IMF upgrades the UK's 2026 GDP view to 1.0% (prev. 0.8%). Risks to growth are tilted to the downside.

The IMF's upgrade of the UK's 2026 GDP forecast from 0.8% to 1.0% suggests a slightly more positive outlook for growth, but the accompanying note on downside risks highlights ongoing uncertainties.

Newsquawk StaffPublished 18 May 2026, 11:20 UTCOn the live feed at 11:00 UTC — 9 more headlines followed before this page went public

Newsquawk headlinesUTC

11:04

Boston Scientific (BSX) enters into a USD 2bln accelerated share repurchase agreement; expects net impact of USD 0.02 to adj. EPS in FY26; will have USD 3bln remaining under share repurchase authorisation after the ASR

11:01

Rosatom head says the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant situation is rapidly approaching the point of no return, IFX reports

11:00

IMF upgrades the UK's 2026 GDP view to 1.0% (prev. 0.8%). Risks to growth are tilted to the downside.

10:52

Merck (MRK) says its TroFuse-005 trial evaluating sacituzumab tirumotecan met primary endpoints of overall survival and progression-free survival in certain patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer

10:50

Compass Minerals (CMP) is considering a return to the lithium market and has signed an MOU with Energyx to extract lithium from Utah's Great Salt Lake, Reuters reports

Open the platform and use it. The whole workspace is free to try, with no signup and no card. When you want the headlines arriving live instead of on a delay, Newsquawk Pro is £24.99 for 7 days.

Try the platform free

Free. No signup, no card.

Context

This revision could impact market expectations for UK interest rates and overall economic sentiment, potentially affecting fixed income and currency markets as traders adjust to the implications for growth and inflation amidst these risks.

Macro · last 90 days

Recent headlines that moved markets

MACRO/20 Aug · 01:30 UTC

Australian Employment Change (Jul) -15.8K vs. Exp. 15K (Prev. 76.3K)

Market, after we published−0.3%

AUD/USD immediately moved lower by 22 pips to 0.7103 from 0.7125.

EQUITIES/8 Sept · 05:24 UTC

Saudi Energy Minister says a number of energy facilities and utilities were hit; are temporarily halting some operations.

Equity indices, after we published−0.3%

ENERGY/8 Sept · 05:23 UTC

Saudi Energy Minister says a number of energy facilities and utilities were hit; are temporarily halting some operations.

Brent Nov'26, after we published+1.0%

ENERGY/3 Sept · 08:03 UTC

Russian President Putin says that Russia and Ukraine should agree first; he notes that there is an opportunity to reach a peace agreement.

with Brent Nov, after we published−1.3%

EQUITIES/3 Sept · 04:54 UTC

North Korea stripped references to "peaceful unification" with South Korea from the charter of its ruling Workers' Party of Korea, according to Yonhap.

Equity indices, after we published−3.3%

EQUITIES/1 Sept · 16:17 UTC

Initial reports of an American attack on Iran, reports i24's Stein.

ES, after we published−0.2%

Newsquawk Daily

Get both market opens in your inbox.

This note and the other one — the EU open and the US open, every business day, written by the desk. No account needed.

Related headlines

The whole workspace, free to try.

© 2026 Newsquawk. All rights reserved.