2 h. ago Trump tariffs cause fastest slump in British factory export orders in five years – business live

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as UK manufacturers report falling export orders and China signals openness to US trade talks Fhaheen Khan, senior economist at Make UK, a lobby group for British manufacturing, said:UK manufacturers are caught in the eye of a perfect storm, with rising costs and international trade uncertainty undermining growth prospects. While actual changes in trade have been limited, the unpredictability, particularly around US tariff policy, is doing significant damage and paralysing decision makers. Many firms are delaying major investment decisions until greater clarity emerges, while being forced in the meantime to cut costs through redundancies while pushing through price increases.This has left manufacturing experiencing its most severe slowdown in years, with the UK at a competitive disadvantage compared to our European peers who are weathering current challenges relatively better. As a result, it is now vital that gover...

Politics

3 h. ago Elon Musk and Tesla chair deny board is looking for new CEO despite profits plunge

World’s richest man calls reporting on alleged hunt for his successor ‘extremely bad breach of ethics’ as electric vehicle manufacturer’s struggles continue

Economics

4 h. ago China hints at openness to trade talks with US; Tesla denies board search for Musk successor – business live

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as Chinese state-controlled social media says US has approached China for trade talksLloyds Banking Group has reported a 7% drop in pre-tax profit to £1.5bn in its first quarter, and is bracing for the ripple effect from Trump’s tariffs on its balance sheet.The high street bank said that it has set aside £309m to account for possible bad debts, compared with previous guidance of £274m, as it added a £35m net charge to prepare for the possible impact on the economic outlook from President Trump’s tariffs.The US has proactively reached out to China through multiple channels, hoping to hold discussions on the tariff issue.Yuyuan Tantian is not among China’s most authoritative state media outlets. The Global Times, which is owned by the newspaper of the governing Communist Party, People’s Daily, has often been first to report China’s next steps in trade disagreements over the past few years.Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson fo...

Politics

4 h. ago Tesla denies report claiming board looked to replace Elon Musk

Wall Street Journal article saying headhunters were contacted branded ‘absolutely false’ by chair Robyn DenholmTesla has denied a report that its board sought to replace Elon Musk as its chief executive amid a backlash against his rightwing politics and declining car sales.Robyn Denholm, the chair of the board at the electric carmaker, said in a statement on Tesla’s social media account on X: “Earlier today, there was a media report erroneously claiming that the Tesla Board had contacted recruitment firms to initiate a CEO search at the company. Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago Tesla denies board search for Elon Musk’s successor; Trump tariffs to slash growth, says Bank of Japan – business live

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as US electric carmaker says report board is looking for next Tesla boss is ‘absolutely false’National Grid, the FTSE 100 company that owns the UK’s electricity network, has appointed Shell oil executive Zoë Yujnovich as chief executive after the retirement of John Pettigrew.Yujnovich was until recently working at FTSE 100 oil company Shell, where she was director of integrated gas and upstream (oil production) and a member of the executive committee. She previously led the Iron Ore company of Canada, part of Rio Tinto.I firmly believe in the vital function energy companies play in driving change and creating value. On both sides of the Atlantic National Grid has an essential role to play in making energy secure, affordable and reliable for our customers and communities. I’m excited about leading National Grid as it delivers on the growth opportunities ahead. Continue reading...

Economics

9 h. ago Tesla searches for new CEO to replace Elon Musk amid stock turmoil and forces White House exit

Tesla began a search to replace CEO Elon Musk amid stock turmoil and negative press from the 'First Buddy' serving as head of the Department of Government Efficiency.

Events

2 d. ago Canada election live: Polls open for crucial vote after Trump and his trade war dominate campaign

The Liberal Party – led by current Prime Minister Mark Carney – are seeking to extend their decade in power

Politics

3 d. ago Canada election live: Polls open in crucial vote after Trump and his trade war dominate campaign

The Liberal Party – led by current Prime Minister Mark Carney – are seeking to extend their decade in power

Politics

7 d. ago Reeves opens door to cutting US car import tariffs in UK trade talks

Chancellor says a deal ‘can be done’ with Washington but insists Britain will not lower food or auto standards

Politics

7 d. ago UK open to lowering tariffs on US goods to secure Donald Trump trade deal

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said Donald Trump is 'keen' to forge an agreement with the UK, which could ease the impact of his sweeping trade tariffs on British businesses

Economics

8 d. ago UK borrowing surges, Rachel Reeves to "defend Britain" in US tariff talks while Elon Musk shifts Tesla focus

Watch today’s top business stories in less than two minutes.

Politics

8 d. ago UK annual borrowing nearly £15bn above official forecast; stocks rise as Trump rows back on Fed attack – business live

UK government borrowed £151.9bn in year to March; investors cheered by hopes of US-China trade dealEuropean stocks have also opened higher, as a wave of relief spread across markets.The UK’s FTSE 100 index is up by 1.2% at 8,430, while the Italian FTSE MiB rose by 1.4%.Bessent threw a lifeline to fragile US sentiment with conciliatory remarks on the US-China trade war. Bessent said the current tariff situation is “unsustainable” and expects a de-escalation in the near term.We could witness a period where the dollar is tossed around by headlines of Fed independence risk and market-friendly news on US tariff policy. What is clear by now is that no other G10 currency has a higher positive beta to trade news than the dollar. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Trump’s tariffs spark global recession fears as White House hints at trade deal with China: Live updates

The International Monetary Fund downgraded growth in nearly all countries amid ongoing uncertainty from the Trump administration’s trade policy

Economics

1 week ago South Korea will not ‘fight’ Trump’s tariffs, says acting president

Han Duck-soo says Seoul owes historical debt and is open to dropping trade barriers ahead of talks with Washington

Politics

2 w. ago ‘I was being a sassy Karen’: Florence Pugh’s skyscraper stunt positions her as the new Tom Cruise

The star’s insistence on jumping from a 2,722ft skyscraper to up the action ante for Thunderbolts* may not be quite enough to save Marvel’s latest. But her career should flyIf you ever needed definitive proof that Marvel has lost pace with the zeitgeist, just look at the panicky marketing of Thunderbolts*. The film opens in a couple of weeks and, according to the trade press, is tracking to open soft.Had this been six or seven years ago, then fans would be clamouring to see Thunderbolts* simply because it was the latest instalment of the grand MCU soap opera. After all, it’s a film that stars several side characters from older Marvel films and TV shows, and there was a time when audiences would go bananas for this sort of thing. But as the last few MCU films have shown, that approach doesn’t really work any more. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Trump tariffs live: President warns no country ‘off the hook’ and hints exemption on China

The president said he would detail the new tariffs on chips soon, not long after the White House excluded smartphones and other electronics from the ultra-high tariffs on goods from China

Events

2 w. ago Denise Van Outen plots new career move at 50 and admits pals are 'up for it'

Former Big Breakfast presenter Denise Van Outen has confirmed she has brought showbiz pals on board for her latest career move as she celebrates turning 50 years old

Politics

2 w. ago Wall Street opens lower despite hopes that ‘well advanced’ trade talks will yield deals

Ursula von der Leyen says EU “want to give negotiations a chance”, by pausing countermeasures for 90 daysRead the latest full reportUS-China trade war intensifies as Beijing’s tariffs come into effect after Trump pauseChina and the European Union have exchanged views on strengthening their economic and trade cooperation in response to US tariffs, the Chinese commerce ministry said on Thursday, according to Reuters news agency.In a video call on Tuesday, China’s commerce minister Wang Wentao discussed with European trade and economic security commissioner Maros Sefcovic the restart of talks on trade relief and to immediately carry out negotiations on electric vehicle price commitments, the Chinese ministry statement said. Continue reading...

Economics

3 w. ago FTSE 100 Live 09 April: Oil and pharma stocks retreat as heavy selling resumes

Fear returned to the world’s stock markets today after Donald Trump’s swingeing new “Liberation Day” tariffs came into force.

Politics

3 w. ago FTSE 100 Live 09 April: Heavy selling resumes, GSK and Astra slump on tariffs warning

Fear and panic returned to the world’s stock markets today after Donald Trump’s swingeing new “Liberation Day” tariffs came into force.

Events