{"id":63404,"date":"2026-06-18T19:38:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T23:38:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/trump-claims-no-limits-to-power-following-iran-war-uk-consumer-confidence-flat\/63404\/"},"modified":"2026-06-18T19:38:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T23:38:13","slug":"trump-claims-no-limits-to-power-following-iran-war-uk-consumer-confidence-flat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/trump-claims-no-limits-to-power-following-iran-war-uk-consumer-confidence-flat\/63404\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Claims &#8220;No Limits&#8221; to Power Following Iran War; UK Consumer Confidence Flat"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>President Trump declared there are &quot;no limits&quot; to his power<\/strong> in the aftermath of the Iran war during an exclusive interview with <em>The Axios Show<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>UK GfK Consumer Confidence remained steady at -23 in June<\/strong>, matching May\u2019s figure and coming in slightly ahead of analyst forecasts of <strong>-24<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sentiment among young adults (16-29) plunged 11 points to -2<\/strong>, marking the lowest level for this demographic in two years and signaling underlying economic fragility.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Major purchase intentions stayed at -20<\/strong>, the joint-lowest level since January 2025, suggesting consumers remain hesitant to commit to big-ticket spending.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The British Pound (GBP) faced modest pressure<\/strong> as traders looked past the stable headline confidence figure to focus on deteriorating sub-indices and political uncertainty.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Trump Asserts Expanded Executive Authority<\/h2>\n<p>In a provocative exclusive with <em>The Axios Show<\/em>, President <strong>Donald Trump<\/strong> told reporter Marc Caputo that he perceives <strong>&quot;no limits&quot;<\/strong> to his presidential power following the conclusion of the war with <strong>Iran<\/strong>. The comments come as the administration finalizes a deal to stabilize global energy markets and reopen the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>, which had been a primary flashpoint during the conflict.<\/p>\n<p>The President\u2019s rhetoric has sparked immediate backlash from constitutional scholars and political rivals, particularly as it follows a &quot;meaningless&quot; House vote intended to curb his war powers. <em>Analysts suggest<\/em> these statements may signal a more aggressive executive stance in the lead-up to the next election cycle, as Trump seeks to consolidate his &quot;victories&quot; on the global stage.<\/p>\n<h2>UK Consumer Sentiment Masked by Stable Headline<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>GfK Consumer Confidence Index<\/strong> for June 2026 held firm at <strong>-23<\/strong>, defying expectations of a slight dip. While the headline stability initially appeared positive for the UK economy, GfK Consumer Insights Director <strong>Neil Bellamy<\/strong> warned that the result is &quot;misleading.&quot; Beneath the surface, the data reveals significant cracks in the financial outlook of British households.<\/p>\n<p>The most dramatic shift occurred among the <strong>16-to-29-year-old<\/strong> demographic, where confidence plummeted <strong>11 points<\/strong>. This group, typically the most optimistic, is now grappling with fears over personal finances and the broader economic trajectory. Furthermore, higher-income households earning <strong>\u00a350,000 or more<\/strong> have slipped back into negative territory, indicating that the economic squeeze is moving up the income ladder.<\/p>\n<h2>Market Impact and Retail Outlook<\/h2>\n<p>Financial markets reacted cautiously to the data, with <strong>Sterling<\/strong> (GBP) experiencing a &quot;negative undercurrent&quot; despite the headline beat. The <strong>Major Purchase Index<\/strong>, a critical indicator for retailers and manufacturers, remained stuck at <strong>-20<\/strong>. This suggests that despite the cessation of active hostilities in the Middle East, the &quot;inflationary shadow&quot; of the Iran war continues to weigh on domestic demand.<\/p>\n<p>Retailers like <strong>Lloyds Banking Group<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/LLOY\">LLOY<\/a>) and <strong>Shell<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/SHEL\">SHEL<\/a>) are being closely watched as barometers for how these sentiment shifts translate into actual spending and energy demand. With no demographic groups currently holding a positive confidence score, the UK&#39;s economic recovery remains <em>subdued and highly vulnerable<\/em> to further political or inflationary shocks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways President Trump declared there are &quot;no limits&quot; to his power in the aftermath of the Iran war during 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