1 hour ago Trump refuses to rule out recession and new Canadian PM Mark Carney vows to win trade war: Live updates

President’s remarks follow turbulent week as markets rattled by series of chaotic tariff announcements and immediate walkbacks

Politics

6 h. ago ‘If you fall into the dialogue of the far right, the far right wins’: Spain’s deputy PM on the need for workers’ rights

Yolanda Díaz Pérez’s leftwing government has championed employment reform similar to Labour’s proposals – and she tells British business there is nothing to fearSpain’s leftwing deputy prime minister, Yolanda Díaz Pérez, has a message for Labour politicians as the UK government’s employment rights bill takes its next step to becoming law this week: take heart from our success.With business groups in the UK issuing dire warnings about the impact of the workers’ rights package, Díaz, the minister of labour and social economy, remembers her own government’s battle when it thrashed out radical labour laws that came into force in 2022. “We went through nine months of hell, literally. We had the press against it, academia, research centres – everybody was saying this was going to contribute to unemployment and not eradicate it,” she recalls. Continue reading...

Politics

15 h. ago ‘I hate to predict things’: Trump doesn’t rule out US recession amid trade tariffs

President downplays recent stock market volatility that followed his ducking and weaving over tariff policyDonald Trump on Sunday refused to rule out the possibility that the US economy will head into recession this year and that inflation will rise, as his chaotic trade tariffs policy cause uncertainty and market turbulence.The US president predicted that his economic goals would take time and a period of transition to bear fruit. But when asked in an interview with the Fox News show Sunday Morning Futures “are you expecting a recession this year?” he demurred.Reuters contributed reporting Continue reading...

Politics

18 h. ago Trump does not rule out recession as he rejects business fears over tariffs

US administration concedes some prices might rise as fears grow of trade chaos causing disruption

Economics

20 h. ago Trump won’t rule out US recession amid tariff trade war confusion in Fox News interview

President won’t deny recession is coming as he says US faces ‘period of transition’

Politics

20 h. ago Trump refuses to rule out recession or clarify tariffs policy in Fox interview: Live

President’s comments follow turbulent week on Wall Street over tariff uncertainty

Politics

25 h. ago ‘Nothing like this in American history’: the crisis of Trump’s assault on the rule of law

Even if the supreme court were to resist the president’s onslaught, it has little means to enforce its decisionsWhen the chief justice of the US supreme court, John Roberts, delivered his bombshell ruling last July granting Donald Trump absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts, he laid out his vision of an expansive presidency. The executive, he wrote, should be “vigorous and energetic”, and free to carry out duties “boldly and fearlessly”.If that sums up Roberts’ ideal occupant of the Oval Office, then he has certainly got what he wants in the 47th president. In his first month back, Trump has vigorously fired tens of thousands of federal workers; energetically ignored congressional statutes; boldly run roughshod over the constitution; and fearlessly unleashed Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, in a slash-and-burn campaign against the US government. Continue reading...

Events

34 h. ago Hundreds of migrants occupied Paris theatre next to our businesses... now we face bankruptcy: Neighbours fear financial 'ruin' after venue invited refugees to a free show and they refused to leave

The Gaite-Lyrique theatre has been overtaken by some 450 Africans who were previously sleeping rough on the streets of the capital.

Events

43 h. ago Scots Grand Designs home owner fears wind turbines plan could ruin his business

Colin MacKinnon's Strathaven airfield home in South Lanarkshire was voted one of the 10 best new buildings north of the border.

Politics

45 h. ago Controversial plans to scrap free parking at Barry Island to be reconsidered

Plans to introduce new on-street parking charges in Barry Island and Penarth were opposed by business owners who fear it could have a devastating impact

Politics

69 h. ago US unemployment rate rises to 4.1% as economy added 151,000 new jobs in February – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, including February’s US jobs reportUS job market grows amid threats of mass federal layoffs and Trump tariffsThis has also been a rough week for the oil price.Brent crude, the international benchmark, has dropped by 4% so far this week to just over $70 per barrel.Trump paused tariffs and the market sold off. The old adage that the market hates uncertainty rings true. How the heck are you supposed to make investments or plan?The Nasdaq ended the session down 2.6%, while the S&P 500 finished 1.78% lower. Both are headed for weekly losses of around the 4% mark. Continue reading...

Society

3 d. ago Euro on track for best week in 16 years as trade war fears hurt US dollar – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsChina’s foreign minister condemns US imposition of tariffs as ‘two-faced’This has also been a rough week for the oil price.Brent crude, the international benchmark, has dropped by 4% so far this week to just over $70 per barrel.Trump paused tariffs and the market sold off. The old adage that the market hates uncertainty rings true. How the heck are you supposed to make investments or plan?The Nasdaq ended the session down 2.6%, while the S&P 500 finished 1.78% lower. Both are headed for weekly losses of around the 4% mark. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago European Central Bank cuts interest rates again, by quarter point – business live

Dollar slides after US president exempts carmakers from 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico; euro and sterling reverse earlier gainsThe eurozone saw the biggest slump in construction in three months in February, according to a separate survey.There was a marked reduction in new orders while cost pressures eased, according to a monthly report from Hamburg Commercial Bank.Unpleasant signals come from the Eurozone construction sector as the HCOB eurozone construction PMI in February shows deepening weakness that does not seem likely to fade soon. The recession now encompasses all three major Eurozone economies: Germany, France, and Italy.Although the ECB, particularly executive board member Isabel Schnabel, has signalled a pause in the rate-cutting phase to await further dynamics, the construction sector makes it clear that a delay in rate cuts in interest-sensitive areas can be fatal.Sharply declining order books rippled through the UK construction sector in February, which led to accele...

Economics

4 d. ago UK construction in biggest downturn since 2020; recruiters warn of tough business conditions – business live

Dollar slides after US president exempts carmakers from 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico; euro and sterling reverse earlier gainsThe eurozone saw the biggest slump in construction in three months in February, according to a separate survey.There was a marked reduction in new orders while cost pressures eased, according to a monthly report from Hamburg Commercial Bank.Unpleasant signals come from the Eurozone construction sector as the HCOB eurozone construction PMI in February shows deepening weakness that does not seem likely to fade soon. The recession now encompasses all three major Eurozone economies: Germany, France, and Italy.Although the ECB, particularly executive board member Isabel Schnabel, has signalled a pause in the rate-cutting phase to await further dynamics, the construction sector makes it clear that a delay in rate cuts in interest-sensitive areas can be fatal.Sharply declining order books rippled through the UK construction sector in February, which led to accele...

Events

4 d. ago Locals go to war over fears retired businessman's plan to build new snug at his  £800,000 home in village with links to Shakespeare will block historic footpath 

EXCLUSIVE: The route just a stone's throw from the childhood home of Shakespeare's mother is allegedly under threat - from the chairman of the local parish council.

Economics

4 d. ago Pound rises above $1.29 as Trump fears hit dollar; Poundland chain up for sale – business live

Dollar slides after US president exempts carmakers from 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico; euro and sterling hit four-month highsThe British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is predicting “a long and challenging year for UK businesses”. It has become more gloomy about the growth outlook for the UK and said firms will struggle to invest as they deal with a raft of rising cost pressures.This is going to be a long and challenging year for UK businesses. The BCC’s forecast shows an economy struggling without the secure foundations to kickstart business investment.Inflation will continue to be stubborn this year forcing the Bank of England to keep interest rates relatively high. Global uncertainties will add further dark clouds to the economic climate. Continue reading...

Economics

4 d. ago Economic growth forecast to slow amid fears over US tariffs on whisky

Ernst & Young LLP also warned employer national insurance increases could affect investment and hiring decisions.

Economics

6 d. ago Labour has humane and popular plans to stand up for UK workers. Why dilute them? | Gaby Hinsliff

Angela Rayner’s employment rights bill is precisely why many voted for this government. Why be embarrassed about a defining policy?One step forward, two steps back. Angela Rayner’s employment rights bill is back in the Commons this week, stuffed with ideas for improving everyday working life: that’s the big step forward for a government that was elected on a promise of radical change. The weekend headlines, however, were all about what won’t be changing after all. The so-called right to switch off – an early Rayner idea about legislating to prevent employees being pestered by out-of-hours calls and emails, which was already presumed dead due to not being in the bill – was ritually killed off once again for the Sunday papers, with a briefing that it still won’t be in the bill after fresh amendments are tabled on Tuesday.Presumably the idea was to reassure businesses fearful of extra regulatory burdens, on top of the looming April hike in employers’ national insurance. But since it’s ...

Politics

9 d. ago ‘Britain doesn't rule the waves – it waives the rules for anything Trump wants’

Everything will be peachy as long as we keep toddler Trump happy, and as there are no depths our diminished country won’t plumb to win his approval, here’s Brian Reade's plan to win him over

Politics

1 week ago Kenyan police confident they will catch killer behind murder of Scots businessman found dumped in sack

Kenyan detectives say they will catch the killers of a Scots businessman they fear was tortured before being murdered and dumped in a forest.

Events