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Saudi state oil company reports jump in profits despite attacks; Australian central bank lifts rates – business live

Iran war reduces Aramco’s output but this has been offset by higher oil prices Virgin Media O2 is to cut thousands of UK jobs in an £800m cost-cutting drive as the telecommunications company aims to tackle its £22bn debt pile. VMO2, which is jointly owned by the British-Dutch-American telecoms company Liberty Global and Spain’s Telefónica , said £300m of the savings target will come from job cuts…

Saudi state oil company reports jump in profits despite attacks; Australian central bank lifts rates – business live

The Saudi state oil company, Saudi Aramco, reported a significant increase in profits despite attacks on its facilities. The world's top oil exporter posted a net profit of $3.25 billion in the third quarter of 2026, up from $26.9 billion a year earlier. While Iran's war reduced Aramco's output, higher oil prices have offset this decline.

Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose 1.7% to $106.55, following a US strike on Iran's Qeshm Island. The UK's FTSE 100, Germany's Dax, France's CAC 40, Italy's FTSE MiB, and Spain's Ibex all experienced declines, with Brent crude trading higher after a brief dip. Australia's central bank raised interest rates for the fifth time in 2026, reaching 4.85%, aiming to bring inflation to target.

Written by urgent.news from Guardian Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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