Skip to content

CFDs are complex financial instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. CFDs are complex financial instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Theresa May asks EU for Brexit extension to June 30

The British Prime Minister has asked officials in Brussels for a Brexit extension, but is hoping to leave the bloc with a deal before European elections begin at the end of May.

Theresa May Source: Bloomberg

Theresa May has written to the European Council President Donald Tusk asking for the Brexit deadline to be pushed back to June 30, with the prime minister aiming to leave the bloc before European elections at the end of May.

As it stands, the UK is set to leave the EU in a week, but May is desperate for more time to break the Brexit deadlock after her withdrawal agreement was defeated in parliament for a third time.

Theresa May hopes to leave before EU elections

The British Prime Minister has asked for a long extension in the hopes of delivering an orderly Brexit, but she does so at the risk of having to hold elections for the European parliament if she is unable to secure a deal before May 26.

May has said that the UK will prepare for EU elections regardless but is hopeful that she can break the Brexit deadlock in parliament before then.

‘The government will want to agree a timetable for ratification that allows the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union before 23 May 2019 and therefore cancel the European Parliament elections, but will continue to make responsible preparations to hold the elections should this not prove possible,’ May said.

EU leaders likely to grant Britain a flexible extension to Article 50

The President of the EU Council Donald Tusk had recommended that the UK request a year-long flexible extension to Article 50, with the option to leave earlier if necessary. However, the prime minister believes she can break the Brexit impasse sooner.

Either way, it looks likely that that EU leaders will grant May the extension that she has requested, giving her more time to reach a consensus with opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn on Britain’s future relationship with the EU.


This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients.
CFDs are a leveraged products. CFD trading may not be suitable for everyone and can result in losses that exceed your initial deposit, so please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved.

Be ready to act on ECB opportunities

Learn how the ECB’s monetary policy announcements affect interest rates and price stability ahead of its next meeting in 30 January 2025.

  • How might the next meeting affect the markets?
  • What are the key rate decisions to watch?
  • Why is the Governing Council announcement important for traders?

Live prices on most popular markets

  • Forex
  • Shares
  • Indices

Prices above are subject to our website terms and agreements. Prices are indicative only. All shares prices are delayed by at least 15 mins.

Plan your trading week

Get the week’s market-moving news sent directly to your inbox every Friday. The Week Ahead gives you a full calendar of upcoming economic events, as well as commentary from our expert analysts on the key markets to watch.

For more info on how we might use your data, see our privacy notice and access policy and privacy webpage.

You might be interested in…

Find out what charges your trades could incur with our transparent fee structure.

Discover why so many clients choose us, and what makes us a world-leading provider of CFDs.

Stay on top of upcoming market-moving events with our customisable economic calendar.