May 2026

PwC UK Chief Economist Barret Kupelian is joined by Andy Haldane, Economic Adviser to PwC UK and former Chief Economist at the Bank of England, to explore three possible futures for the Middle East and what they could mean for businesses, markets and the global economy.

They also discuss the surprising resilience of UK private sector balance sheets, whether the recent stock market rally can continue, and why UK borrowing costs are still rising.

For feedback or topic suggestions, get in touch with Barret at barret.g.kupelian@pwc.com.

April 2026

PwC UK Chief Economist Barret Kupelian is joined by Andy Haldane, Special Advisor to PwC UK, to unpack the latest developments in the Middle East and what they mean for UK businesses. They revisit the pre-escalation outlook, explore how rising geopolitical risk is feeding through into oil prices, supply chains, inflation and financial markets, and consider the implications for UK economic growth and monetary policy.
They also set out practical steps business leaders can take now to navigate heightened uncertainty with confidence.

For feedback or topic suggestions, get in touch with Barret at barret.g.kupelian@pwc.com.

In this final PwC Economics in Business Podcast of 2025, PwC UK Economics Leader Simon Oates and UK Chief Economist Barret Kupelian take stock after the dust has settled on the UK Budget. They unpack what a thicker fiscal headroom really signals for economic stability and how recent policy changes are reshaping business decisions and the labour market as firms look ahead to 2026. Barret also shares some of his economic predictions for next year, from US monetary policy and tariffs to the risk of an AI-driven market revaluation.