Bank of England Deputy Governor Sarah Breeden told the BBC on April 24 that stock markets around the world are “too high” and are likely to fall because current share prices do not fully reflect a range of economic and geopolitical risks. Breeden, who leads the Bank’s financial stability work, declined to predict timing or scale of any correction but said her priority is to ensure the financial system is resilient if markets adjust. She highlighted the rapid expansion of private credit — now roughly $2.5 trillion after 15–20 years of growth — as a particular concern because it has not been tested at scale and is deeply interconnected with other parts of finance. Breeden warned about the danger of multiple risks crystallising simultaneously, including a major macroeconomic shock, an abrupt readjustment in AI-related valuations, and spillovers from the recent Middle East conflict that have boosted energy costs. Her comments echo recent Bank analysis that higher inflation, weaker growth and rising borrowing costs raise the chance of simultaneous stress across government debt, private credit and major technology stocks.

April 24, 2026 — The U.S. Justice Department said it is closing its criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro announced, and has asked the Fed’s Office of Inspector General to examine cost overruns on renovations to the central bank’s Washington headquarters. The move follows a federal judge’s March ruling that quashed subpoenas to the Fed after finding scant evidence of criminality and criticism that the probe was being used to pressure Powell over interest-rate policy. The renovation’s estimated cost has risen from roughly $1.9 billion to about $2.5 billion, with the inspector general already undertaking reviews dating to 2021 and a fresh review requested in 2025. Pirro said she could restart a criminal investigation if the IG’s findings warrant it. The decision removes a key obstacle to President Donald Trump’s nominee, Kevin Warsh, advancing through the Senate to replace Powell when his term ends May 15; Senator Thom Tillis had withheld his support pending the DOJ inquiry. The White House voiced confidence the move would clear Warsh’s path to confirmation.

U.S. consumer sentiment plunged to an all-time low in April as the University of Michigan’s Surveys of Consumers showed the final Consumer Sentiment Index at 49.8 on April 24, down from 53.3 in March and slightly above an earlier preliminary reading of 47.6. The deterioration was broad-based across ages, income levels and political affiliations. One-year inflation expectations jumped to 4.7% from 3.8% in March, while five-year expectations rose to 3.5%. The survey, conducted March 24–April 20, linked the slide mainly to inflation fears stemming from the U.S.-Israel war with Iran and disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which lifted oil and commodity prices and kept gasoline and diesel elevated (around $4 and over $5 per gallon, respectively). Though retail spending and tax refunds have so far supported consumption, economists warned higher fuel and transport costs could erode real disposable income and weigh on discretionary spending. The report noted a modest late-month sentiment recovery after a temporary ceasefire, but said sustained improvement likely depends on easing supply constraints and lower energy prices.

NIO said on April 24 it is accelerating development of in-house automotive-grade chips to reduce dependence on suppliers such as Nvidia, CEO William Li told Reuters. The company has spun off its chip unit, Shenji, as an independent business and says its nanometre-scale silicon and whole-vehicle operating system are central to long-term competitiveness. Li said proprietary chips can be better matched to NIO’s sensor layouts and algorithms for AI and advanced driver-assistance functions, and that bringing chip design in-house should lift overall profitability despite higher upfront R&D costs. Industry reporting and investment-site analysis also name a new Shenji part, the NX9031, billed as a mass-produced 5nm automotive chip for NIO’s sub-brand Lado; that reporting estimated NIO previously paid up to $300 million annually to Nvidia (about $1,100 per vehicle) and projected potential annual savings exceeding 1.8 billion yuan. Shenji is said to be open to third-party customers, signalling a potential new revenue line beyond vehicle sales.

Stellantis will concentrate the bulk of its future investment on four core marques — Jeep, Ram, Peugeot and Fiat — under a strategic plan being driven by CEO Antonio Filosa and due to be announced in Detroit in May, sources told Reuters on April 24. The group plans a “material increase” in funding for those brands while other names in its 14‑brand portfolio (including Citroën, Opel, Alfa Romeo and others) will be repositioned as regional or national players, or built using platforms and technologies developed by the four priorities. The move, backed by major shareholders such as Exor, is intended to arrest market‑share decline in the U.S. and Europe and counter intensifying competition from Chinese automakers. Stellantis booked a €22.2 billion charge in February after scaling back aggressive EV plans and its market capitalisation has fallen sharply, prompting calls from some investors to streamline the portfolio. Management says it prefers tactical redeployment of brands rather than outright closures, though analysts say some marques could still be phased out if conditions warrant.

The federal government has approved Enbridge Inc.’s $4-billion Sunrise Expansion Program to add about 139 kilometres of new pipeline in British Columbia and increase capacity on the Westcoast (T‑South) transmission system. Announced April 24, 2026 by Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson, the project will construct 11 looping segments parallel to the existing line and add up to 300 million cubic feet per day of transportation capacity. Ottawa and regulators say the work — cleared by the Canada Energy Regulator subject to 47 binding conditions — will support LNG export facilities such as Woodfibre LNG, bolster regional supply to the U.S. Pacific Northwest, create thousands of jobs (about 2,500 at peak construction), and is expected to contribute roughly $3 billion to GDP and about $700 million in tax revenue. Enbridge and government statements say construction is expected to begin this summer, with commitments on Indigenous engagement and environmental safeguards attached to approval.