Friday 8 August 2025

Good morning. Since it’s Friday and it’s summer, we thought we’d introduce some levity into today’s edition. We came across a piece of news that we couldn’t possibly not share with you.

 

A lorry spilt its cargo of hot dog sausages on a busy road in Pennsylvania last Friday, creating a huge clear-up operation. Firemen were clearing up sausages with snow shovels.

 

The local fire chief said: "I can tell you personally, hot dogs are very slippery. I did not know that." Sky News said that it was the “wurst Fry-day commute” that motorists had endured for years.

-      The Mighty Memo team

 

 

The Mighty Headlines

 

Economics: Bank of England reduces interest rates

Business and markets: Trump says Intel CEO should resign

Foreign Affairs: Italy approves bridge to Sicily

Security and intelligence: UK gives Chinese Government embassy deadline

Domestic politics: JD Vance to stay at UK Foreign Secretary’s house today

 

The Mighty Stats

 

FTSE = 9,100.77 (down 0.69%)

S&P 500 = 6,340.00 (down 0.08%)

Nasdaq = 21,242.70 (up 0.35%)

CAC40 = 7,709.32 (up 0.97%)

 

£1 = $1.34 / €1.15

 

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The Mighty Detail

 

Economics: The Bank of England has voted to reduce interest rates from 4.25 per cent to 4 per cent. Unusually, two rounds of voting were required by the Bank “to get a clear outcome”.

  • Governor Andrew Bailey said that there was “genuine uncertainty” about the future of interest rates.

 

Business and markets: President Trump is urging the CEO of Intel, Lip-Bu Tan, to resign. It follows concerns about Tan’s alleged investments in China. A Republican Senator questioned the Chair of Intel this week about its CEO and the impact on US national security. Intel shares were down 3.59 per cent yesterday.

 

Foreign Affairs: The Italian Government has given approval to a landmark bridge connecting Sicily to mainland Italy. The bridge, which will be 2.3 miles long, is expected to cost €13.5 billion and to be completed in 2032.

 

Security and intelligence: The UK has given the Chinese Government two weeks to explain why parts of its controversial application for a new embassy in London have been blanked out. China bought the former Royal Mint building opposite the Tower of London for £255 million in 2018.

  • There are concerns that the fibre optic cables which run underneath the building, and which carry sensitive data to companies in the City of London, could be hacked.

  • Blanked-out sections in the design include areas behind security doors in the basement.

 

Domestic politics: US Vice President JD Vance is set to stay at David Lammy’s official country residence today as he begins his UK holiday. Vance will meet the UK Foreign Secretary at Chevening and will be joined by his family. Most of Vance’s holiday will be spent in the Cotswolds.

 

The Mighty Calendar

 

What’s happening today?

 

  • Bristol Hot Air Ballon Fiesta begins

  • Oasis tour continues in Edinburgh

  • Company results from: Tata Motors

 

Lookahead to tomorrow

 

Saturday

  •  80th anniversary of Nagasaki

  • Apprentice Boys of Derry March, Northern Ireland

  • London triathlon

 

Sunday

  • FedEx St. Jude Championship final day (golf)

  • Bristol Hot Air Ballon Fiesta ends

 

The Mighty Finale

 

🌤️Weather today

 

Sunny spells across the UK. High of 24C and low of 13C in London.

 

✏️Life coaching quote of the day

 

“Keep alive the dream; for as long as a man has a dream in his heart, he cannot lose the significance of living.” – Howard Thurman, writer and theologian

 

Mighty takeaway: Don’t lose your goals and ambitions at any age.

 

That’s it for this week. See you on Monday!

 

Adios!

 

The Mighty Memo team

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Wednesday 6 August 2025