{"id":59083,"date":"2026-02-25T03:08:35","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T07:08:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/uk-energy-bills-to-drop-7-as-ofgem-lowers-price-cap-barclays-upgrades-glencore-target\/59083\/"},"modified":"2026-02-25T03:08:35","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T07:08:35","slug":"uk-energy-bills-to-drop-7-as-ofgem-lowers-price-cap-barclays-upgrades-glencore-target","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/uk-energy-bills-to-drop-7-as-ofgem-lowers-price-cap-barclays-upgrades-glencore-target\/59083\/","title":{"rendered":"UK Energy Bills to Drop 7% as Ofgem Lowers Price Cap; Barclays Upgrades Glencore Target"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>UK energy regulator Ofgem has lowered the annual energy price cap to \u00a31,641<\/strong>, representing a <strong>7% decrease<\/strong> or <strong>\u00a3117 in savings<\/strong> for typical households starting April 1.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Barclays (<a href=\"\/stock\/BARC\">BARC<\/a>) has raised its price target for Glencore (<a href=\"\/stock\/GLEN\">GLEN<\/a>) to 550p from 525p<\/strong>, signaling increased confidence in the mining giant&#39;s valuation.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Gaming Factory SA (<a href=\"\/stock\/GFC\">GFC<\/a>) reported strong sales for &quot;Japanese Drift Master,&quot;<\/strong> which has moved over <strong>244,000 copies<\/strong> across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox platforms.<\/li>\n<li>The energy price reduction is largely driven by <strong>UK government policy shifts<\/strong>, including moving green levies into general taxation to fulfill campaign promises.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>UK Energy Bills Set for Spring Relief<\/h2>\n<p>British households are set to see a significant reduction in their utility costs as <strong>Ofgem<\/strong> announced a new energy price cap for the second quarter of 2026. From <strong>April 1 to June 30<\/strong>, typical households paying by direct debit will see their annual bills fall to <strong>\u00a31,641<\/strong>, a drop of <strong>\u00a3117<\/strong> from the previous level. This <strong>7% decrease<\/strong> is expected to provide much-needed breathing room for consumers who have faced years of volatile energy markets.<\/p>\n<p>The reduction is primarily the result of <em>strategic policy changes<\/em> implemented by the UK government. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has moved approximately <strong>75% of the Renewables Obligation costs<\/strong> from household bills into general taxation and scrapped the <strong>Energy Company Obligation (ECO)<\/strong> scheme. While wholesale prices have seen a slight recent uptick, these government interventions have done the &quot;heavy lifting&quot; to ensure the promised <strong>\u00a3150 average cut<\/strong> to household costs is realized.<\/p>\n<h2>Barclays Bullish on Glencore Valuation<\/h2>\n<p>In the commodities sector, Barclays (<a href=\"\/stock\/BARC\">BARC<\/a>) has updated its outlook on <strong>Glencore (<a href=\"\/stock\/GLEN\">GLEN<\/a>)<\/strong>, raising the stock&#39;s target price to <strong>550p from 525p<\/strong>. This adjustment follows a period of <em>market consolidation<\/em> and recent speculation regarding the company&#39;s asset portfolio and potential deal-making. Analysts suggest the new target reflects a more robust valuation of Glencore&#39;s diversified mining and marketing operations.<\/p>\n<p>The upgrade comes as the mining sector navigates <em>shifting global demand<\/em> and a focus on materials critical to the energy transition. Glencore&#39;s shares have recently seen increased interest after trading at a perceived discount compared to peers. Investors are closely watching the company&#39;s <strong>capital allocation strategy<\/strong> and its ability to maintain strong cash flows amid fluctuating commodity prices.<\/p>\n<h2>Gaming Factory SA Hits Sales Milestone<\/h2>\n<p>Polish developer and publisher <strong>Gaming Factory SA (<a href=\"\/stock\/GFC\">GFC<\/a>)<\/strong> has released updated sales figures for its hit title, <em>Japanese Drift Master (JDM)<\/em>. The game has achieved a total of <strong>244,400 copies sold<\/strong>, with the vast majority of sales coming from the <strong>PC platform (217,000 copies)<\/strong>. The console versions, which were released more recently, contributed <strong>14,400 copies on PS5<\/strong> and <strong>13,000 copies on Xbox<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The performance of <em>JDM<\/em> highlights the growing niche for <em>authentic drifting simulators<\/em> and the success of the studio&#39;s multi-platform strategy. Gaming Factory has indicated that the strong PC base provides a solid foundation for future content updates and multiplayer expansions. Market observers note that the successful PS5 launch on February 6 helped bolster the final February figures, proving the title&#39;s <em>cross-platform appeal<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways UK energy regulator Ofgem has lowered the annual energy price cap to \u00a31,641, representing a 7% decrease or 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