Market thrills as September fails to slump

INVESTORS have shrugged off fears of a September slump with global stock markets powering onto new highs despite political and economic worries.

- By Harvey Jones

The US S&P 500 and UK's FTSE 100 both hit records, as investors chose to look past recession worries, the damage caused by Donald Trump's tariffs and rising geopolitical tensions as Russia probes NATO defences.

Shares continued their rise, powered by optimism around artificial intelligence (AI), strong corporate earnings, and hopes of further US interest rate cuts.

Yesterday, the FTSE was hit by news that the UK economy grew just 0.3% in the second quarter of the year, down from 0.7% in the first three months of 2025.