Friday 12 December 2025
The Mighty Headlines
Economics: US trade deficit narrows to smallest since 2020
Business and markets: Oracle shares fall by 10 per cent
Foreign Affairs: EU presses ahead with Ukraine membership
Security and intelligence: Royal Navy tracks Russian sub in the Channel
UK domestic affairs: Google builds new research laboratory in the UK
The Mighty Stats
FTSE = 9,703.16 (up 0.49%)
S&P 500 = 6,901.00 (up 0.21%)
Nasdaq = 23,593.86 (down 0.25%)
CAC40 = 8,085.76 (up 0.79%)
£1 = $1.34 / €1.14
Lab / Con / Reform = 14 / 18 / 30 per cent (Find Out Now, 10 Dec)
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Today’s Mighty Question and Answer
Q: What are the Business Questions in the UK Parliament you had in Wednesday’s Mighty Memo (the What’s happening today bit in the calendar section). There seems to be different “Questions” most days. Best wishes, G
A: Good question, G. Each ministerial department in the UK is required to answer questions in the House of Commons every six weeks or so. MPs from the Government and Opposition sides table the questions. In Home Office Questions, for instance, MPs will table questions on Home Office issues (like policing or immigration) and ministers from the Home Office will come to the House of Commons to answer them.
Business Questions are slightly different. This is when the Leader of the House of Commons sets out next week’s debates and then takes questions from MPs on possible future debates that could take place in the House of Commons chamber.
The Mighty Detail
Economics: New data indicates that the US’s trade deficit fell to $52.8 billion in September – its lowest level since 2020. The trade deficit is the difference between exports and imports, which President Trump has been trying to narrow. Some economists suggest that higher gold bullion exports rather than tariffs are behind the change.
Business and markets: Shares in technology giant Oracle fell by 10 per cent yesterday. It came after Oracle missed revenue expectations last quarter and said that projected expenditure on AI would also increase to $50 billion next year. Some investors see this path as unsustainable.
Oracle’s dip sparked an AI sell-off in the stock market, with shares in AI chipmaker Nvidia, for instance, falling by 2 per cent.
Foreign Affairs: The EU yesterday gave Ukraine a list of administrative and legal reforms it must make, as it seeks to accelerate Ukraine’s membership of the bloc. Despite one EU member state’s opposition (Hungary’s), the European Commission said yesterday that “nobody can block” Ukraine’s path to EU membership.
Security and intelligence: The Royal Navy tracked a Russian submarine through the Channel yesterday. The Royal Navy said that it tracked the Kilo-class submarine to “safeguard the integrity of UK waters and protect national security”.
The UK Government says that there has been a 30 per cent increase in Russian vessels threatening UK waters over the last two years.
UK domestic affairs: Google’s DeepMind is to open an automated research laboratory in the UK. DeepMind is Google’s AI unit and the laboratory in the UK will use AI and robotics to develop new superconductors. DeepMind was founded in London in 2010 and acquired by Google in 2014.
The Mighty Calendar
What’s happening today?
US hosts critical minerals summit with allied nations
10th anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement
House of Lords continues to debate assisted dying bill
Lookahead to the weekend
Saturday
The Christmas Meeting at Cheltenham, Cheltenham Racecourse
Georgian punch making, Handel Hendrix House Museum, London
Japanese tea ceremony demonstration, Japan House, London
Home Alone in Concert, Royal Albert Hall
Sunday
Science Museum holds free activities celebrating 10 years since Tim Peake’s journey to the International Space Station
Carols at the Royal Albert Hall series begins (ends 24 December)
Geminid meteor shower
The Mighty Finale
🌤️Weather today
Dry in the southwest of England but light rain until afternoon everywhere else. High of 13C and low of 4C in London. Sunshine in Belfast and Edinburgh.
✏️Life coaching quote of the day
“If you put your head on a pillow late at night and think it hasn’t been a good day, wake up the next day and change something. It might be your ideas or attitudes, it might be to leave a job or a husband. It could be anything, but change something. Don’t just drag on a set of circumstances which just aren’t falling into the right places. You’ve got to listen to and then act on that inner spark.” – Joan Bakewell, broadcaster
Mighty takeaway: Action is key here. Don’t just think about change. Make the change happen.
That’s it for this morning and for this week. We hope that you enjoy the weekend and we’ll see you on Monday.
Bye!
The Mighty Memo team
*To read the Mighty Memo manifesto and learn about why we do this visit: https://www.mightymemo.co.uk/why*