Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Natural gas pulls back as traders take profits after the strong rebound from recent lows A move below the $3.50 level will open the way to the test of the support at $3.35 – $3.40 WTI oil rebounded from session lows as traders focused on rising tensions in the Middle East Yemen’s Houthis attacked Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport while Israel retaliated by striking the Houthi-controlled port and other targets WTI oil needs to climb above the $58.00 level to have a chance to gain upside momentum Brent oil  has also moved away from session lows as traders focused on recent developments in the Middle East OPEC+ plans to boost production in June force traders to stay cautious A move above the $60.50 level will open the way to the test of the resistance at $62.00 – $62.50 For a look at all of today’s economic events, check out our economic calendar with over 18 years of experience in the financial markets His expertise spans a wide range of instruments like stocks forecasting both long-term and short-term market movements XRP News Today: Bearish Turn Amid Political Heat and Settlement Hopes; BTC at $94k Gold (XAUUSD) & Silver Price Forecast: Safe-Haven Demand Rises Amid Mixed U.S Pi Network Shills Caught Lying About BNP Paribas Partnership — Will PI Coin Crash Further Dax Index News: Will Earnings and Trade Data Shift the DAX Forecast US Dollar Forecast: DXY Vulnerable to Further Losses if ISM Data Misses Expectations The leader of a North London council has said they ‘can’t wait to crush more vehicles’ as part of both a national and local campaign to crack down on fly-tipping The government has given councils the power to use drones and mobile CCTV cameras to identify and destroy vehicles that have been dumped on the streets In February Brent Council launched its ‘Don’t Mess With Brent’ campaign which aims to take a zero-tolerance approach to fly-tippers and litterers across the borough by deploying more enforcement officers and issuing heavier fines against those guilty of offences As part of central government’s Plan for Change local authorities have been given additional powers to clamp down on fly-tipping offenders – which currently costs Brent Council more than £1.5m a year was joined by the Secretary of State for Environment to ceremoniously crush a van that had been left on the streets of Brent I cannot wait to crush more vehicles responsible for ruining our streets I’ve had enough and so have our residents Criminals who pollute their neighbourhoods with rubbish need to be stopped These new powers will be a welcome addition to our arsenal reinforcing our zero-tolerance stance on fly-tipping.” He added: “We’re beginning to see the positive impact of our focused efforts and I am determined to use every tool at our disposal The local authority claims that the campaign is ‘beginning to yield results’ It has issued 30 per cent more fines to offenders than the previous year and recorded a decrease in the number of fly-tips reported in the borough over the same period councils had to bear the costs of seizing and storing vehicles but under new regulations that will be the responsibility of the fly-tipper and cutting red tape makes it easier for vehicles left on the streets or responsible for fly-tipping to be crushed Anyone caught dumping waste illegally will now also face up to five years in prison The government claims its Plan for Change will help ‘restore communities’ faith’ in the efforts to combat antisocial behaviour Fly-tipping has skyrocketed by a fifth since 2018/19 and prosecutions have fallen by a similar amount according to the Department for Environment It suggests failing to punish those responsible has left areas of the country ‘buried under an avalanche’ of waste said: “Waste criminals and fly-tippers who blight our towns and villages have gone unpunished for too long The government is calling time on fly-tipping I will not stand by while this avalanche of rubbish buries our communities.” Harrow Online is a company registered in England and Wales Please Register or Sign in to view this content Quantum Commodity Intelligence is a premium paid subscription service for professionals in the oil Quantum Oil service subscribers have access to: Get in touch with us for subscription information on all Quantum platforms Brent crude oil price rose on its recent intraday trading in order to recover some of its early losses amid the dominance of the main bearish trend on the short-term basis and its trading alongside the bias line with the emergence of the negative signals on the (RSI) with a continued negative pressure due to its trading below the EMA50 The crude oil price rose on its recent intraday trading to settle again above the critical support at $56.45 in attempt to recover some of its previous losses amid the dominance of the main bearish trend and its trading below its EMA50 The silver price rose on its recent intraday trading providing positive momentum besides the emergence of the positive signals on the (RSI) the negative pressure continues due to its trading below EMA50 which might decelerate the continuation of the price rise The gold price rose on its recent intraday trading supported by the emergence of the positive signals on the (RSI) to succeed in breaching the bearish correctional trend line on the short-term basis Residents of a North London neighbourhood have complained of ‘heavy charcoal smoke’ coming from a local takeaway shop creating an ‘unpleasant and intrusive atmosphere’ The new owners have claimed that the ventilation system had ‘never been cleaned’ by their predecessor but are taking the ‘necessary steps’ to address the issue The complaints come as the new owners of Lebanese Grill, located on Station Road in Harlesden have applied for a licence to open until 2am every night of the week residents have also highlighted issues with litter and large groups hanging outside the premises late at night making it feel ‘less safe’ Four residents have lodged their complaints to Brent Council ahead of the decision on whether to grant the licence They claim the business is already causing ‘significant disruption’ to the area and extending its hours until the early morning would ‘further exacerbate these issues’ The ‘continuous and heavy charcoal smoke’ which is said to ‘linger in the air’ into the early hours is a particular bone of contention for many One resident wrote: “Depending on the wind direction this creates an unpleasant and intrusive atmosphere It is unreasonable to expect the local community to tolerate this level of air pollution.” Another added: “The smoke coming out of their exhaust pipe is unbearable being below the rooftop level of the adjacent buildings the smoke remains trapped causing a big nuisance to all its neighbours.” has acknowledged the issue and said it is ‘actively working to resolve the smoke issue’ which they claim is caused by a lack of maintenance from the previous owner They added: “The ventilation system had never been cleaned “We have taken the necessary steps to address this and are ensuring the system is thoroughly cleaned and properly maintained moving forward We were dissatisfied with its previous condition but we are committed to resolving the issue to the highest standard.” a resident responded to suggest the ‘volume and persistence’ of the smoke remains a ‘serious problem’ and is only one part of their overall objection They also claim that there has been a noticeable increase in rubbish around the area which has ‘increased markedly’ since the premises opened One resident suggests the restaurant should be responsible for picking up the litter and use branded packaging to determine whether it’s successful Lebanese Grill has made efforts to keep the vicinity tidy which has seen ‘some improvement’ – including putting up posters around the area to discourage littering on Station Road Harley Road and Ranelagh Road – but one resident notes that many of them have fallen off and it ‘actually adds to the litter’ According to residents there are further issues with parking and noise disturbances caused by ‘large groups of males gathering outside’ and loitering for extended periods They claim this has resulted in increased noise and disruption which has ‘despoiled the area’ making it feel ‘less safe’ Innpacked was approached for comment on the additional complaints but did not respond ahead of publication The application will be reviewed by Brent Council’s Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Sub-Committee next week (May 7), where a decision on whether to grant the licence will be made. There are no objections from either the police or the council’s licensing team. Never miss another news story, subscribe to Harrow Online for FREE! © 2025 Harrow Online Ltd (16370670). Harrow Online is a company registered in England and Wales. Industry and market insights and forecasts Key figures and rankings about companies and products Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries Detailed information about political and social topics All key figures about countries and regions Market InsightsMarket forecast and expert KPIs for 1000+ markets in 190+ countries & territories Consumer InsightsInsights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide eCommerce InsightsDetailed information for 39,000+ online stores and marketplaces Directly accessible data for 170 industries from 150+ countries and over 1 million facts: Full-service market research and analytics Strategy and business building for the data-driven economy Transforming data into content marketing and design: All prices are for front-month future contracts Whenever a public holiday fell on a Monday Tuesday prices were considered for all benchmarks for consistency Annual gasoline prices in the United States 1990-2024 Monthly crude oil price average for Brent 2023-2025 Natural gas gains ground as traders focus on the recent EIA report Current demand for natural gas remains low If natural gas settles above the resistance at $3.60 – $3.65 it will move towards the next resistance level at $3.95 – $4.00 WTI oil is losing ground as traders prepare for OPEC+ meeting OPEC+ countries will discuss their June output plan A successful test of the support level at $57.50 – $58.00 will open the way to the test of the next support at $53.50 – $54.00 Brent oil is losing ground as traders worry that OPEC+ will boost production despite trade wars If Brent oil settles below the $60.00 level it will move towards the support at $58.00 – $58.50 View more search results aluminium and silver prices drop amid demand concerns​ following the US’ weak GDP data release Axel Rudolph FSTA ​The Brent crude oil price is on track for its fourth day of declines and looks to hit the $60.00 per barrel mark today Below it sits the April low at $58.18.  ​Minor resistance can now be found at the mid-April $62.20 low ahead of Wednesday's $63.24 high.   ​Front month aluminium futures are falling out of bed and retest their key April support zone at 229.40-to-228.70 Were it to give way on a daily chart closing basis the September 2024 low at 225.25 would be eyed.  ​Minor resistance may be found at the November 232.60 low.  ​The spot silver price seems to have topped out at last week's $33.69 per troy ounce high with it revisiting its 17-to-23 April lows at $32.09 Were a daily chart close below this level to be made the 11 March low at $31.81 may offer minor support the 11 February low at $31.25 would be next in line.  ​Minor resistance remains to be seen along the 55-day simple moving average (SMA) at $32.63.  Shares Other markets Spread betting Share dealing Web platform MetaTrader 4 ProRealTime Strategy and planning Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. 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Some ETPs carry additional risks depending on how they’re structured, investors should ensure they familiarise themselves with the differences before investing. Share dealing and IG Smart Portfolio accounts provided by IG Trading and Investments Ltd, CFD accounts and US options and futures accounts are provided by IG Markets Ltd, spread betting provided by IG Index Ltd.    The information on this site isn’t directed at residents of the United States, Belgium or any particular country outside the UK and isn’t intended for distribution to, or use by, any person in any country or jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation. Barclays downgraded its Brent crude oil price forecast for 2025 and 2026, citing the decision by the OPEC+ to expedite the phasing out of their voluntary production adjustments and accelerate output, the bank said on Sunday. The bank now expects Brent to average $66 per barrel in 2025, down $4 from its previous forecast, and $60 per barrel in 2026, a $2 reduction. "Tariff-related developments have certainly been a drag but the OPEC+ pivot has also been a significant driver of the move lower in oil prices of late," Barclays said. The bank now anticipates OPEC+ to fully phase out the additional voluntary adjustments by October 2025, but also projects slightly slower U.S. oil output growth. # current as of given date, may not indicate date of revision For a table of crude price forecasts as per Reuters' latest monthly poll, see (OILPOLL) Copyright © 2025 FactSet Research Systems Inc.© 2025 TradingView Several road closures are set to disrupt residents of Brent this month while major utility and rail works are carried out with Willesden again particularly badly affected The busy Wembley High Road is expected to be fully open again this month after extensive drainage works are completed whilst other long-running closures are set to come to an end The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has found all of the ongoing and planned road closures that are happening in May Whilst some closures will only take place overnight others will see roads shut for weeks or even months at a time The closures could cause traffic disruption for residents who may need to find an alternative route to get to their destination Major closures include that of Wembley High Road which has been shut for vehicles since January 13 but is set to fully reopen by May 30 St Pauls Avenue in Willesden will close for an extended period at the end of the month (May 31) and won’t reopen again until the end of July whilst essential gas works are carried out Below is a breakdown of all the road closures both ongoing and planned that will be in force throughout May and beyond Residents should look out for diversion routes to avoid facing substantial disruptions Alperton Lane (Alperton): Road closed from May 19 at 10pm to May 20 at 6am for Network Rail works Dollis Hill Lane (Dollis Hill): Road closed from May 5 to May 19 for gas works Clifford Way (Dollis Hill): Road closed from May 14 to July 9 for water works Acton Lane (Harlesden): Road closed from May 17 at 11pm to May 18 at 7am and May 31 at 11pm to June 1 at 7am for Network Rail works Burns Road (Harlesden): Road closed from April 1 to May 19 for gas works Southview Avenue (Neasden): Road closed from April 9 to June 24 for water works Westview Close (Neasden): Road closed from May 27 to July 20 for water works Ballogue Avenue (Neasden): Road closed from March 31 to June 2 for water works Church Lane (Neasden): Road closed from May 15 to May 16 for telecoms works Twyford Abbey Road (Park Royal): Road closed from March 21 to May 6 for water works Orchard Gate (Sudbury): Road closed from May 12 to May 15 for water works Homefield Road (Wembley): Road closed from May 27 to May 29 for water works Preston Road (Wembley): Road closed from April 29 to May 6 for water works High Road (Wembley): Road expected to reopen on May 30 after drainage works Chaplin Road (Wembley): Road closed from April 24 to May 5 for water works Western Avenue (Wembley): Road closed from May 29 at 11pm to May 31 at 5am for unspecified works Avenue Road (Willesden): Road closed from May 6 to May 9 for gas works Park Avenue (Willesden): Road closed from April 5 to June 1 for gas works St Pauls Avenue (Willesden): Road closed from May 26 to July 27 for gas works Buxton Road (Willesden): Road closed from April 24 to May 6 for water works Osborne Road (Willesden): Road closed from April 24 to May 6 for water works Chapter Road (Willesden): Road closed from December 2 Villiers Road (Willesden): Road closed from April 11 to July 14 for water works Brenthurst Road (Willesden): Road closed from March 17 to May 13 for water works In a BMI report sent to Rigzone by the Fitch Group on Monday BMI revealed its latest Brent oil price forecasts out to 2029 BMI sees the commodity averaging $68 per barrel in 2025 A Bloomberg consensus included in the report projected that Brent will average $73 per barrel this year BMI highlighted in the report that it is a contributor to the Bloomberg consensus “Due to the significant changes in U.S we are making a mid-month update to our oil price forecast,” BMI analysts stated in the report “We have cut the annual average for Brent crude from $76 per barrel to $68 per barrel for 2025 we are revising down from $75 per barrel to $71 per barrel with an expected supply overhang weighing on the market’s recovery,” they added “These changes have been made in response to the sharp rise in the U.S effective tariff rate and the heightened risks to the global economy but slowing economic activity will erode demand at the margins pervasive trade uncertainties and downside pressures on major economies will negatively impact on Brent via shifts in sentiment and rising risk aversion,” they went on to state “This will continue to depress prices over the coming months before markets recover in the backend of the year,” the analysts noted A BMI report sent to Rigzone by the Fitch Group on April 11 showed that BMI expected the front month Brent crude price to average $76 per barrel in 2025 and $75 per barrel in 2026 A BMI report sent to Rigzone by the Fitch Group on March 3 showed that BMI expected the Brent price to average $76 per barrel this year A research note sent to Rigzone by Natasha Kaneva Head of Global Commodities Strategy at J.P Morgan expects the average Brent price to come in at $66 per barrel in 2025 and $57 per barrel in 2026 Morgan’s previous forecast projected that the Brent price would come in at $73 per barrel this year and $61 per barrel next year “Our approach has been to avoid revising our price forecasts unless there is clear evidence that the fundamentals underpinning our original view have changed,” J.P we maintained our forecasts without any adjustments the heightened trade policy uncertainty that should start to weigh on activity growth starting in April or May is prompting us to reassess our position,” they added we now expect global oil demand to increase by 0.8 million barrels per day with growth averaging only 0.3 million barrels per day in the third quarter,” they continued “The higher production volumes from the OPEC+ alliance indicate a shift in the reaction function will push balances into a large surplus and drive Brent down below $60 towards year end,” the J.P the State Council of the People's Republic of China and the European Commission Chief Spokesperson for comment on BMI’s report Rigzone has also contacted the White House and OPEC for comment on the J.P none of the above have responded to Rigzone Energy Information Administration (EIA) cut its Brent spot price forecast for 2025 and 2026 in its latest short term energy outlook (STEO) the EIA now sees the Brent spot price averaging $67.87 per barrel in 2025 and $61.48 per barrel in 2026 the EIA projected that the Brent spot price would average $74.22 per barrel this year and $68.47 per barrel next year To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com A North London historical society has launched a petition to prevent a 150-year-old Victorian villa from being demolished as part of a redevelopment project The fate of the locally listed building has been in the balance since planning permission was granted around six years ago it expired before construction began leaving the building’s future uncertain More than 200 people have already signed the petition to save the villa since it was launched by Willesden Local History Society (WLHS) earlier this month It is situated in the Morland Gardens site which has been the subject of multiple prior housing development proposals but now forms part of Brent Council’s ‘Hillside Corridor’ project Irina Porter of the WLHS describes Altamira as a ‘much-loved and valued’ part of Stonebridge and is urging the council to ‘retain the beautiful and historic’ Victorian villa as part of any redevelopment of the site – which is proposed be turned into affordable housing and youth facilities A consultation on the plan was launched last month (March) to gauge public opinion whilst it doesn’t mention the listed building specifically it is feared that the plan involves it being demolished Built between 1872 and 1876 by architect Henry Kendall Jnr Altamira was one of the buildings of a larger estate – named Stonebridge Park which was the origin of the name of the area which developed around it The villa is now one of only two surviving examples which have ‘distinct belvedere towers’ It remained a private house until around the time of the First World War before becoming a members’ club for the next few decades Then in the 1990s it was restored and extended by Brent Council to become home to the Adult and Community Service it was decided to upgrade the facilities for the service that would later be renamed Brent Start The council’s original plans for redeveloping the Morland Gardens site were approved in January 2020 and involved demolishing the locally listed building it ultimately failed after the planning consent expired towards the end of 2023 without any construction work starting Brent Start college was then moved to a temporary home on Twybridge Way and is set to have its permanent residence built at Bridge Park as part of the area’s regeneration instead – which is also part of the £600m ‘Hillside Corridor’ project The council has now suggested plans to build new council homes and community facilities at Morland Gardens but WLHS is fighting for Altamira to be retained The society claims there is ‘plenty of space behind the villa’ to build the homes without losing the ‘heritage building’ The long-awaited proposals are expected to come before the Cabinet at an upcoming meeting (June 16) South Brent Amateur Dramatic Society are delighted to present a comedy for the second production of their Centenary year. Running from May 15 to 17 in South Brent Village Hall, “A Bunch of Amateurs” has been written by masters of comedy Ian Hislop and Nick Newman. The play features a washed-up Hollywood action hero mistakenly taking a big role with a small am-dram society in a Stratford that definitely isn’t upon Avon, with plenty of comic consequences. Keen to boost his flagging career, fading Hollywood star Jefferson Steel arrives in England to play King Lear in Stratford — only to find that this is not the birthplace of the Bard, but a sleepy Suffolk village. Instead of Sir Kenneth Branagh and Dame Judi Dench, the cast are a bunch of amateurs trying to save their theatre from developers. Jefferson’s monstrous ego, vanity and insecurity are tested to the limit by the enthusiastic am-dram thespians. As acting worlds collide and Jefferson’s career implodes, he discovers some truths about himself — along with his inner Lear! Directed by SBADS' Chairman Robin Willoughby, the cast includes Tim McGill as Jefferson Steel and SBADS' regulars Alan Prince, Nat Cook and Kim Kidney. The play is at 7.30pm from Thursday May 15 to Saturday May 17 at 7.30pm with a matinee on Saturday at 2.30pm. Doors open 30 minutes before the show, with refreshments available from the bar. Tickets are on sale at the Village Shop in South Brent or through the SBADS website. SBADS members range from 8 to 80+, come from a wide range of backgrounds, do all sorts of day jobs and not all are from South Brent itself. They usually stage two or three productions a year in South Brent Village Hall on the edge of Dartmoor. Full information is available at www.sbads.show/amateurs Comments Tel: 01548 853101[email protected]Follow us Further Links Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025 Transforming rail travel and sparking regeneration has project managed the creation of London’s first new train station in over a decade features four platforms and connects to central London in just 12 minutes This 7,000 sq meter station is part of an £8 billion regeneration plan and offering 3 million sq ft of office space.  The station serves as a major gateway to a new business and innovation district linking Brent Cross Town to the Knowledge Quarter in King’s Cross and the Oxford-Cambridge Arc The connection to the Midlands further boosts the region’s economy showcasing how transport infrastructure can drive regeneration and growth.  Overcoming challenges in a live rail environment Mace and its partners laid over 10 km of new track and coordinated works around operational rail assets with Mace facilitating communication and setting expectations among multiple parties including Network Rail and various supply chain partners.  By leveraging long-standing relationships in the rail sector Mace acted as the eyes and ears for Barnet Council promoting collaboration and innovation throughout the project Brent Cross West Station stands as a testament to effective project management and the transformative power of infrastructure development.  North-West and Central (NW&C) regional portfolio energy assessment Birmingham New Street station refurbishment A family has been awarded a pay out of more than £9,000 after a North London council delayed providing support to their son with ‘significant care needs’ It took more than a year before he got the additional help he required meaning the family had to provide support for up to 80 hours a week – which should have been funded by the local authority An investigation by the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) found that Brent Council was ‘at fault’ for delays in increasing the care package for the son The council initially agreed to pay £5,150 in compensation for the delay but the Ombudsman concluded that this doesn’t take into account the impact on the rest of the family and increased the amount to £9,150 Brent Council reviewed Mr Y’s care and support plan in September 2022 which found that his incontinence meant there was a ‘significant amount of additional washing’ that his family was struggling to cope with It recommended support from a cleaner twice a week for up to four hours total to help with the laundry as well as other necessary increases to the overall care package despite having agreed to the changes in December 2022 – which involved support with personal care and behavioural therapy totalling 288 hours a week – the council did not set up the increase and it wasn’t implemented until October 2023 It had also been cut down to 260 hours a week after the overnight support was removed The solicitor acting on behalf of Mr Y subsequently complained to the council about the delays and support provided which the local authority claimed was due to it having to wait for the finalised decision from the NHS It also added that the care package had increased to 288 hours a week from October 1 The council later offered Mr Y’s mother £150 for the ‘inadequate response’ to the first complaint and £5,000 for the delays providing care which it said would come off her outstanding debt to the council The historic debt appears to relate to the misuse of Mr Y’s direct payments by his mother when she used to manage them however the investigator called this ‘inappropriate’ as it would prevent the funds from working ‘as intended’ There was no evidence to suggest that Mr Y suffered because of the long delay as the boy’s family ensured that all of his care needs were met but the LGO said the financial compensation didn’t take into account the impact the delay had on Mr Y’s siblings and mother The report states: “It left the family providing support for up to 80 hours a week which should have been funded by Mr Y’s personal budget This prevented them from doing other things they had wanted to do with their lives That is an injustice which needs a remedy for the three of them.” the council has been told to pay Mr Y’s family £9,000 to ‘remedy the injustice’ caused by the delays in setting up his increased personal budget and pay Ms X £150 for ‘the distress caused’ by not properly responding to her initial complaint – none of which should be used to reduce any of the historic debt A spokesperson for Brent Council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “We apologise to Mr The recommended payment has been made and we have introduced new timescales within our Learning Disabilities service to ensure timely action supported by fortnightly managerial reviews “We continue to work closely with our health colleagues to ensure Mr Y receives the appropriate care and support We remain fully committed to learning from this experience and improving our approach to provide the highest standards of service to those who rely on us.” Residents of a North London neighbourhood are furious over what appears to be an ‘incremental planning tactic’ to convert a former high street bank into ‘another gambling den’ The site was only approved to become a bingo hall earlier this year but the developers have already applied to expand it into an adult gaming centre Brent Council approved a plan by Star Commercial Property Ltd to turn the former Lloyds bank located at the junction of Walm Lane and High Road in Willesden just two months after getting the approval the same company has now made a new application for the premises to widen its remit to an ‘adult gaming centre’ – with no immediately noticeable changes to the layout plans The move has been met with widespread condemnation from local residents In an objection submitted against the application one resident called the plan ‘completely outrageous’ They added: “Permission has already been granted for a ‘bingo hall’ despite overwhelming local opposition […] Now the entity behind the application is taking another incremental planning step for a full-blown adult gaming centre No one who lives in this area wants this.” Another added: “Gambling ‘dens’ are often a sign of an area in decline and one could argue they exploit local inhabitants who are at the lower end of the income strata As a local resident and a daily shopper along Walm Lane and Willesden High Street I do not want to see any further gambling premises.” Others took to neighbourhood app Next Door to voice their concerns with the plan being called ‘a disgrace’ and ‘absolutely shameful’ The plan to eventually shift the premises to an adult gaming centre had been predicted by residents at the time of the initial application – in a move another contributor called a ‘classic planning tactic of taking incremental steps in making controversial applications’ The Gambling Act 2005 requires councils to approve licences for gambling premises unless they do not meet the licensing objectives Bingo halls specifically are not included in the section of local planning policy that seeks to prevent the over-concentration of potentially harmful premises – including betting shops Brent Council has publicly stated the ‘detrimental impact’ the number of gambling sites is having the borough has the second-highest concentration of gambling establishments in London and other adult gaming centres all located within a one-mile stretch wants local authorities to have more power to reject licence applications that it feels ‘threatens the community’s welfare and safety’ but until then the council has little power to stop them Whilst there is a cap on the number of bookmakers that can be opened in a particular area there is no such limit on bingo halls and adult gaming centres – which provides a possible loophole for such companies wrote to the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport earlier this month urging the Government to give them more power to ‘beat the bookies’ claiming they are ‘effectively powerless’ to stop new sites springing up The harmful consequences of gambling have been linked to a range of social and public health issues A study from Bristol University found that betting shops were ten times more likely to be found in deprived towns dropping below $60 per barrel in early tradingBrent crude futures fell below $63 per barrel on Wednesday for the first time since 11 April according to trading data from London’s ICE Futures Exchange The July Brent futures contract declined by 1.69% to $62.97 per barrel as of 2:36 a.m with prices falling further to $62.82 by 3:04 a.m West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures for June delivery also experienced significant losses The decline comes amid broader market pressures marking a seven-week low for global oil benchmarks.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ For: Oil prices fall as Brent slides below $63 Your suggestion have been successfully submitted There was an error while trying to send your request Natural gas tests resistance at $3.35 – $3.40 as the rebound continues but some traders are ready to bet on a stronger rebound from recent lows A move above the $3.40 level will push natural gas towards the next resistance at $3.60 – $3.65 WTI oil is under pressure as traders worry that trade wars will hurt demand for oil it will head towards the next support at $57.50 – $58.00 Brent oil tests new lows amid broad pullback in the oil markets A move below the $64.00 level will open the way to the test of the support level at $62.00 – $62.50 For a look at all of today’s economic events, check out our economic calendar. Vladimir is an independent trader, with over 18 years of experience in the financial markets. His expertise spans a wide range of instruments like stocks, futures, forex, indices, and commodities, forecasting both long-term and short-term market movements. Gold (XAUUSD) & Silver Price Forecast: Safe-Haven Demand Rises Amid Mixed U.S. Data Pi Network Shills Caught Lying About BNP Paribas Partnership — Will PI Coin Crash Further? Dax Index News: Will Earnings and Trade Data Shift the DAX Forecast? Outlook Today indispensable guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington follow the latest on tariffs and executive orders Stay on top of the latest events in US politics with the FT’s trusted and impartial coverage Insight and analysis on US politics from commentators such as Ed Luce and James Politi This subscription does not include access to ft.com or the FT App Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times Energy prices remain under pressure amid demand concerns while copper prices get a boost from tariff uncertainty Sentiment remains negative in the oil market with ICE Brent falling close to 2.5% yesterday It settled below US$70/bbl after briefly trading to its lowest level in three years Rising OPEC supply and prospects for further increases combined with ever-present tariff uncertainty Recent price weakness makes it difficult for US producers to “drill drill.” While prompt WTI is trading below $67/bbl The calendar 2026 price is trading around $63/bbl reducing incentives for producers to increase drilling activity we’re likely to see a bigger pullback in activity a $64/bbl price level to drill a new well profitably according to the Dallas Federal Reserve Energy Survey Weekly US inventory data was also fairly bearish the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that US crude oil inventories increased by 3.61m barrels over the last week That’s a marked increase from the 1.5m-barrel decline the American Petroleum Institute (API) reported the previous day crude oil stocks at Cushing rose by 1.12m barrels This leaves stocks at the WTI delivery hub at the highest level since November Lower refinery rates contributed to the build and crude inputs dropping by 346k b/d week on week gasoline and distillate inventories fell by 1.43m barrels and 1.32m barrels European natural gas prices traded in a volatile manner yesterday prices closed lower with TTF settling 4.5% lower on the day Positioning data shows that investment funds reduced their position in TTF by 56.5TWh to a net long of 174.8TWh It hardly helped that the European Commission delayed the release of a plan to phase out Russian fossil fuels Some read this as a sign that a partial resumption in Russian pipeline gas is possible under a peace deal the EU will allow some flexibility in storage targets although member states should still aim to have storage 90% full by 1 November Comex copper futures surged more than 5% yesterday after US President Donald Trump proposed a 25% tariff on copper imports The move in COMEX copper also pushed LME copper prices higher The COMEX/LME arb widened back towards $1,000/t on the back of the news Trump instructed the US Commerce Department to mull potential copper import tariffs The market anticipated a relatively long investigation before tariffs are implemented The latest indications are that the copper tariff could be enforced sooner China’s National Development and Reform Commission pledged to enforce production cuts in the country’s steel and oil industry The aim would be to improve industry profitability and reduce pollution China’s steel production remains above 1bn tonnes despite Beijing’s efforts to reduce capacity Industry estimates suggest that cuts of around 50mt could be implemented Stay up to date with all of ING’s latest economic and financial analysis If you are acting in a professional capacity and look for investment research, visit research.ing.com Sign up to Barnet First for weekly service updates and news into your inbox our new neighbourhood being delivered in partnership with Related Argent with social housing amongst the first to be completed 120 new homes will provide replacement social housing for residents of the nearby Whitefield Estate as well as welcoming new residents into shared equity and London Living Rent homes All homes have a private garden or balcony area to maintain access to their own space as well as a communal garden to enjoy together which provides the first homes for private sale at Brent Cross Town almost 300 new residences have been completed as part of the first phase in the development of over 6,700 new homes in the area These moves are a major milestone for the ambitious Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration programme and marks a special moment for residents like Linda Graham who said: “I’m absolutely over the moon with my new apartment The open layout and three large windows that bring in so much natural light are just perfect.” Providing affordable housing early on in the development, as well as high quality parks and open space, and improving transport connectivity with our new Brent Cross West station is an important part of our vision to ensure existing residents benefit from the transformation of the area Deputy Leader of Barnet Council and Cabinet Member for Homes and Regeneration said: “I am delighted to see residents receiving the keys to these fantastic new homes bringing much-needed social and affordable housing alongside the wider mix of homes being delivered.” Brent Cross Town is an £8 billion net-zero park town which will deliver 6,700 of the 7,500 new homes planned for the wider Brent Cross Cricklewood programme Find out more about the Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration programme here Follow us through our social channels to find out what we're doing Kenton and surrounding areas are being encouraged to take part in the upcoming Brent Connects forums — a chance for residents to discuss local issues directly with councillors and council officers There are five forums in total, each covering a different part of the borough. These include Harlesden, Kingsbury & Kenton Locals are invited to attend the meetings — either online or in person — to raise concerns and learn more about council services and community projects The meetings give people a chance to talk about the issues that matter most to them — whether it’s safety The closest forum for residents in Harrow’s neighbouring areas like Kenton and Northwick Park is the Wembley Brent Connects which takes place on 19 May from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at Brent Civic Centre This forum covers wards including Alperton Another nearby session is the Kingsbury & Kenton Brent Connects Cabinet Member for Climate Action and Community Power “Brent Connects are a vital set of local meetings for our communities to make change in their local area residents have used the meetings to secure after-school sports sessions for Brent children make their pavements safer and get more community policing in their area Come along to meet your neighbours and local Councillors and make your voice heard.” Topics discussed at the forums will vary depending on the area’s specific needs and priorities 2025 (BSS/TASS) - The price of futures contracts of Brent crude oil for July 2025 delivery has dropped below $59 per barrel on London's ICE for the first time since April 9 the cost of Brent was down by 4.54% to $58.88 per barrel Brent was trading at $58.9 per barrel (-4.15%) WTI oil futures for delivery in June 2025 fell by 4.28% Managing Director and Chief Editor : Mahbub Morshed Natural gas gains ground as traders react to the EIA report which indicated that working gas in storage increased by +107 Bcf from the previous week If natural gas settles above the $3.50 level it will move towards the next resistance level at $3.60 – $3.65 WTI oil gained ground as U.S – Iran talks were delayed for “logistical reasons” Defense Secretary Hegseth warned Iran about the consequences of supporting the Houthis A move above the $60.00 level will push WTI oil towards the resistance at $62.50 – $63.00 Brent oil  moved higher amid broad rebound in the oil markets Traders have started to pay attention to geopolitical risks Brent oil needs to settle above the resistance at $62.00 – $62.50 to gain additional upside momentum in the near term Brent crude oil continued the rise in its recent intraday trading affected by the stability of the key support at $60.00 gaining positive momentum that assisted it to achieve strong gains in attempt to correct the main bearish trend on the short-term basis the negative pressure by its trading below EMA50 remains valid besides its trading alongside bearish bias line accompanied by the (RSI)reach to exaggerated overbought areas compared to the price move which indicates the beginning of forming a negative divergence there Ethereum (ETHUSD) price rose in its recent intraday trading after a quick rebound to collect its gains and gathers its positive strength by offloading its clear overbought conditions on the (RSI) amid the dominance of the bullish correctional trend on the short- term basis and its trading alongside the bias line with the continuation of the dynamic support by its trading above its EMA50 Bitcoin price rose in its recent intraday trading after reaching our previous target at $97,400 to succeed in offloading the clear overbought conditions on the (RSI) which provided positive momentum that supported it to rise again preparing to attack the mentioned resistance level This comes amid the dominance of the main bullish trend on the short-term basis and its trading alongside the bias line with the continuation of the positive support due to its trading above its EMA50 The crude oil price rose sharply in its recent intraday trading to breach the key resistance level ay $58.75 this level represents a neckline for a positive technical formation on the short term basis which is the inverted head and shoulders pattern as appears in the above chart for 60 minute time frame and it succeeded to surpass the negative pressure on the EMA50 with the emergence of the positive signals on the (RSI) The performance of the precious metal comes after leaning on the main support of$,3,200previously which provided positive momentum that helped it to rebound higher and it managed to offload some of the clear oversold conditions on the (RSI).  A North London council has been accused of ‘misleading residents’ over claims about its house building achievements last year In a leaflet sent out as part of this year’s council tax bill the local authority claims it built more than 500 affordable homes last year However, a Freedom of Information Request (FOI) appears to show the actual number to be lower than the one stated. Brent Council said construction projects are ‘rarely straightforward’ and claimed the figures were ‘correct when the leaflet was printed’ All Brent residents will have recently received their bill for the 2025/26 council tax year which has seen a 4.99 per cent increase on the previous year – the maximum annual increase allowed without a referendum residents will have also been given a leaflet that outlines how their council tax was spent last year Under the heading ‘Prosperity and Stability in Brent’ the council claims to have delivered 530 affordable homes last year Brent resident Philip Grant – who worked in the housing charity sector prior to retiring – told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that he ‘could not understand’ how the council could claim this figure and submitted an FOI to ‘obtain the facts’ The response Mr Grant received back from the council confirmed that between April 2024 and March 2025 This is nearly 20 per cent less than the number claimed in the leaflet which has prompted Mr Grant to accuse the council of ‘misleading residents’ only 101 were at the London Affordable Rent Level The other 333 properties were made up of Shared Ownership Units Discount Market Sale and London Living Rent which Mr Grant claims are not ‘genuinely affordable’ He also questioned whether many of the schemes were actually delivered by the council or other social housing providers Mr Grant told the LDRS: “The way that the housing claim was included in the leaflet […] gives the impression that all of those 530 – but actually 434 – affordable homes were built by Brent Council My FOI request also asked for the locations of the new homes and whether they were delivered by [the council] itself or by another registered provider of social housing “The answer was that only 26 affordable homes Claiming to have delivered 530 affordable homes when the reality was only 26 is not just misleading A council spokesperson told the LDRS that Brent has ‘one of the best records in London for housebuilding and was one of only three London boroughs to ‘exceed our housing delivery target’ last year They added: “The figures in the council tax leaflet were correct at the time of printing based on projected housing completions for the last and current financial year Construction projects are rarely straightforward and some of these homes will now be completed slightly later “In 2024-25 Brent oversaw the delivery of 434 new affordable homes and the remaining 96 are all due to be completed shortly All these homes meet the definition of affordable housing under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Greater London Authority (GLA) guidelines.” The leaflet also makes claims of 1,000 new council homes to be built between April 25 and March 26 the FOI response confirmed that this number will actually be 899 as a scheme set to deliver 110 units ‘has now been delayed and not expected to be delivered in the period’ Mr Grant also feels that these figures are ‘misrepresented’ as 564 of the homes are being purchased from private developers rather than being built by the council itself Mr Grant said: “’I have only looked at one very limited area of the claims in the council’s leaflet I can’t help wondering what other misinformation is being passed off as fact […] in that leaflet The council must know the true position for each claim made so why are they misleading residents in this way […]?” The council spokesperson said the new council homes scheduled for completion this year ‘have been adjusted to 899’ due to delays with the remaining homes ‘to follow’ They added that the Church End development is ‘on track to be completed soon’ Regarding which entity delivers the housing the spokesperson said: “In a housing crisis councils need to use all methods at their disposal to increase the supply of homes – buying homes from developers is standard practice and local people then benefit from genuinely affordable rents directly by the council or acquired through planning agreements these homes form part of our commitment to increasing affordable housing.” Precious metals are in demand in early trading Chris Beauchamp Spot gold pullback seems to have halted for now with buyers once again stepping in on weakness below $3300.00 we may see a fresh move higher develop that challenges the recent highs a close back below $3300.00 would mark a change in the short-term outlook and potentially bring the $3200.00 level and then the early April high at $3160.00 into view.  ​Spot silver prices recovered yesterday from their lows and stand poised for a new push higher that could see last week’s high tested clearing the way for a move to the late March high at $34.50.  ​Bulls have managed to step in on weakness over the past two weeks so sellers will need to see a close back below Monday’s low and then below $32.00 to suggest a turn lower is likely.   ​Yesterday saw a sharp drop for oil prices, with Brent crude oil closing below $65.00 This may mark the beginning of a new sustained drop to the lows of early April building on the downtrend in place since the January high.  ​A close back above $65.00 is needed to negate this current bearish view Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 71% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money Professional clients trading spread bets and CFDs can lose more than they deposit Options and futures are complex instruments which come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage you should consider whether you understand how options and futures work the risks of trading these instruments and whether you can afford to lose more than your original investment Trading stocks and shares ‘on margin’ within a US options and 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