Martin Lewis on what people misunderstand about credit scores

The FTSE 100 index has climbed above 10,000 points for the first time, passing a significant stock market milestone, on the first trading day of the year. Shares included in the index performed strongly in 2025, leaving the benchmark more than 21% higher than a year ago, when it stood at just over 8,260. Rising…

“It’s unwelcome news for borrowers, as the prospect of falling mortgage rates has quickly given way to rate rises,” he said, adding: “How far they could go is now heavily dependent on how global markets and inflation expectations evolve as conflict in the Middle East unfolds.”

The UK economy failed to grow in July, following the biggest contraction in manufacturing output for a year. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the economy saw zero growth in the month, which was in line with expectations, following a 0.4% expansion in June. However, monthly figures are volatile, and the ONS has said…