10 h. ago Trump’s first 100 days mark worst for US stock market since Gerald Ford

S&P 500 on course to lose 8% since inauguration day in weakest start to a presidency since 1970s

Politics

10 h. ago US trade deficit surges; Amazon accused of ‘hostile and political’ act for displaying tariff costs – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsUK grocery inflation has edged up this month, as consumers are hit by rising food prices.Data provider Kantar has reported that supermarket prices rose by 3.8% per year in the four weeks to April 20, up from 3.5% a month earlier.“Chocolate confectionery prices rose by 17.4% this period, the fastest of any category, but that didn’t stop the British public treating themselves this Easter. The volume of chocolate eggs sold through supermarket tills still grew by 0.4% on last year, while at the dinner table lamb was the most popular fresh meat joint, followed by beef and pork.Some households chose to indulge in less seasonal fare as the sun came out and they dusted off the barbecue, with burger sales shooting up by 31% over the last month.”The way in which regulations are being applied to bioethanol is undermining the commercial viability of our business. We are having constructive discussions with the UK Government to explore re...

Economics

11 h. ago US trade deficit surges ahead of tariffs; China vows not to ‘kneel down’ – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsUK grocery inflation has edged up this month, as consumers are hit by rising food prices.Data provider Kantar has reported that supermarket prices rose by 3.8% per year in the four weeks to April 20, up from 3.5% a month earlier.“Chocolate confectionery prices rose by 17.4% this period, the fastest of any category, but that didn’t stop the British public treating themselves this Easter. The volume of chocolate eggs sold through supermarket tills still grew by 0.4% on last year, while at the dinner table lamb was the most popular fresh meat joint, followed by beef and pork.Some households chose to indulge in less seasonal fare as the sun came out and they dusted off the barbecue, with burger sales shooting up by 31% over the last month.”The way in which regulations are being applied to bioethanol is undermining the commercial viability of our business. We are having constructive discussions with the UK Government to explore re...

Economics

15 h. ago Over 200 lawsuits, 142 executive orders, and 24 days golfing: Trump’s first 100 days by the numbers

From a crashing stock market to mass deportations, purges of the federal workforce and the occasional Melania Trump spotting, Alicja Hagopian and Alex Woodward explore the numbers behind the beginning of Trump’s second term

Politics

17 h. ago HSBC sounds alarm on trade war; Trump to soften blow of automotive tariffs – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsThe architect of BP’s failed green energy agenda will leave the embattled oil company within months as it continues its retreat from low-carbon investments following this morning’s sharp fall in profits (see last post).The oil company said Giulia Chierchia, the executive in charge of BP’s sustainability ventures, would step back from her role from 1 June 2025 to “pursue other opportunities” outside the company. She will not be replaced. Continue reading...

Events

36 h. ago Daily Star Question of the Week: Have Donald Trump's first 100 days been a success?

Massive rows, massive wars, massive bombs, massive tarriffs, massive trade wars, massive stock market losses, there's no doubt Donald Trumps first 100 days have been big, but have they been good?

Politics

37 h. ago US tariff war hurting trade with China; M&S tells hundreds of warehouse agency staff not to come to work after cyber

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsBack in Beijing, China’s foreign ministry has said President Xi Jinping had not spoken to Donald Trump.The ministry also denied that the two administrations are in talks to strike a tariff deal, which contradicts a claim from Trump last week.“As far as I know, the two heads of state have not called each other recently,“I would like to reiterate that China and the U.S. have not conducted consultations or negotiations on the tariffs issue. Continue reading...

Economics

41 h. ago US tariff war hurting trade with China; Beijing ‘confident’ of hitting growth targets – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsShares in food delivery group Deliveroo have jumped by 17% at the start of trading in London, after receiving a takeover approach from US rival DoorDash.On Friday night, the news broke that DoorDash had offered to buy Deliveroo for $3.6bn (£2.7bn). Continue reading...

Events

4 d. ago BlackRock’s billions and signs of a fall in interest rates show it’s not all gloom for UK business

Awful April might just be closing with reason to face May and beyond with a more careful measure of optimism, as Karl Matchett reports

Economics

4 d. ago Trade war fears trigger biggest slide in US consumer expectations since 1990 recession – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsXi announces plan for Chinese economy to counter impact of US trade warEuropean stock markets are rising this morning, amid hopes that China is relaxing some of its tariffs.In London, the FTSE 100 index is up 12 points or 0.13%, at 8417 points. Engineering companies are among the top risers, with aerospare manufacturers Melrose up 3.6%, and Rolls-Royce up 2%, after Safran reported that tariffs on aircraft parts have been lifted.“We learned last night that China has taken the decision not to tax engines or landing gear or nacelles - in other words a certain number of aerospace equipment parts.”“It demonstrates that the situation is very fluid.” Continue reading...

Economics

5 d. ago I'd invest in ITV over Netflix: Temple Bar's Ian Lance on bargain shares

Ian Lance joins Simon Lambert to discuss Temple Bar's value investing and why the UK stock market has taken a turn for the better but bargain stocks still remain.

Economics

5 d. ago China schools Trump on the art of a tariff deal: Don’t threaten us

Donald Trump has announced he’s willing to back way off Chinese tariffs after his levy package hit the stock market, the strength of the dollar, small businesses and American jobs.

Economics

6 d. ago FTSE 100 jumps amid global stock rally after Trump rows back on tariff threats

The US president said that sky-high trade tariffs on China will ‘come down substantially but it won’t be zero’, prompting stock markets to surge.

Politics

6 d. ago Stock markets rise as Trump backtracks on high China tariffs and firing Fed chair

Weeks of tough talk from the US president, who now says he will be ‘very nice’ to China, had rattled investors Stock markets have risen around the world after Donald Trump said his tariffs on China would come down “substantially” and he had “no intention” of firing the chair of the US central bank, Jay Powell.Weeks of tough talk on trade from White House officials have rattled investors and Trump now appears to be softening his tone. The president told reporters in Washington on Tuesday he planned to be “very nice” to China in trade talks and that tariffs could drop in both countries if they could reach a deal, adding: “It will come down substantially, but it won’t be zero.” Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Trump admits China’s tariffs will drop ‘but it won’t be zero’

Trump’s massive import taxes have roiled stock markets since he announced them on April 1

Politics

7 d. ago Dow is heading for its worst April since the Great Depression as investors fear Trump’s tactics

Chief investment officer says it’s ‘impossible to commit capital to an economy that is unstable and unknowable because of policy structure’

Politics

7 d. ago Gold climbs above $3,500 for first time as Wall Street rallies after slide

Dollar also recovers after Monday’s sell-off prompted by Trump’s attack on Federal Reserve chair caused alarm among investorsBusiness live – latest updatesGold has climbed above $3,500 an ounce for the first time while stocks on Wall Street and the dollar rose following Monday’s sell-off that was prompted by Donald Trump’s blistering attack on the Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, caused alarm among investors.Spot gold reached the record price of $3,500.01 on Tuesday, extending a rally that has pushed bullion up from $2,623 an ounce at the start of this year. Analysts now predict the metal could even reach $4,000 only a matter of weeks after the price moved through $3,000 for the first time. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Even Trump must know that firing the chair of the Fed would be self

Jerome Powell is a soft target for the president amid economic instability. But getting rid of him would only invite more chaosUS stock markets, Treasury bonds and the dollar itself are sliding amid the tariff turmoil and Donald Trump needs a soft target. It was probably only a matter of time before he intensified his attacks on Jerome Powell, chair of the US Federal Reserve. It is an easy narrative to blame the dull central banker with orthodox worries about anchoring inflation expectations. Nor is Powell able to engage in tit-for-tat soundbites. Unlike Trump, he must measure the impact on markets of his every word.The open question is how far Trump intends to push things. Monday’s reaction in financial markets was strong because it seemed for the first time that the president could be serious about removal. “Powell’s termination cannot come fast enough!” declared Trump, which was several notches beyond his usual whine about urging the Fed to hurry up with cuts in interest rates. C...

Politics

8 d. ago US stock markets fall again as Trump calls Fed chair ‘a major loser’

President amps up attacks against Jerome Powell, pushing him to lower interest rates to offset impact of tariffsUS stock markets started falling again on Monday morning as Donald Trump continued attacks against the Federal Reserve chair, Jerome Powell, who Trump called “a major loser” for not lowering interest rates.“There can be a slowing of the economy unless Mr. Too Late, a major loser, lowers interest rates, NOW,” Trump wrote on social media. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago ‘Sell America’: investors are increasingly avoiding the US – here’s what it means for Australian markets

After decades as a safe haven, Donald Trump’s economic upheaval has some traders looking to put their money elsewhere – and countries looking to decouple their economiesElection 2025 live updates: Australia federal election campaignGet our afternoon election email, free app or daily news podcastAt the same time as Australians are cutting back on plans to visit the US under Donald Trump, a new type of investment strategy designed to avoid America is fast gaining popularity.The “sell America trade”, an expression that barely existed before Trump spooked markets by unveiling his new tariff regime late on 2 April, is now a common expression among traders and appears regularly in investment notes to explain the day’s price movements. Continue reading...

Economics