Natural gas prices have surged in Europe as the continent prepares for a cold snap.
Benchmark futures increased as much as 4.3pc, with temperatures expected to plummet below freezing from Britain to the Nordics this week.
The first cold spell of the season will put pressure of the region’s fragile energy systems as households crank up the heating.
5 things to start your day
1) More rail strikes announced over Christmas – Leaders of the Rail, Maritime and Transport workers union (RMT) said on Monday that a fresh series of strikes will take place from December 24 through to December 27.
2) Vodafone urged to cut costs by major shareholder after ousting boss – Xavier Niel, founder of the French operator Iliad and owner of 2.5pc of Vodafone, said that change at the top would not be enough to deliver a turnaround.
3) More than 200,000 workforce dropouts report long Covid – The Office for National Statistics said this could partially explain why Britain’s labour force has shrunk so much since the pandemic began.
4) B&Q eyes rollout of dozens of convenience stores across UK – The…
