Consumer confidence hit by ripple of fear over Iran war

Demand for online jewellery helped boost retail sales in December, despite a difficult festive period overall for retailers, figures show. Sales were up 0.4% from the previous month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, citing online jewellers reporting an increased demand for precious metals such as gold and silver. Internet shopping performed well, while…

Guy Delauney Balkans correspondent AFP via Getty Images Zagreb’s Christmas market was voted the best in Europe three years in a row Christmas markets are not just tradition across Europe, they are big businesses that give cities a huge economic boost every December. For Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, it is an effective way of…