8 h. ago Tracker mortgage holders could save nearly £350 a year following rate cut

Thursday’s base rate reduction by the Bank of England would help boost housing market activity, property experts said.

Economics

10 h. ago Labour warned of 'fight of our lives' against Nigel Farage as Rachel Reeves is battered by MPs over UK's 'economic doom loop'

Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden appealed for the party to pull together in 'a battle for the very future and the heart and soul of our country'.

Events

13 h. ago Interest rates live updates: Bank of England poised to cut interest rates in boost to mortgage holders

Economists expect Bank of England to cut rates to 4.25 per cent – with some anticipating push for even larger reduction

Economics

17 h. ago Asian shares trade higher after Wall Street climbs moderately as Fed holds rates steady

Asian shares are rising moderately after a lackluster finish on Wall Street, with most shares ticking higher after the Federal Reserve left its main interest rate unchanged, as was widely expected

Politics

25 h. ago Federal Reserve warns of rising economic risks as it holds rates steady

Policymakers say inflation and unemployment could increase as Donald Trump’s tariffs heighten uncertainty

Events

25 h. ago Federal Reserve warns of inflation and jobs risks amid Trump’s erratic trade strategy

Central bank says ‘uncertainty has increased’ as it opts to maintain benchmark interest rate for third time in a rowThe Federal Reserve kept interest rates on hold and called out growing dangers in the US economy amid Donald Trump’s erratic rollout of an aggressive trade strategy.Jerome Powell, the US central bank’s chair, cautioned that the president’s tariffs are likely to lift prices, weaken growth and increase unemployment if maintained. Continue reading...

Events

26 h. ago Federal Reserve leaves key rate unchanged as it sees risk of higher prices and higher unemployment

The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday, brushing off President Donald Trump’s demands to lower borrowing costs, and said that the risks of higher unemployment and higher inflation have risen

Events

26 h. ago Federal Reserve holds rates steady as it warns of rising economic risks

Policymakers say inflation and unemployment could rise as Donald Trump’s tariffs heighten uncertainty

Events

34 h. ago Ocean with David Attenborough review – a passionate case against the ruination of the seas

Released on his 99th birthday and presented in the context of his remarkable career, Sir David’s authority is matched only by nature’s grandeur in this visually stunning filmA visual marvel like all his work, governed by his own matchless authority and striking a steady tonal balance between warning and hope, David Attenborough’s new film about the oceans is absorbing and compelling. He makes a passionate case against the ruin caused by industrial overfishing and the sinister mega-trawlers which roam everywhere, raking the seabed with their vast metal nets, brutally and wastefully hoovering up fish populations of which the majority is often simply thrown away, depleting developing countries and fishing communities of their share. Attenborough says that this is the new colonialism. The film is released in cinemas in anticipation of the UN’s World Oceans Day in June, which is campaigning for 30% of the world’s oceans to be preserved from exploitation – at present, only around 3% is pr...

Politics

35 h. ago UK and eurozone construction declines slow; European markets fall ahead of Fed rate decision – business live

People’s Bank of China cuts interest rates due to global uncertainty and ‘trade tensions’Matthew Pointon, senior commercial real estate economist at Capital Economics, said:The commercial balance was at its lowest since the height of the Covid lockdowns in May 2020. Early signs of a recovery in construction activity in late 2024 have therefore been snuffed out. Elevated interest rates will be partly responsible, but uncertainty caused by the US tariff announcements may also be weighing on activity.Admittedly, UK property is relatively well insulated from the impact, and some sectors may even benefit. Construction costs may also ease if materials that had been destined for the US are rerouted to the UK. But the rise in overall economic uncertainty may cause some developers to delay plans until the outlook becomes clearer. Indeed, the new orders balance saw a small fall to 44.0, from 44.2 in March. Continue reading...

Society

4 d. ago Kemi Badenoch warns Tory critics that replacing her as leader won't work as she defends her 'slow and steady' plan

The Tories lost more than 600 councillors and all 15 of the councils they controlled going into Thursday's contest - among the worst results in the party's history.

Events

6 d. ago Markets rally after better than expected data shows US added 177,000 jobs in April – business live

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as US employment figures for April came in higher than expected with 177,000 jobs, boosting European markets as they hope for a thaw in US-China relationsEurozone unemployment was steady 6.2% in March – unchanged relative to a revised February reading.The youth unemployment rate was 14.2%, down from 14.3% in the previous month. Continue reading...

Society

6 d. ago UK to ban buying bitcoin on credit card; stocks rise on hopes of US

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as Financial Conduct Authority considers restricting use of credit to buy crypto; stock markets gain on hopes of US-China trade thawEurozone unemployment was steady 6.2% in March – unchanged relative to a revised February reading.The youth unemployment rate was 14.2%, down from 14.3% in the previous month. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Stock markets gain as China ‘evaluates’ offer of US trade talks – business live

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as FTSE 100 gains on hopes of US-China trade thaw; Shell profits drop 28% to $5.5bnCommodities companies are among the best performers on stock markets this morning.They would be among the best placed to benefit from the US backing down in its trade war with China. The FTSE 100 has a lot of Europe’s big mining listings, and they are leading the way on Friday. Continue reading...

Economics

6 d. ago Shell profits fall as big oil faces slump in prices; UK cuts NatWest stake below 2% – business live

Live, rolling coverage of business, economics and financial markets as FTSE 100 oil company profits drop 28% to $5.5bnStock markets have gained across Europe, as investors welcomed signs of a possible thaw in the trade war between the US and China.Germany’s Dax gained 1.2% in the early trades, while France’s Cac 40 was up 1.4% – after both were closed over the May Day bank holiday. The Stoxx 600 index, which tracks big companies across Europe, rose by 0.9%. The FTSE 100 was up 0.9%.“The US has recently taken the initiative on many occasions to convey information to China through relevant parties, saying it hopes to talk with China,” the statement said, adding that Beijing was “evaluating this”.“Attempting to use talks as a pretext to engage in coercion and extortion would not work,” it said.This optimism has continued overnight after China’s Ministry of Commerce said that it’s evaluating trade talks with the US. The ministry said this comes as “the US has recently sent messages to C...

Economics

8 d. ago U.S. economy shrinks 0.3% in first quarter as Trump trade wars disrupt business

The U.S. economy shrank 0.3% from January through March, first drop in three years

Politics

1 week ago Jennifer Lopez pokes fun at the economy amid fears of US recession

In a new Instagram post, the 55-year-old superstar shared a meme that poked fun at the economy amid fears of US recession and the rise of consumer prices.

Economics

2 w. ago Is a US recession on the horizon amid Trump’s tariffs? | Jeffrey Frankel

Expectations that the Fed will cut short-term interest rates and falling consumer confidence could indicate what is aheadImagine you are sailing a ship through dense fog, looking out for land. Your lookout spots species of birds typically found offshore. It now seems likely that you are approaching land, but it is impossible to know for sure until you see the coastline. If a US recession is land, the “birds” are already swooping into view. But these sightings offer no guarantees of what lies ahead, only probabilities.An inverted yield curve, when the long-term interest rate falls to or below the short-term rate, is commonly considered to be a predictor of recession. The 10-year bond rate did fall below the three-month Treasury rate in March, although the two are now at about the same level. In any case, the yield curve does not actually tell us much. It simply reflects financial market expectations that the US Federal Reserve might cut short-term interest rates in the future, which ...

Politics

2 w. ago Here’s what stopped Trump in his quest to oust Fed chair Jerome Powell

The Trump administration has also signaled its trade war with China may be letting up soon

Politics

2 w. ago The Latest: Treasury secretary says trade war with China is not ‘sustainable’

U.S. markets opened with big gains Wednesday amid clear signs of relief after President Donald Trump said he would not attempt to fire the head of the Federal Reserve and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he expects a “de-escalation” from unsustainable tariffs against China in the trade war between the world’s two largest economies

Events