8 h. ago Wall Street ends 2025 near record highs after year of economic upheaval

US markets buoyed by sustained rise in tech stocks as investors largely shrug off concerns over Trump tariffsWall Street finished 2025 near record highs on Wednesday, as ballooning tech valuations and hopes of lower interest rates helped stock markets defy a year of economic uncertainty.The benchmark S&P 500 rose 16.4% over the course of the year, closing at 6,845.50 on New Year’s Eve in New York, as investors largely shrugged off geopolitical uncertainty and the frenzy around artificial intelligence continued. Continue reading...

Economics

45 h. ago Trump’s tariffs and soaring wage costs ensure rocky year for UK economy

Experts warned 2026 looks set to be another ‘sluggish year’ with few policies to spur on private sector growth.

Economics

63 h. ago Why haven’t Trump’s tariffs crashed the US economy? | Jeffrey Frankel

Effects on inflation and employment have not been as bad as feared – but could still materialise with full force in 2026When Donald Trump took office last January, most economists feared what would happen if he raised tariffs. The expectation was that, as the new duties drove up prices of consumer goods and inputs – affecting households and companies, respectively – surging inflation and falling real incomes would follow. This would be a supply shock, so the US Federal Reserve could not do much to counteract it.Trump did raise tariffs to shocking levels, violating international agreements and blowing up the Republican party’s oft-professed commitment to free trade. In terms of severity and disruptiveness, Trump’s 2025 tariffs went far beyond the already harmful tariffs of his first term, and even beyond the infamous Smoot-Hawley Act of 1930. According to the Yale Budget Lab, the average effective tariff on US imports rose from 2% to 18%, the highest level since the 1930s, this year....

Events

66 h. ago Influx of cheap Chinese imports could drive down UK inflation, economists say

As Trump’s tariffs take effect, Britain is likely alternative destination for cars, telecoms and sound equipmentBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK is poised for an influx of cheap Chinese imports that could bring down inflation amid the fallout from Donald Trump’s global trade war, leading economists have said.After figures showed China’s trade surplus surpassed $1tn (£750bn) despite Washington’s tariff policies hitting exports to the US, the Bank of England said the UK was among the nations emerging as alternative destinations for the goods. Continue reading...

Economics

7 d. ago Fine wine investors find little cheer in third year of falls

Market has been hit by Trump’s tariffs deterring US buyers

Economics

7 d. ago Trump’s cash for health care scheme faces tough road in Congress as insurance costs set to skyrocket

Republicans face uphill battle in passing what would be a party-line proposal for cash handouts instead of extending tax credits that lowered premiums for millions

Politics

7 d. ago American dollar set for worst year since 2017 after months of Trump tariff chaos

Conversely, the euro and the pound were at three-month highs on Wednesday

Politics

8 d. ago Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary blames Trump’s Canada trade tensions for Jim Beam’s shuttering of distillery: ‘Self

U.S. spirit exports to Canada fell 85 percent in the second quarter of 2025

Events

8 d. ago Trump hails tariff boom as US economy grows at fastest rate in two years

Gross domestic product increased at an annualised pace of 4.3% - smashing expectations of 3.3% growth - according to latest figures.

Politics

8 d. ago Consumer confidence slides in December to lowest level since US tariffs rolled out in April

U.S. consumers were less confident in the economy in December as Americans remain anxious about still-high prices and the impact of President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs

Politics

8 d. ago US stocks rose again in 2025 after overcoming turbulence from tariffs and Trump's fight with the Fed

This was a scary good year for investors

Politics

9 d. ago Whisky galore: Trump’s tariffs and cost of living create glut of undrunk Scotch

Concern over rural economies as distilleries left with a surplus that has forced some to pause or scale back production

Politics

9 d. ago US farmers say Trump’s $12bn package not enough to undo damage from tariffs

Thousands of farms set to go bankrupt as grain farmers in particular hit by trade disruptions caused by price hikesDonald Trump, having promised to “NEVER LET OUR FARMERS DOWN”, appeared to come through for them this month when he unveiled a $12bn aid package. Industry leaders say thousands of farms will still go bust this year.While the US president has vowed to increase domestic farm production, and even claimed this formed a “big part” of his plan to lower grocery prices for Americans, many US farmers are grappling with mounting financial issues – compounded by Trump’s agenda. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Jim Beam shutting down bourbon production at Kentucky distillery for a year as Trump’s trade wars hit sales

Trade war with Canada has contributed to a significant decline in U.S. liquor sales

Events

1 week ago ‘We wanted to take action’: US toy company fights back over Trump tariffs

Learning Resources is suing the administration, claiming the president’s tariffs are illegal – and millions of dollars are on the line The conveyors whir in the massive warehouse, boxes gliding at fast clip, filling up with toys ready to be shipped out for holiday gifts across the country. They make their way to shipping trucks, nearly full with hundreds of boxes by the afternoon of a recent Thursday.The 364,000 sq ft warehouse in the suburbs outside Chicago is just one of Learning Resources’ investments in the US. The company and its affiliated brands employ more than 500 people. They make about 2,000 different products, mostly educational toys such as children’s binoculars, cash registers and learning games. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump continues to dangle $2,000 checks for Americans as tariff rebates

Future of $2,000 tariff rebate checks likely lies with the Supreme Court which will soon decide if the president can impose sweeping tariffs

Politics

2 w. ago Trump’s tariffs are choking small US manufacturers – even those making music magic

EarthQuaker Devices has served Smashing Pumpkins, PJ Harvey and Radiohead but says tariffs add costs up to 30%Julie Robbins and her team at EarthQuaker Devices have made guitar pedals for some of the biggest names in the world of music. The Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, PJ Harvey and others have sought out the company’s bespoke, handmade pedals for their unique sounds and designs. Its most popular model, Plumes, has sold over 67,000 devices.Their made-from-scratch effects petals use more than 1,000 components, many which are imported directly from countries such as China and Vietnam or are bought from companies that bring them in from overseas. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago From ‘odd’ Musk to ‘painful’ tariffs: key takeaways from interviews with Trump’s chief of staff

Susie Wiles has spoken to Vanity Fair magazine in a series of 11 interviews that she has since dismissed as a ‘hit piece’The president’s chief of staff Susie Wiles has given her own, unvarnished thoughts about Donald Trump’s administration, in a series of interviews published by Vanity Fair magazine, revealing details and opinions that presidential aides usually save for memoirs long after they have left power.From calling out attorney general Pam Bondi over her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case, to criticising Elon Musk over the dismantling the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Wiles has offered an unusually candid look inside the White House, after maintaining a low profile for much of Trump’s term. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago The gifts that are more expensive this year as Trump’s tariffs have uneven effect on holiday prices

Experts recommend checking out secondhand stores and discount retailers to find cheaper prices

Politics

2 w. ago Senate parents shred Trump’s call to limit doll purchases for US kids: ‘What is this, the Soviet Union?’

Senators with children weren’t impressed with the billionaire president’s call for tariff-weary parents to limit Christmas toy purchases

Politics