving financial advisers and wealth managers a simple way of selling a bundle of alternative products to their retail clients.

Switzerland-based Partners has been running “evergreen” funds, which generally work better for smaller investors that those with end dates, since 2009, while BlackRock, the world’s largest money manager with $10.6tn in assets, already offers an extensive array of model portfolios that allow advisers to distribute individual customer money across public markets.

The deal is the third big tie-up in recent months aimed at tapping retail demand for alternatives.

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Euro holds steady on ECB rate cut

The euro held steady at $1.101 after the European Central Bank cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point, as expected, to 3.5 per cent.

Interest rate sensitive two-year German Bund yields, a benchmark for the Eurozone, also held steady at 2.18 per cent, up 0.05 percentage points on the day. Yields move inversely to prices. 

In equity markets, the region-wide Stoxx Europe 600 stood 1.1 per cent higher immediately after the central bank’s announcement.

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Martin Arnold in London

ECB cuts interest rates to 3.5%

The European Central Bank has cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point to 3.5 per cent in response to falling Eurozone inflation and signs that the bloc’s economy risks grinding to a halt.

Thursday’s decision to lower the ECB ’s benchmark deposit rate for the second time this year comes as the US Federal Reserve is expected to start cutting borrowing costs next week.

Major central banks have begun lowering rates in response to indications that the biggest rise in inflation for a generation has faded. Some analysts think the ECB is likely to cut rates again at both its remaining meetings this year.

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Humza Jilani in Islamabad

Pakistan’s central bank cuts interest rate by 2 percentage points

The State Bank of Pakistan cut interest rates for the third consecutive monetary policy meeting on Thursday, bringing the key rate down to 17.5 per cent from 19.5 per cent.

The Karachi-based central bank said in its monetary policy statement that the pace of disinflation over the past two months had “exceeded the [Monetary Policy] Committee’s earlier expectations,” pointing to its tight policy stance — rates were held for 22 per cent for a year until June — and a global fall in oil and food prices.

Consumer price inflation slowed to 9.6 per cent in August, the first time the figure hit single-digits since October 2021. Price growth hit 38 per cent in May 2023.

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Clive Cookson in London

The first private spacewalk took place successfully on Thursday, as billionaire businessman Jared Isaacman emerged into the dark vacuum of space from SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, silhouetted against the glowing globe of Earth more 700km below.

“This sure looks like a perfect world,” he said.

Huge bursts of applause swept SpaceX headquarters in California and mission control in Florida as Isaacman removed the hatch from the capsule, which had been completely depressurised for the walk, and levered himself out into space.

After a few minutes he returned to the capsule and SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis took his place, testing the mobility of the company’s new spacesuits.

All previous spacewalks have been undertaken by astronauts or cosmonauts from public space agencies.

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What to watch in North America on Thursday

Wholesale inflation : The US producer price index is expected to show that annual wholesale price inflation slowed to 1.8 per cent in August from 2.2 per cent in July. The core measure, which strips out volatile food and energy costs, is forecast to have ticked up 2.5 per cent following a gain of 2.4 per cent in July. A stronger than expected core reading may raise some investor eyebrows given the monthly increase in core consumer prices during August, reported on Wednesday, was higher than economists forecast. The CPI and PPI data will be of keen interest to Federal Reserve rate-setters as they prepare to decide on interest rates next week.

Jobless claims : New applications for unemployment aid are expected to have edged up in the week ended September 7 to 230,000. There were 227,000 initial jobless claims in the previous week.

Kamala Harris : The vice president and Democratic presidential nominee will attend two campaign events in North Carolina. A rally in Charlotte will be her first big engagement since Tuesday night’s debate with Republican candidate Donald Trump.

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Oliver Barnes in New York

Moderna to cut research and development budget to win back investor support

Vaccine maker Moderna plans to cut its annual research and development budget by $1.1bn over the next three years, in an attempt to win back support from investors who have grown weary over the biotech’s performance after the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Moderna said on Thursday that it would cut its yearly R&D spending from $4.8bn this year to between $3.6-3.8bn by 2027. The mRNA vaccine maker said it would shelve five early stage drug development programmes, including research into RSV vaccines in babies aged two and under, to achieve this goal. 

Moderna has lost 80 per cent of its market value since its pandemic peak.

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Lucy Fisher in London

Conservatives accepted £5mn from Frank Hester’s company in May

A technology entrepreneur ensnared in an alleged racism row gave the Tories an extra £5mn through his company before the general election, following £15mn in personal and corporate donations.

Former prime minister Rishi Sunak was heavily criticised for keeping donations from Frank Hester after he was accused of racism in March, for allegedly saying in the past that looking at Labour MP Diane Abbott made him “want to hate all Black women”.

Electoral Commission data published on Thursday showed that the Tories accepted £5mn from his company The Phoenix Partnership in May.

Hester has apologised for making “rude” remarks about Abbott, but insisted they were not about her gender or race.

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Ian Smith in London

Lloyd’s of London to shake up conduct rules

Lloyd’s of London is consulting on rule changes to crack down on misconduct in the centuries-old insurance market.

In a document published on Thursday, Lloyd’s accepted its current processes for dealing with poor conduct were “unclear and may cut across firms’ own intervention processes”, and said there needed to be “greater certainty” on the potential outcomes.

The proposed changes included a new list of unacceptable behaviour including harassment or bullying, discrimination, and conducting Lloyd’s business when “under the influence of alcohol where it leads to unprofessional behaviour”.

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Simeon Kerr in Edinburgh

Grangemouth refinery to close after rescue talks fail

Scotland’s Grangemouth refinery is to cease operations in the second quarter of 2025 and transition into a fuels import terminal, operator Petroineos said on Thursday.

Despite rescue talks led by the UK and Scottish governments, the decision to close the refinery, which was initially touted last year, will lead to the loss of around 400 jobs.

The firm said it was “business as usual” for the distribution of its products to customers.

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Anna Gross in London

Starmer promises ‘change along the way’ in 10-year NHS overhaul

Sir Keir Starmer said there would be improvements to the National Health Service in the short and medium term to “show the change along the way” as he sets out to deliver a 10-year reform agenda.

He said that patient experiences and outcomes in A&E could be improved dramatically by the rollout of more technology, for example by automating and speeding up the process of taking tests and scans and providing results.

“I want future generations to look back proudly at what this Labour government has done,” he said.

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Starmer vows NHS will get ‘no more money without reform’

Sir Keir Starmer vowed to provide the health service with “no more money without reform” as he said Britain “can’t go on” with falling NHS productivity and climbing waiting lists.

He called on the public to give him two terms to show that his Labour government can reverse the fortunes of the health system, saying “it is going to take a decade to do it properly — it will take more than one parliamentary term”.

The prime minister said findings in Lord Ara Darzi’s government-commissioned report of a £37bn shortfall in capital spending compared with peer nations was “really profound” and that investment in infrastructure and equipment would be part of the government’s 10-year plan for the NHS, to be published next year.

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Eli Lilly to spend $1bn on Irish manufacturing plant

Eli Lilly, the world’s largest drugmaker by market value, will spend a further $1bn on expanding an Irish plant to produce the raw ingredients behind its Alzheimer’s drugs, as part of its latest investment in boosting manufacturing capacity.

Eli Lilly said on Thursday that it had doubled its investment in the plant, in the city of Limerick, to $2bn to boost production of the drug, which is branded as Kisunla in the US. In large part to meet demand for its blockbuster weight loss and diabetes drugs Zepbound and Mounjaro, Eli Lilly has spent $20bn on manufacturing capacity since 2020.

Kisunla, scientifically known as donanemab, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration but is yet to be approved by European and UK regulators.

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Daniel Thomas and Ivan Levingston in London

Academic publisher Springer Nature confirms plan for Frankfurt IPO

BC Partners-backed Springer Nature has confirmed plans for a long-delayed flotation in Frankfurt in a major test of appetite for funding raising on Europe public markets.

In what will be one of the biggest IPOs in Europe this year, the Berlin-headquartered academic research publisher announced on Thursday plans for a €200mn capital increase and sale of existing shares held by BC Partners.

The IPO could value the publisher of science journals Nature and Scientific American at about €7bn, according to those close to the plans. Holtzbrinck Publishing Group and BC Partners own 53 per cent and 47 per cent, respectively. Holtzbrinck is not selling its stake in the IPO.

Group revenues were €1.9bn and adjusted operating profit €511mn in 2023.

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Delphine Strauss in London

Tesco warehouse workers win case over ‘fire and rehire’

Tesco warehouse workers who challenged the retailer’s use of controversial “fire and rehire” tactics have won their case, after the UK’s Supreme Court overturned an earlier ruling.

Usdaw, the shop workers’ union, brought the case on behalf of members who had been given a “permanent” entitlement to a supplement to their pay if they agreed to relocate to a new site in 2007 — only to be threatened with dismissal and re-engagement on worse terms in 2021 unless they agreed to forgo this.

The Supreme Court said the implied terms of the employees’ contracts meant Tesco could not exercise its right to terminate their employment purely for the purpose of depriving the employees of their right to this supplement.

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Sam Fleming in London

UK public debt heading for ‘unsustainable’ path, OBR warns

The UK’s public debt is heading towards an “unsustainable” path because of trends such as population ageing and the costs of climate change, the government’s fiscal watchdog has warned. 

Surging public spending will lead to a rise in the ratio of public debt to 274 per cent of GDP over the coming 50 years, compared with less than 100 per cent now, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility. 

Over the same period, public spending is projected to rise from 45 to more than 60 per cent of GDP, even as revenues remain at around 40 per cent of GDP. 

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Laura Hughes in London

UK health secretary promises to slash waiting lists

UK health secretary Wes Streeting pledged to make NHS waiting lists “millions lower” as he responded to an official review that found the health service was in “critical condition”.

Lord Ara Darzi’s government-commissioned report, published on Thursday, attributed the dire state of the health system to the austerity policies of the 2010s as well as the pandemic and declining health of the nation.

Streeting told the BBC on Thursday: “I’m going hell for leather to get the NHS back to what’s known as the constitutional standards, the targets it sets for itself . . . and to make sure that by the end of this Parliament we see waiting lists millions lower than they are today.”

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Jonathan Wheatley in London

Risers and fallers in Europe

Big share price moves in Europe this morning include Swiss drugmaker Roche, Danish transport and logistics group DSV and Italy’s Telecom Italia.

Roche: Shares in the healthcare company fell almost 5 per cent at the open, leading losses on the Stoxx Europe 600 index, after investors were disappointed by the results of a trial for its proposed weight-loss pill.

DSV: Shares in the logistics group led gains on the Stoxx 600, rising 6.5 per cent on reports that it had won a race to buy the logistics arm of Deutsche Bahn, the German state railway.

Telecom Italia: Shares in the telecoms group rose 6.3 per cent after Bank of America raised its target price for the stock. Late on Wednesday, reports emerged that it had offered to buy the remaining assets of BT in Italy, offering a potential boost to its domestic enterprise business.

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Streeting vows to deliver new hospitals promised by Tories

UK health secretary Wes Streeting has said he is determined to deliver all the schemes in the former government’s new hospitals programme, although this may take longer than originally planned.

“I’ve got to make sure, firstly, the money is there, secondly, that the timetables are realistic and we’ve got the supply chain, the labour and the resources that we will need and, thirdly, I’ve got to balance the need for new bricks and mortar alongside the need for new technology,” Streeting told BBC Breakfast.

The former Tory government vowed to build 40 new hospitals by 2030 under the programme, although the timeframe for construction of several of the projects was widely believed to have slipped.

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European stocks rise on expected ECB cut later on Thursday

European stocks climbed early on Thursday ahead of the European Central Bank’s policy meeting, with officials expected to announce another quarter-point interest rate cut.

The region-wide Stoxx Europe 600 gained 1.2 per cent, lifted by technology stocks. France’s Cac 40 rose 1 per cent and Germany’s Dax rose 1.3 per cent, while London’s FTSE 100 gained 1 per cent.

The ECB started lowering rates from their record high of 4 per cent in June but opted against a second cut at its July meeting, citing services inflation above 4 per cent as “a worry”. However, traders in swaps markets have now fully priced in a cut to 3.5 per cent at the bank’s meeting later on Thursday.

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Trainline raises full-year guidance as rail travel recovers

London-listed online booking site Trainline has raised its full-year guidance as UK rail recovers from long-running strikes and more people switch to using digital tickets.

The company has also grown in continental Europe, where it sells tickets for a growing number of new private rail operators following EU-wide rail reforms.

Trainline said net ticket sales, its preferred financial metric, rose 13 per cent year on year to £3.01bn in the six months to the end of August.

It said adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation would “exceed” earlier guidance of between 2.4 and 2.5 per cent of net ticket sales.

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Bank of England waters down Basel III plan for bank capital requirements

The Bank of England has watered down its initial proposals on the new regime for more stringent capital requirements known as Basel III, which it published on Thursday, while also delaying their start by six months until the start of 2026.

The BoE said the adjustments, including concessions to bank lobbying to ease capital requirements on small business lending, mortgages, trade finance and infrastructure loans, meant key capital thresholds for the main UK banks would be “virtually unchanged”, rising less than 1 per cent. That is a reduction from its earlier estimate of a 3 per cent increase.

Sam Woods, head of the BoE’s Prudential Regulation Authority, said the resulting package would “support growth and competitiveness while also ensuring that the UK aligns with international standards”.

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Laura Onita in London

Losses narrow at John Lewis

Losses narrowed at John Lewis and Waitrose as it posted a slight increase in half-year sales.

The employee owned company said that losses before tax narrowed from £59mn to £30mn in the six months to July 27. Group sales rose 2 per cent year on year to £5.9bn.

Chief executive Nish Kankiwala said: “These results confirm that our transformation plan is working and we expect profits to grow significantly for the full year, a marked improvement from where we were two years ago.”

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George Russell in Hong Kong

Indonesia’s Adaro plans $2.5bn sale of coal unit as it pursues green energy

Shares in Indonesia’s Adaro Energy rose more than 12 per cent on Thursday after the company said it would sell its coal mine holdings.

Adaro, one of Indonesia’s biggest coal producers, plans to sell its stake in Adaro Andalan Indonesia, according to a Jakarta Stock Exchange filing. The company valued the stake at about $2.5bn.

“The company intends to continue pursuing strategic expansions and diversifications in the non-coal mining segments,” Adaro said.

Its goal, the company added, was to have “around 50 per cent” of total revenue generated from non-thermal coal businesses by 2030.

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Alice Hancock in Brussels

Brazil calls on EU to ‘reassess’ planned law on deforestation

Brazil has called the European Commission’s landmark law to prevent deforestation “unilateral and punitive”, adding pressure on Brussels to revise or delay the legislation.

Exports of wood, soy and coffee are among products affected by the new rules that account for almost a third of Brazil’s exports to the EU.

The law decrees that any commodities from these sectors as well as cocoa and rubber that come from deforested land will be banned from the bloc.

In a letter, Brazil’s ministers for foreign affairs and agriculture requested that the EU delay implementation of the law, due to come into force on December 30, and “urgently reassess its approach”.

Similar requests have been made by several EU trade partners, including the US.

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Barney Jopson in Madrid, Marton Dunai in Budapest and Isobel Koshiw in Kyiv

Spain vetoed Hungarian bid for train group ‘over Ukraine concerns’

Spain blocked the Hungarian takeover of a Madrid-based trainmaker on the grounds that Viktor Orbán’s Russia-friendly government should not acquire technology that could be useful to Ukraine, according to people familiar with the matter.

A senior Spanish government official said Madrid vetoed the €619mn bid for Talgo in part because the company could aid Ukraine’s reconstruction by helping to strengthen its rail links with the EU.

“One of Ukraine’s biggest interests is the rail connection,” the official told the Financial Times, stressing that Talgo could help Ukraine overcome one big impediment: its rail tracks are a different width.

Read more here .

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FT reporters

What to watch in Europe today

Events: The UK government is due to release a report on the NHS by Lord Ara Darzi that focuses on assessing patient access to healthcare, the quality of healthcare provided and the system’s overall performance. Indian foreign minister S. Jaishankar visits Geneva. US secretary of state Antony Blinken meets senior Polish officials in Warsaw. Olena Zelenska, wife of Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy, hosts the fourth Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen in Kyiv.

Central banks: The European Central Bank monetary policy committee meets on interest rates. The Bank of England sets out its “near final” interpretation of Basel bank capital reforms. Bank of Russia completes its replacement of about €30bn worth of sovereign Eurobonds with rouble-denominated substitutes.

Corporate updates: UK retailer John Lewis reports half-year results. Swiss insurance group Baloise holds an investor update.

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David Keohane in Tokyo

Business groups raise concerns over political pressure in US Steel deal

Japan’s powerful Keidanren business federation, alongside a number of US business groups, has raised concerns “about political pressure being brought to bear” on the security review of Nippon Steel’s proposed $15bn acquisition of US Steel. In the joint letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen sent on Wednesday, the groups say they fear that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US “is being used to further political agendas that are outside the committee’s purview and putting the US economy and workers at risk”.

The Financial Times last week reported Cfius — the Treasury-led inter-agency government panel that vets inbound investment deals — had concluded the proposed takeover of US Steel posed security risks.

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John Reed in New Delhi 

Half of Samsung workforce at Chennai factory on strike

Half the workforce at a Samsung plant that makes appliances in Chennai are on strike, in one of the biggest recent industrial actions to hit India’s manufacturing sector.

About 900 workers at the factory that makes TVs, refrigerators and washing machines were on strike as of Wednesday, a person briefed on the matter said.

Samsung has kept operations going with the help of contract workers and said it was working to resolve the action.

“We actively engage with our workers to address any grievances they may have and comply with all laws and regulations,” Samsung India said. “We will also ensure that there is no disruption to our consumers.”

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Markets update: Japanese equities gain as wholesale price inflation eases

Japanese equities made gains in early trading on Thursday, as new data indicated slowing wholesale price inflation in Asia’s largest advanced economy.

The Topix rose 2.5 per cent, while the exporter-orientated Nikkei 225 added as much as 3.2 per cent.

The corporate goods price index — which measures the prices companies charge each other for goods and services — stood at 2.5 per cent in August, down from 3 per cent in July, according to Bank of Japan data released on Thursday.

Elsewhere in the region, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.7 per cent, with lithium miners soaring for a second day on reports of a cut in Chinese production . Mineral Resources and Pilbara Minerals rose as much as 15.9 per cent and 13.1 per cent, respectively.

South Korea’s Kospi rose 1.3 per cent.

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Former CIA officer sentenced to 10 years in prison for spying for China

A former CIA officer was sentenced on Wednesday to 10 years in prison for spying for China, the US justice department said.

Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, 71, of Honolulu, was arrested in August 2020 after admitting to an undercover FBI employee that he helped transmit classified defence information to the Shanghai State Security Bureau.

Ma held a “top secret” security clearance at the agency, where he worked between 1982 and 1989. He later worked as a contract linguist for the FBI.

Under the terms of a plea agreement, Ma must submit to debriefings by US agencies for the rest of his life.

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Claire Bushey in Chicago

Boeing chief executive pleads with workers not to strike

Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg has asked the company’s workers not to strike over “the frustrations of the past”, saying it would hurt the company’s recovery.

The International Association of Machinists District 751, which represents about 33,000 Boeing workers in Washington state, reached a tentative deal with the company on Sunday.

But union members are likely to vote on Thursday to reject the deal and strike for better terms.

“Our business is in a difficult period, in part due to our own mistakes in the past,” Ortberg said. “We can get back on track, but a strike would put our shared recovery in jeopardy.”

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What to watch in Asia today

Events: Japan’s Liberal Democratic party formally launches its leadership race. The Canadian embassy in Tokyo hosts the Canada-Japan LNG Partnership Forum. New Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is due to announce a sweeping debt restructuring in a policy statement. Thai soldiers and police accused of murder and unlawful detention in connection with a 2004 protest in the Muslim-majority town of Tak Bai are expected in court.

Central banks : Pakistan’s central bank board meets to review interest rates.

Economic indicators: Japan issues its producer price index for August. Hong Kong’s PPI and industrial production for second quarter is due, as is India’s consumer price index for August and industrial production and manufacturing output for July.

Corporate updates: Australian retailer Myer Holdings issues quarterly results and Indian travel group MakeMyTrip holds its annual meeting.

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Madison Darbyshire in New York

Investors pull $7.7bn from Franklin Templeton unit amid co-CIO probe

Investors pulled $7.7bn in assets from Franklin Templeton subsidiary Western Asset Management in August, after the company’s co-chief investment officer was placed on leave.

Western is under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the US Department of Justice for allegedly “cherry picking”, or selecting more lucrative trades for particular preferred clients. Ken Leech was replaced as co-CIO on August 21.

The $377bn subsidiary of Franklin Templeton has struggled with underperformance. It had almost $13bn in outflows from January 2021 to July 2024.

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Nvidia-led tech rally helps Nasdaq notch biggest daily gain in a month

The Nasdaq Composite notched its best one-day rise in a month after heavyweight tech stocks climbed, recovering from a morning sell-off.

The tech-heavy index rose 2.2 per cent on Wednesday, with gains accelerating in the late afternoon. Nvidia jumped 8 per cent, leading an advance for the rest of its Magnificent Seven peers.

The Nasdaq rose for its third consecutive session, along with the benchmark S&P 500, which added 1.1 per cent. The small cap-focused Russell 2000 rose 0.3 per cent.

Ten-year Treasuries sold off, ending a six-session rally in the benchmark note’s price. Its yield, which moves inversely to price, rose 0.02 percentage points to 3.66 per cent.

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Daniel Thomas in London and James Fontanella-Khan in New York

US publisher joins bidding for The Telegraph newspaper

Dovid Efune, owner of the right-leaning digital outlet The New York Sun, has emerged as one of the bidders for The Telegraph, vying with UK-listed media group National World and hedge fund boss Paul Marshall for the British newspaper.

Efune is working with other US investors on the bid, said three people close to the situation, as one of the three parties now with access to the title’s financials. He has been asked to submit a second-round offer at the end of this month, they said.

The Telegraph’s ownership has been in question for more than a year since the Barclay family lost control of their media assets over unpaid debts.

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Isobel Koshiw in Kyiv and Felicia Schwartz in Washington

US and UK discuss easing curbs on Ukraine’s use of western weapons

US secretary of state Antony Blinken and UK foreign secretary David Lammy held talks in Kyiv on Wednesday about possibly lifting restrictions on Ukraine using western-made weapons to conduct attacks deep inside Russia.

In talks with Ukrainian officials, Blinken and Lammy highlighted how Russia had stepped up its attacks in recent months, as they accused Iran of sending ballistic missiles to Moscow for use in the war.

US President Joe Biden said on Tuesday he was “working” on Kyiv’s request to lift restrictions on using the US-made Army Tactical Missile System to target military sites far inside Russia that are used to launch strikes against Ukraine.

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Built by Scottish architect James S Gibson (1864 – 1951) with Skipwith and Gordon, and sculptures by Henry Fehr , the building is situated opposite the Houses of Parliament and flanked by the Treasury and Westminster Abbey.  Gibson demonstrated a modern approach to his design by “keeping it quite distinct in scale and style so as to preserve its own individuality.”

Construction took place from 1906 to 1913, as one of a number of significant buildings constructed in the area at the early 1900’s, including the Government Offices in Great George St (now HM Treasury), the Methodist Central Hall, the Head Quarters of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and the Institution of Civil Engineers.

The boldly massed building has a Portland stone exterior (load bearing with an internal steel frame) and a slate roof. Described as neo-Gothic with Flemish – Burgundian references it is influenced by Henry Wilson and Giles Scott in the concentration of carved ornamental stone balanced by a bare wall plane.

The building has three storeys, a basement and dormered attic storey with a steep hipped roof which is nine bays wide.

The entrance is a segmental arched deep set portal with great segmental arched window above, framed by canted bay turrets (English Heritage listing description).

A tower, with large arched windows and lofty stone chimney stacks, rises above the building to the same height as the nearby parish church of St Margaret. The exterior is decorated with fine stone carvings and parapets and dormers that mirror Barry and Pugin’s Palace of Westminster.

Being of relatively modern construction, the building is in good condition, and the majority of its historic fabric, decoration and fixed furniture survive.