Welcome back.
In this week’s magazine, we look at the country’s – indeed much of the developed world’s – labour shortage and what it means. As Philip Pilkington argues, chronic labour shortages caused by people’s fears of returning to work and hesitancy in getting vaccinated means rising wages - and that in turn could mean spiralling inflation. We’ve seen this sort of thing before, he says – in the 1970s. “The dynamics this time are different”, he says, but “investors should beware”. He explains the best ways to protect your portfolio – if you’re not already a subscriber, sign up here and get your first six issues free.
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The charts that matter
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How to start investing: a beginner’s guideGetting started in investing is a great way to make your money work harder for you over the long term, as investments tend to outperform cash savings
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UK inflation could rise to 3.5% tomorrow as food prices add pressureSome economists think inflation will hit 3.5% in tomorrow’s report covering June, coming in above the Bank of England’s forecast. We look at what to expect.
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Trump eyes private foundations to raise tax. Will philanthropy decline?The picture is mixed, but philanthropy on the whole is alive and well, says Simon Wilson
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'Rachel Reeves' plan to force pension funds into UK assets won't work'Opinion Hustling pension fund cash into British assets sounds like a good idea. It would be better to make Britain an attractive place to invest, says Matthew Lynn
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Supersonic travel: How China could 'leapfrog' US and Europe's commercial aviation industryOpinion Innovation in commercial aviation has been stuck for 60 years. A commercial supersonic jet might be back on the market soon, but will China get there first?
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How British businesses can tackle Trump's tariffsThe majority of British businesses are likely to take a hit from the chaos caused by Trump’s tariffs to reorder global trade. Companies in the firing line face some difficult decisions, says David Prosser
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Trump wants to colonise Mars – will it happen?Donald Trump wants to plant the US flag on Mars. Could humans really live there?
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Why are energy bills so expensive in the UK?Electricity bills in the UK are higher than in any comparable rich country. Some blame the net-zero zealotry of the government for that. What is really to blame for high energy bills?
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Will Putin invade Europe? Why investors know Russia is a paper tigerOpinion Markets are right to ignore talk of Putin invading Europe, says Max King.
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Why French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been banned from running for officeMarine Le Pen, presidential candidate and leader of France's right-wing National Rally party, has been barred from standing by the country's judges.
