46 m. ago US treasury secretary accuses Beijing of trying to damage global economy; silver hits record high – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsWhy has US-China trade war restarted and how have markets reacted?A flurry of takeover talk speculation has pushed up shares in budget airline EasyJet this morning.EasyJet’s shares are up over 7%, leading the risers on the FTSE 100 share index.“[The group] does not believe the redress methodology proposed by the FCA appropriately reflects actual customer loss or achieves a proportionate outcome.“...the FCA’s proposed approach to assessing unfairness does not align with the legal clarity provided by the supreme court judgement in respect of the “Johnson” case, which confirmed that the test for unfairness is highly fact specific and must take into account a broad range of factors. The group will continue to engage with the FCA in respect of these points.“Many motor finance lenders did not comply with the law or the rules. It’s time their customers get fair compensation. Recent court judgments show that liabilities exist no matt...

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5 h. ago Scott Bessent accuses China of trying to damage global economy

US Treasury secretary tells FT Beijing’s restrictions on critical mineral exports will hurt its own international standing

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8 h. ago The veneer of respectability given to Hamas is an open wound: ALEX BRUMMER

The tears of relief flowed freely among members of my family, scattered as they are across the globe as the 20 Israeli hostages who are still alive were freed yesterday from the hands of evil.

Politics

12 h. ago Trump's rare earth row with China casts a dark shadow over the global economy, says ALEX BRUMMER

Washington and Beijing are at daggers, despite Trump's claims of a good relationship with supreme Chinese leader Xi Jinping (pictured together).

Politics

28 h. ago Donald Trump speaks out on rumours massive son Barron Trump was having 'school troubles'

Former President Donald Trump recently gave an update on Barron Trump in a rare tender moment with his 18-year-old granddaughter, Kai Trump

Politics

48 h. ago The IMF boss is right to say ‘buckle up’ – the global economy is facing multiple menaces

Trump’s latest tariff tantrum and rising fears of an AI bubble have very quickly borne out Kristina Georgieva’s claim that ‘uncertainty is the new normal’Trump threatens 100% tariffs as Beijing restricts rare-earth exportsLittle more than 48 hours passed last week between IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva’s warning that “uncertainty is the new normal” and Donald Trump’s latest tariff onslaught – this time aimed at China.Markets plunged on Friday after Trump threatened to levy punitive additional tariffs of 100% on Chinese goods in retaliation for Beijing’s blocks on exports of rare earth minerals. Continue reading...

Economics

3 d. ago Trump threatens 100% China tariffs as Beijing restricts rare

President accuses China of ‘very hostile’ moves and says additional tariffs could come on 1 November ‘or sooner’Donald Trump has threatened to impose additional US tariffs of 100% on China from next month, accusing Beijing of “very hostile” moves to restrict exports of rare earths needed for American industry.Wall Street fell sharply after the US president reignited public tensions with the Chinese government, and raised the prospect of another acrimonious trade war between the world’s two largest economies. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Watch out for black swans: The trigger for financial crashes rarely is predicted by watchdogs, says ALEX BRUMMER

These are tense days for capital markets with warnings from the Bank of England and International Monetary Fund over inflated AI valuations.

Events

5 d. ago China tightens grip on rare earths export amid US trade tensions

Sweeping restrictions mark first expansion of Beijing’s jurisdiction over its materials used abroad

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5 d. ago Lenders betray public trust: Car finance scandal victims deserve their compensation, says ALEX BRUMMER

The gravitational pull of Generation Y towards fintech sites such as Revolut, Wise and Monzo, is often attributed to their tech-savvy skills.

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5 d. ago ALEX BRUMMER: The signs of a global financial crash are everywhere. Gold's hit record prices... we'd be wise to prepare for catastrophe

About a quarter of a century ago, when I was researching a profile of the Bank of England, I was invited to tour its vast vaults.

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5 d. ago IMF chief warns of economic uncertainty and offers this advice: 'Buckle up'

The global economy may be holding up better than expected despite major shocks such as President Donald Trump’s tariffs, but the head of the International Monetary Fund says that resilience may not last

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5 d. ago IMF chief warns ‘uncertainty is the new normal’ in global economy

Kristalina Georgieva outlines mounting risks to economic stability before fund’s annual meetings next weekBank of England warns of growing risk that AI bubble could burstGold price tops $4,000 for first time as investors seek safe havenThe head of the International Monetary Fund has issued a stark warning about the mounting risks facing the global economy, saying: “Buckle up: uncertainty is the new normal.”As finance ministers and central bankers prepare to meet in Washington for the IMF’s annual meetings next week, its managing director, Kristalina Georgieva said the world economy had shown surprising resilience in the face of Donald Trump’s trade war. Continue reading...

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7 d. ago Tiffany Trump offers rare glimpse of baby son in adorable teddy bear hat alongside mom Marla Maples

Tiffany Trump, 31, has offered an adorable new look into the special bond she and mom Marla Maples, 61, have with her six-month-old son, Alexander Trump Boulos.

Politics

1 week ago Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl review – lazy big screen cash

The megastar’s underwhelming new album gets a suitably sub-par cinematic accompaniment offering very little for even the most devoted of fansJust as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, fans of Taylor Swift will heed the call for new content. Long before the economy-lifting, paradigm-shifting global domination of her Eras Tour, Swift had cultivated a uniquely intense and personal relationship with her fans, even within the reverential world of pop music. That relationship, sustained through Easter eggs, years long parasocial narratives and arguably her own metaverse, can be real and special and nutritive, a steady raft through life’s storms – I’ve been there. But years into her imperial era, Swift’s cyclical feeding of the fan base has started to seem less like an act of mutual devotion and more nakedly exploitative, the many one-off re-releases and special vinyls and limited-edition Target drops like a billionaire’s tax on her most loyal.The latest of these is the Life o...

Politics

1 week ago Disillusionomics: the US economy isn’t serving gen Z | Alice Lassman

My generation is struggling for stability in a system that no longer feels fit for purpose. It’s time to take that seriouslyFor gen Z Americans, it’s hard to remember a version of the economy not defined by crisis. We finished our education online as Covid devastated the world, only to graduate into high costs of living, stagnant wages and now AI’s threat to entry-level jobs. We’ve come of age in a system that no longer feels fit for purpose.The result is a generation that’s lost faith in the traditional markers of stability. What once defined a secure life – home, family and comfortable retirement – feels out of reach. “A pension is out of the question,” one friend told me. “So staying in the same job no longer makes sense.” She’s not alone: jobseekers’ confidence in keeping or finding work dropped sharply this spring, with a survey in June suggesting nearly 60% of graduates were still looking for their first jobs.Alice Lassman is a policy expert with a focus on the global economy ...

Politics

1 week ago Tantalizing rare look inside top secret mountain city that will protect Trump if nuclear war breaks out

Buried beneath a mile of granite, the Cold War-era fortress built to withstand nuclear war has been reopened to the press - with its commander delivering a chilling warning.

Events

1 week ago ‘Indolent and not photogenic’: can I make my reluctant cat a social media star in seven days?

Olly isn’t an obvious influencer – but that could be said of many of the felines who rule online. Here is what happened when I set out to turn him into a sensationA day at work for Mark Wardle can include accompanying cats to Hollywood film sets or high-end magazine shoots. As an “animal talent booker and fur whisperer” (a title that makes me immediately regret my own career path) Wardle manages about 60 pets, many of them cats, at the pet influencer agency Urban Paws.His is not a unique job. In the UK and beyond, pet influencer agencies – including one devoted to cats, Feline Stars – have begun to proliferate. The reason, Wardle notes, is simple: many of these animals now have “more reach and followers” than their human counterparts, with enough clout to land primetime TV spots. It is, after all, an industry riding the wave of a global pet economy projected to surpass $500bn by 2030. Continue reading...

Culture

2 w. ago Reeves appears utterly incapable of understanding that higher taxes crush aspiration, enterprise, growth and prosperity: ALEX BRUMMER

Well, one thing is for sure. Spending money lavishly then clawing it back from the taxpayer is still the Labour way.

Politics

2 w. ago White House erupts at Ariana Grande after singer torches Trump's record on immigrants and trans rights

Ariana Grande has drawn the ire of Donald Trump 's White House after sharing a rare political statement with her 523 million Instagram followers.

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