57 h. ago UK open to lowering tariffs on US goods to secure Donald Trump trade deal

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said Donald Trump is 'keen' to forge an agreement with the UK, which could ease the impact of his sweeping trade tariffs on British businesses

Economics

64 h. ago UK annual borrowing exceeds forecasts by almost £15bn in blow to Rachel Reeves

Chancellor may be forced to raise taxes or announce deeper public spending cuts in autumn budget, economists sayBusiness live – latest updatesRachel Reeves could be forced to raise taxes or announce deeper cuts to public spending after figures revealed UK borrowing overshot official forecasts by almost £15bn in the last financial year.With the British economy coming under mounting strain amid Donald Trump’s escalating trade war, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said borrowing in the financial year ending in March was £151.9bn, more than £20bn higher than in the previous financial year. Continue reading...

Economics

6 d. ago US chocolate prices surge amid soaring cocoa costs and tariffs

Price of cocoa – chocolate’s key ingredient – has climbed over past year and tariffs on imports will keep prices highFor many Americans celebrating Easter, the holiday is incomplete without chocolate: chocolate bunnies and eggs, bars tucked into Easter baskets, candy hidden in plastic eggs for Easter egg hunts.But the rocketing cocoa costs will mean higher prices for chocolate candy this year, and Donald Trump’s tariffs on all imports will likely keep prices high for the foreseeable future. Continue reading...

Economics

1 week ago Asian shares are mostly higher after Trump eases some of his tariffs on electronics, for now

Asian shares have mostly gained, echoing a rally on Wall Street after President Donald Trump relaxed some of his tariffs, for now at least, and as stress from within the U.S. bond market seems to be easing

Politics

1 week ago I’m a comedian – this is why Saturday Night Live’s jokes about Aimee Lou Wood’s teeth didn’t work | Athena Kugblenu

There’s funny, there’s mean, and there’s mean and funny. But unfunny and mean will always die a deathIn these partisan times, when all is binary and everyone must pick a side, I have chosen mine. Aimee Lou Wood, she of The White Lotus and thus now instantly recognisable worldwide, is absolutely right to call out Saturday Night Live, the legendary US entertainment and satire show, for making jokes about her teeth. The special relationship is under enough strain without having to lean into old stereotypes about British gnashers. I am still reeling from the Big Book of British Smiles gag in The Simpsons and I continue to floss every day because of it.The SNL joke, if you are yet to see it, is part of a wider sketch making fun of the Trump administration. (Because if one thing has been proven to quell the march of the right, it’s parody.) A White Lotus character is mashed up with someone adjacent to Robert F Kennedy, he mentions fluoride, and a Wood-esque character says “What’s that?”At...

Politics

1 week ago Tariffs live: UK suspends some tariffs to ease business tension as trade deal ‘days away’

Breakthrough between UK and the US over tariffs could be reached in the coming days

Economics

1 week ago UK suspends import tariffs to ease strain for British businesses

Levies cut on 89 products to support domestic companies against Trump’s trade war

Economics

1 week ago SNL’s Trump declares himself ‘the messiah’ after being mocked over tariffs

Comedian, in character as American president, compared himself to Jesus

Politics

1 week ago SNL mocks ‘messiah’ Trump over chaotic tariffs policy with Easter

‘Some people call me the Messiah because of the mess I uh made out of the economy’

Politics

1 week ago ‘Completely out of touch’: golf and dinners for ‘king’ Trump as economy melts down

Casual attitude as markets fall suggests man detached from anxieties of ordinary voters – and surrounded by yes menAfter lighting a fuse under global financial markets, Donald Trump stepped back – all the way to a Florida golf course. A week later, having just caved to pressure to ease his trade tariffs, the US president defended the retreat while hosting racing car champions at the White House.Trump had spent the time in between golfing, dining with donors and making insouciant declarations such as “this is a great time to get rich”, even as the US economy melted down. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Hopes rising for trade deal with US 'in the coming days': Ministers push for pact to see off threat of 25% tariffs from Trump

Ministers are desperate to strike an agreement with Donald Trump despite his advisers warning that he will not ease tariffs on the UK.

Politics

2 w. ago Life in Shanghai, China’s commercial capital, goes on but anti

Chinese companies are relieved Trump’s wider tariffs have been paused but on social media, posts are full of defianceOn Thursday morning in Shanghai, as shoppers filled the luxury malls and delivery drivers whizzed around the winding streets at breakneck speed, financiers breathed a cautious sigh of relief. Overnight, US President Donald Trump had reversed course, announcing a 90-day pause on his so-called “reciprocal tariffs” of up to 50% for dozens of countries. Although China got no such reprieve – instead, the levy on Chinese goods was increased to 145% – the temporary return of normal trade channels showed Chinese businesspeople that all was not lost.Trump’s announcement of punitive tariffs on countries across south-east Asia had risked closing off the routes that Chinese companies have been using since his first term in office to circumvent his levies. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Swiss chocolate prices could rise as makers hit by Trump tariffs ahead of Easter

Your favourite chocolate bar could become a lot more expensive

Politics

2 w. ago Trump tariffs send shockwaves through Swiss chocolate industry ahead of Easter

Your favourite chocolate bar could become a lot more expensive

Politics

2 w. ago Trump tariffs live: Starmer vows to protect UK businesses from ‘storm’ US tariffs will bring

Donald Trump admits tariffs plan ‘won’t be easy’ but calls on Americans to ‘hang tough’

Politics

2 w. ago Trump tariffs live: Starmer warns ‘world as we know it has gone’ as Jaguar Land Rover halts shipments to US

Donald Trump admits tariffs plan ‘won’t be easy’ but calls on Americans to ‘hang tough’

Events

2 w. ago Jaguar Land Rover pauses shipments to US as Trump says impact of tariffs ‘won’t be easy’ – live

Trump’s baseline 10% tariff on all imports from many countries has begun, with higher levies on 57 trading partners to start next weekAmerica’s Brexit? Trump’s historic gamble on tariffs has been decades in the makingIsraeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit the White House on Monday to discuss recently announced tariffs with US president Donald Trump, three Israeli officials said on Saturday, according to Reuters.The impromptu visit was first reported by Axios, which said that if the visit takes place, the Israeli leader would be the first foreign leader to meet Trump in person to try to negotiate a deal to remove tariffs. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump tariffs live: Jaguar Land Rover pauses shipments to US as 10% tariff kicks in for UK

Donald Trump admits tariffs plan ‘won’t be easy’ but calls on Americans to ‘hang tough’

Politics