Another dramatic spike in natural gas prices appears to have ended any hopes that Europe’s inflation battle is set to ease, with financial markets now bracing for higher prices, a faster pace of interest rate hikes and a deeper economic downturn. Just a few weeks ago, signs that inflation in the United States – which tends to lead world economic shifts – might be peaking boosted stocks and lowered government borrowing costs. Investors bet central banks would now pay more attention to slowing economies, with a peak in the rate-hiking cycle nearing. Instead, this week began with a forecast from U.S. bank Citi that UK inflation would rocket to a near half-century high of 18.6% by January, a prediction […]