19 h. ago US trade war fears drive UK consumer confidence down to record low; Tesla’s European sales fall again – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsDonald Trump’s tariffs will make it harder for Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s car division, Ineos Automotive, to reach its first profit.Ineos Automotive’s CEO, Lynn Calder, told Bloomberg that the US president’s 25% tariff on foreign cars will make it harder to hit the earnings target.“For sure, this last week has put a dent in that and, for sure, delayed it,”“We’re stubborn as mules. We’re not easy to knock down.”“With fieldwork completed just days after Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, it is unsurprising that consumer expectations for the economy plummeted to a record low. The original tariff schedule, since reduced for most countries, was expected to reduce growth in the UK and elsewhere. Yet despite this economic pessimism, expectations of retail spending rose slightly as the prospect of Easter shopping drew closer.The state of the economy dropped significantly to -48 in April, down from -35 in March.Their personal financial...

Economics

21 h. ago US trade war will hurt UK growth, Bank of England governor warns; Tesla’s European sales fall again – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial newsACEA’s latest European car sales report shows a continued decline in demand for fossil fuel-powered vehicles.While new battery-electric car sales grew by 23.9% in the first three months of 2025, to 412,997 units, petrol car registrations saw a significant decline of 20.6%, with all major markets showing decreases. Continue reading...

Economics

6 d. ago Tech industry fears Trump’s trade war will hamper US AI ‘dominance’

Tariffs and threat of new duties on chips and computing infrastructure could frustrate American ambitions to lead artificial intelligence race

Politics

2 w. ago EU drops plans to hit American bourbon with retaliatory tariffs

Drink removed from draft list after lobbying from whiskey-making Ireland and wine-producing Italy and FranceUS politics live – latest updatesAmid the economic maelstrom of Donald Trump’s trade war, drink makers might take a small drop of comfort: the EU has dropped plans to hit American bourbon with retaliatory tariffs.Bourbon and other US whiskeys have escaped EU countermeasures after heavy lobbying from the EU’s drinks-producing countries – such as whiskey-making Ireland and the wine behemoths Italy and France – who feared their alcohol industries would become casualties of a global trade war. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Donald Trump says he is not looking at pausing tariffs as US markets close after rocky day – business live

US president, when asked about considering a pause in global tariffs, says ‘We’re not looking at that’Trump threatens additional 50% tariffs on China over retaliatory leviesVolatility grips global stock markets as Trump insists on tariff ‘medicine’Hong Kong stocks have plummeted more than 9% at open, while Singapore stocks dropped over 7%, according to reports.Hong Kong and Chinese stocks dived on Monday as markets around the world crumbled in the face of the widening global trade war and fears it will unleash a deep recession, Reuters says. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Rollercoaster day for global stock markets as BlackRock CEO says US ‘probably in recession’ – business live

Larry Fink says most CEOs he talked to agreed with assessment; US indexes see sharp ups and downs; UK index loses nearly 4.5% US politics live: Trump threatens China with additional tariffsVolatility grips global stock markets as Trump insists on tariff ‘medicine’Hong Kong stocks have plummeted more than 9% at open, while Singapore stocks dropped over 7%, according to reports.Hong Kong and Chinese stocks dived on Monday as markets around the world crumbled in the face of the widening global trade war and fears it will unleash a deep recession, Reuters says. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Donald Trump threatens China with even more tariffs sparking fresh trade war fears

Donald Trump has sent stock markets around the world tumbling as his sweeping - and bizarre - tariffs continue to wipe out confidence in the American economy

Events

2 w. ago Rollercoaster for US stock markets as tariff uncertainty puts investors on edge

Wall Street shows some recovery after initial falls as Trump’s team dismiss rumours of a 90-day pause on tariffs as ‘fake news’US Politics Live: Trump says Federal Reserve should cut ratesVolatility grips global stock markets as Trump insists on tariff ‘medicine’Hong Kong stocks have plummeted more than 9% at open, while Singapore stocks dropped over 7%, according to reports.Hong Kong and Chinese stocks dived on Monday as markets around the world crumbled in the face of the widening global trade war and fears it will unleash a deep recession, Reuters says. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Trump tariffs live: FTSE opens sharply down after Asian markets plummet over trade fears

US president calls sweeping tariffs ‘medicine’ as fears of global trade war lead investors to ramp up bets on risk of recession

Politics

2 w. ago Asian markets plunge further amid tariff fallout; Trump says ‘sometimes you have to take medicine’ – business live

Japan’s Nikkei 225 tumbles nearly 9% on Monday as Hong Kong’s Hang Seng down 8% and South Korea trading temporarily halted amid Trump tariff concernsHong Kong stocks have plummeted more than 9% at open, while Singapore stocks dropped over 7%, according to reports.Hong Kong and Chinese stocks dived on Monday as markets around the world crumbled in the face of the widening global trade war and fears it will unleash a deep recession, Reuters says. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Trump officials claim 50 nations want to start US trade talks as Starmer vows to protect UK businesses

Back in Britain, the Prime Minister has pledged to ‘turbocharge plans that will improve our domestic competitiveness’ in the wake of Trump’s tariffs and fears of a global trade war

Politics

2 w. ago China hits back hard at ‘bullying’ Trump tariffs as global recession fears grow

Beijing imposes punitive 34% extra tariffs on all goods imported from US, exacerbating stock market sell-offBusiness live – latest updatesUS politics live – latest updatesChina has hit back hard against Donald Trump’s “bullying” tariffs, raising fears that the escalating trade war could trigger a global recession and prompting fresh turmoil in financial markets.Beijing retaliated on Friday with punitive 34% additional tariffs on all goods imported from the US – mirroring the US decision and exacerbating a sell-off on global stock markets. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Stock markets continue to fall as fears over Trump’s trade war dragging down the economy fuel sell

Friday’s stock market comes after a historically bad day as investors react to Trump’s tariff plan

Politics

2 w. ago Finance guru Bill Ackman's stern advice to world leaders reeling from Trump's tariffs amid fears of trade war

Finance guru Bill Ackman offered some stern advice to world leaders reeling from US President Donald Trump's tariffs amid fears of a global trade war.

Politics

3 w. ago Donald Trump tariffs trigger stock market meltdown as more than £24billion wiped off FTSE 100

Financial markets have been spooked by US President Donald Trump's announcement of a blanket 10% tariff on all imports to the States, and higher levies for many countries, and fears of a trade war and the risk of recession

Economics

3 w. ago Northern Ireland fears becoming ‘collateral damage’ in trade war

Brexit deal means region could be hit by EU counter-tariffs on US goods

Events

3 w. ago Stock markets tumble around the world on fears of brutal global trade war

Stock market tumbles in London but European bourses suffer bigger falls

Events

3 w. ago Trump imposes ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs on every nation as senators rebel over Canada duties: Live updates

President Trump has revealed the next phase of sweeping tariffs which sees stock markets slide as his trade war sparks recession fears

Politics

3 w. ago Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs impose levies on every nation as senators rebel over Canada duties: Live updates

President reveals next phase of sweeping tariffs agenda; global markets fear escalating trade war

Politics

3 w. ago Tariffs live: Markets plummet across Asia as Trump sparks fears of global trade war

Donald Trump has announced reciprocal tariffs on dozens of countries

Politics