Wednesday 7 January 2026
The Mighty Headlines
Economics: Greenland’s economy faces “major challenges”
Business and markets: Nickel prices rise by 10 per cent yesterday
Foreign Affairs: China and South Korea emphasise close relationship
Security and intelligence: UK and France ready to deploy troops to Ukraine
Domestic politics: UK PM appoints new “Head of Delivery Unit”
The Mighty Stats
FTSE = 10,122.73 (up 1.18%)
S&P 500 = 6,944.82 (up 0.62%)
Nasdaq = 23,547.17 (up 0.65%)
Stoxx 600 = 605.28 (up 0.58%)
£1 = $1.35 / €1.15
Lab / Con / Reform = 17 / 19 / 26 per cent (YouGov, 4-5 January)
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The Mighty Detail
Economics: Denmark’s central bank said yesterday that Greenland’s economy faces “major challenges ahead”. It comes amid fresh statements from the Trump administration that the US may annexe the country. Greenland’s slowing economy grew by 0.8 per cent in 2025, as infrastructure projects came to an end and some fishing stocks declined.
Business and markets: The price of nickel rose by more than 10 per cent on the London Metal Exchange yesterday, reaching $18,785 a ton. The metal has risen by nearly 30 per cent since the middle of December.
The rise has been driven by risks to production in Indonesia – a top producer of the metal – and interest from Chinese investors.
Foreign Affairs: The leaders of China and South Korea have emphasised the importance of their relationship during the South Korean President’s state visit to China this week.
China and South Korea are key trading partners, with bilateral trade worth around $273 billion in 2024.
It comes as relations between China and Japan sour further. Earlier this week China imposed controls on dual-use military exports to Japan.
Security and intelligence: At a summit of European and North American leaders yesterday in Paris, France and the UK agreed to deploy troops in Ukraine in the event that a peace deal is reached with Russia.
US envoy Steve Witkoff said at the summit that “we think we’re largely finished with security protocols” and are “very, very close” to a “prosperity agreement”.
Domestic politics: Axel Heitmueller has been appointed as Head of the UK Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit. The remit of the full-time role is to “drive forward the Government’s vision for national renewal.” Heitmueller was previously CEO of Imperial College Health Partners and a senior policy adviser to Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
The Mighty Calendar
What’s happening today?
Orthodox Christmas
EU Agriculture Ministers meet ahead of Mercosur trade deal vote
Prime Minister’s Questions in the UK House of Commons
Eurozone CPI inflation data (Dec) – expected to fall from 2.1% to 2.0%
Lookahead to tomorrow
Inaugural EU-Jordan summit, Amman, Jordan
Statement on undersea cables in the UK House of Commons
Transport Questions in the UK House of Commons
UK house price data (Dec)
US and Canada trade data (Oct)
China CPI inflation data (Dec) – set to rise from 0.7% to 0.8%
Company results from: Greggs, Tesco, Marks and Spencer
The Mighty Finale
🌤️Weather today
Light rain in southwest England. Dry elsewhere. High of 6C and low of 2C in London. Dry until late afternoon in Belfast. Light cloud in Edinburgh.
✏️Life coaching quote of the day
“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” Friedrich Nietzsche, philosopher
Mighty takeaway: Have a purpose, have a “why”, have reason to get up in the morning!
That’s it for this morning. We’ll see you again on Friday.
Adios!
The Mighty Memo team
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