Monday 20 April 2026
The Mighty Headlines
Economics: Oil tankers move to US for crude oil
Business and markets: Metal prices increase due to Middle East conflict
Foreign Affairs: Bulgaria’s new pro-Russia, centre-left Prime Minister
Security and intelligence: US-Iran potential peace talks in Pakistan today
Domestic UK affairs: Queen Elizabeth Trust unveiled in the UK
The Mighty Stats
FTSE = 10,667.63 (up 0.73%)
S&P 500 = 7,126.06 (up 1.2%)
Nasdaq = 24,468.48 (up 1.52%)
Stoxx 600 = 626.58 (up 1.56%)
£1 = $1.35 / €1.15
Lab / Con / Reform / Green = 22 / 17 / 26 / 15 per cent (Opinium, 15-17 April)
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The Mighty Detail
Economics: Data on oil tankers suggest that they are heading to the US for crude oil due to the disruption in the Middle East. There are reports of around 70 tankers, largely from Asia, heading to the US Gulf Coast. The average flow of tankers last year was 27.
Business and markets: The London Metal Exchange’s index has reached a record high in response to the Iran war. It has increased by 12 per cent in the last week due to supply restrictions.
Aluminium has the greatest weighting in the index and has increased by 15 per cent since the war began.
Around 9 per cent of global aluminium production is from the Middle East.
Foreign Affairs: Bulgaria’s pro-Russia former President, Rumen Radev, has won his country’s Parliamentary elections. His left-leaning Progressive Bulgaria Party came top in the country’s eighth election in five years. Who is Rumen Radev?
Age: 62 years old
Career: Former fighter pilot and air force general. President of Bulgaria from 2017 to 2026.
Key policies: Campaigned on an anti-corruption platform. Wants to cultivate ties with Russia but has criticised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and says he would not block EU aid to Ukraine.
Security and intelligence: President Trump said at the weekend that US negotiators would go to Pakistan today for further peace talks with Iran. Iranian media has denied that talks were happening. Trump has again reiterated that the US would “knock out every single” power plant and bridge in Iran if Iran did not agree to a peace deal.
UK Domestic affairs: A new charity, the Queen Elizabeth Trust, has been launched to “restore and sustain shared spaces” in local communities. The UK Government is providing a one-off £40 million endowment.
The late Queen would have marked her 100th birthday tomorrow.
The Mighty Calendar
What’s happening today?
Deadline to register to vote in UK’s May elections
UK Prime Minister Starmer addresses UK House of Commons on the Mandelson Affair
King Charles visits the new Queen Elizabeth II exhibition at Buckingham Palace
Lookahead to tomorrow
London Underground strike due to begin
King Charles hosts reception to mark Queen Elizabeth’s 100th birthday
Former FCDO chief Olly Robbins gives evidence on Mandelson Affairs
US Fed Chair nominee Kevin Warsh’s confirmation hearing
UK earnings data (February) – set to fall from 3.8% to 3.5%
Company results from: Halliburton, Associated British Foods, ASM, 3M, Capital One, United Airlines
The Mighty Finale
🌤️Weather today
Dry and sunny in the east of England. Light rain in the northwest. Cloudy in the southwest. High of 14C and low of 5C in London. Sunny spells in Belfast. Cloudy in Edinburgh.
✏️Life coaching quote of the day
“It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money – that's all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do.
The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot – it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.” – John Ruskin, writer
Mighty takeaway: Everything has a cost and things may be cheap for a reason.
That’s it for this morning. Thanks for reading and we hope you have a good start to the week.
Bye!
The Mighty Memo team
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