84 m. ago Tariffs live: White House insists countries need US markets to survive as ‘phones ringing’ to make trade deals

The share markets reacted after China lifted tariffs on US goods to 125 per cent and said it would ignore any further US levy increases in the escalating trade war

Economics

2 h. ago Trump's approval rating takes a hit amid tariff war and market turmoil

Like the stock market this week, President Donald Trump 's approval rating is sliding downward.

Events

4 h. ago Trump live updates: Stock markets down again after China raises tariffs to 125% in retaliation

‘Going against the world will only lead to self-isolation,’ Chinese Premier Xi Jinping warns

Economics

4 h. ago Tariffs live: Global markets unstable while Trump says US ‘doing really well’ on trade policy

The share markets reacted after China lifted tariffs on US goods to 125 per cent and said it would ignore any further US levy increases in the escalating trade war

Politics

5 h. ago $2,150 for an iPhone? Trump tariffs are ‘category 5 price storm’

US is not set up to supply mobile phones and would cost estimated $30bn to move just 10% of chain from ChinaThe AI-generated video of tired-looking Americans making mobile phones, which circulated widely on social media this week, was a pointed vision of a post-tariff world. But Donald Trump wants it to become reality for Apple.The iPhone maker is one of the biggest victims of the US president’s realignment of the global trading order because its flagship product is assembled in the epicentre of Trump’s protectionist ire – China. Continue reading...

Economics

6 h. ago Criticise Trump’s tariffs all you like, but western sanctions aren’t any better – just ask Syria | Simon Jenkins

This form of economic aggression is macho and myopic, yet countries including the UK refuse to give it upAmong the more improbable countries that Donald Trump punished most severely last week was Syria, with a 41% tariff in retaliation for its part in the “raping and plundering” of the US economy. That should teach it a lesson for toppling Bashar al-Assad last year.The Damascus regime that subsequently came to power is pleading for help in keeping order and restoring its economy. But the chief obstacle is not Trump’s absurd tariff – now reduced to 10%. It is the sanctions regime imposed on it for the past 14 years by the west, including Britain. The US prohibits nearly all trade and financial transactions, extending this to foreign companies engaged with the Syrian government. EU sanctions targeted crude oil, investments, banking, telecoms and more. No tariff could be as severe as this.Simon Jenkins is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Politics

6 h. ago Trump’s tariffs are ruinous, but are western sanctions any better? Just look at Syria | Simon Jenkins

Sanctions as a form of economic aggression are macho and myopic, yet countries including the UK refuse to call a haltAmong the more improbable countries that Donald Trump punished most severely last week was Syria, with a 41% tariff in retaliation for its part in the “raping and plundering” of the US economy. That should teach it a lesson for toppling Bashar al-Assad last year.The Damascus regime that subsequently came to power is pleading for help in keeping order and restoring its economy. But the chief obstacle is not Trump’s absurd tariff – now reduced to 10%. It is the sanctions regime imposed on it for the past 14 years by the west, including Britain. The US prohibits nearly all trade and financial transactions, extending this to foreign companies engaged with the Syrian government. EU sanctions targeted crude oil, investments, banking, telecoms and more. No tariff could be as severe as this.Simon Jenkins is a Guardian columnistDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in th...

Politics

6 h. ago ‘The damage is done’: Why Trump’s tariff pause has not stopped the risk of global recession

Even with a 90-day halt on aggressive tariff hikes, leading economists say uncertainty has already caused considerable harm

Events

7 h. ago The Wolf of Wall Street claims Trump isn’t guilty of market manipulation after tariff U

Jordan Belfort, who previously admitted to stock manipulation himself, has given his verdict on Trump’s trade war

Politics

7 h. ago Trump was playing chicken with tariffs. Then he chickened out | Steven Greenhouse

In a second term of fiat, flubbing and flip–flopping, Trump pursued his desire to wield a club over everyone and everythingBy imposing punitively high tariffs, Donald Trump was playing a high-stakes game of chicken with America’s trading partners – but it was Trump who chickened out and suspended his tariffs just hours after they took effect. The president couldn’t ignore the worldwide economic havoc that he had caused singled-handedly – stock markets were plunging, business executives were panicking and consumers were seething.Eager to persuade manufacturers to build new plants in the US, Trump said on Monday that many of his tariffs would be permanent. But for Trump, permanent evidently meant two days. Continue reading...

Politics

7 h. ago Tariffs live: China hits US with fresh levies and vows it will ‘fight to the end’ in Trump trade war

China has lifted tariffs on US goods to 125 per cent and said it would ignore any further US levy increases in the escalating trade war

Events

8 h. ago GDP jump offers Rachel Reeves some light as UK enters Trump tariff tunnel

Growth defied forecasts that chancellor had hobbled economy, but trade war casts long shadowUK economy far exceeds forecasts to grow 0.5%Business live – latest updatesEarlier this year Rachel Reeves was being written off for having jeopardised Britain’s economy. The chancellor’s tax-raising autumn budget had sapped business investment, spooked the financial markets and put the jobs market at risk.The latest official figures showing stronger-than-expected economic growth of 0.5% in February will therefore come as a boost for the embattled chancellor, in a sign that the economy was in better health than her critics claimed. Continue reading...

Politics

10 h. ago Ministers focused on US trade deal, despite signal tariffs will go no lower

Kevin Hassett, a senior economic adviser to Donald Trump, suggested the blanket 10% tariff rate most countries now face was likely to be a ‘baseline’.

Politics

10 h. ago Tariffs live: China raises levies to 125% on US as Trump trade war escalates

British and European markets show signs of recovery as US president threatens to go ahead with ‘reciprocal’ levies

Politics

11 h. ago 'Wolf of Wall Street' gives his view on whether Trump is committing insider trading with tariff trade war

Stocks soared on Trump's tariffs pause with the S&P500 closing up 9.5%, while the market gained back about $4 trillion, or 70%, of the value it had lost over the previous four trading days

Politics

11 h. ago UK economy grows faster than expected in February as Trump tariff threat looms

The figures are a positive for Labour, but economists said growth will likely be hampered by the US trade war in the coming months.

Politics

11 h. ago Tariffs live: Gold prices hit record high after Trump admits concerns over transition ‘costs’

Falling stocks across Asia follow Wall Street sell-off as US president threatens to go ahead with ‘reciprocal’ levies

Economics

12 h. ago FTSE 100 opens higher as Macron warns Trump tariff suspension only a ‘fragile pause’ – business live

European markets open following a mixed picture across Asia with the Nikkei showing another fallUS stocks fall again after rally following Trump’s shock retreat on tariffsLife in Shanghai, China’s commercial capital, goes on but anti-US sentiment is hardeningThe US dollar slumped on Friday as waning confidence in the US economy prompted investors to ditch US assets to the benefit of safe havens like the Swiss franc, yen and euro, as well as gold.The yellow metal recorded a new all-time peak in early Asia trade, and the franc notched a fresh decade high, Reuters reports.There has been a pronounced ‘sell US’ vibe flowing through broad markets and into the classic safe-haven assets, with the USD losing the safe-haven bid. Continue reading...

Events

13 h. ago UK economy far exceeds forecasts to grow 0.5% in boost to Rachel Reeves

February GDP rise bigger than forecast but impact from Donald Trump’s tariff war yet to comeBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK economy unexpectedly expanded by 0.5% in February, figures show, in a boost for Rachel Reeves before an expected downturn triggered by Donald Trump’s tariff war.Reversing a modest fall in January of 0.1%, the increase in gross domestic product in February was five times larger than the 0.1% growth that a poll of City economists had forecast. Continue reading...

Politics

13 h. ago Donald Trump's tariff wars feared to send Adidas Samba prices soaring in UK

Adidas Sambas trainers are set to increase after President Trump's brand new tariffs regulations where some of Brits favourite trainers are set to rise as the UK take a hit

Politics