75 m. ago Rachel Reeves says GDP figures ‘are disappointing’ after UK economy shrinks for second month in a row – business live

Latest economic report shows UK GDP fell by 0.1% in May, following 0.3% fall in April.Full story: UK economy shrinks unexpectedly by 0.1% in blow to Rachel ReevesUS will impose 35% tariffs on Canadian imports, Trump says in letterChancellor Rachel Reeves has described the latest GDP figures as “disappointing”.Following this morning’s news that the UK economy contracted by 0.1% in May, Reeves points to the government’s efforts to support households financially:“Getting more money in people’s pockets is my number one mission. While today’s figures are disappointing, I am determined to kickstart economic growth and deliver on that promise.“The choices we have made in our first year in government have seen us extend the £3 bus fare cap, fund Free School Meals for over half a million more children, press ahead with plans to deliver free breakfast clubs for every child in the country and increase the National Minimum and National Living Wage, giving a pay rise to 3 million workers.“Flatli...

Economics

2 h. ago Rachel Reeves say GDP figures ‘are disappointing’ after UK economy shrinks for second month in a row – business live

Latest economic report shows UK GDP fell by 0.1% in May, following 0.3% fall in April.Full story: UK economy shrinks unexpectedly by 0.1% in blow to Rachel ReevesUS will impose 35% tariffs on Canadian imports, Trump says in letterChancellor Rachel Reeves has described the latest GDP figures as “disappointing”.Following this morning’s news that the UK economy contracted by 0.1% in May, Reeves points to the government’s efforts to support households financially:“Getting more money in people’s pockets is my number one mission. While today’s figures are disappointing, I am determined to kickstart economic growth and deliver on that promise.“The choices we have made in our first year in government have seen us extend the £3 bus fare cap, fund Free School Meals for over half a million more children, press ahead with plans to deliver free breakfast clubs for every child in the country and increase the National Minimum and National Living Wage, giving a pay rise to 3 million workers.“Flatli...

Economics

3 h. ago Rachel Reeves say GDP figures ‘are disappointing’ after UK economy shrinks for second month running – business live

UK GDP falls by 0.1% in May, following 0.3% fall in April.US will impose 35% tariffs on Canadian imports, Trump says in letterFTSE 100 hit record high on ThursdayChancellor Rachel Reeves has described the latest GDP figures as “disappointing”.Following this morning’s news that the UK economy contracted by 0.1% in May, Reeves points to the government’s efforts to support households financially:“Getting more money in people’s pockets is my number one mission. While today’s figures are disappointing, I am determined to kickstart economic growth and deliver on that promise.“The choices we have made in our first year in government have seen us extend the £3 bus fare cap, fund Free School Meals for over half a million more children, press ahead with plans to deliver free breakfast clubs for every child in the country and increase the National Minimum and National Living Wage, giving a pay rise to 3 million workers.“Flatlining growth in May highlights the ongoing pressures facing the UK ec...

Economics

3 h. ago Trump announces 35% tariffs on Canadian goods and threatens blanket increases on the rest of the world

The two nations have been locked in deep negotiations trying to settle the tariff war that broke out when Trump returned to office and announced plans to upend world trade.

Politics

4 h. ago UK economy shrinks for second month running in May – business live

UK GDP falls by 0.1% in May, following 0.3% fall in April.US will impose 35% tariffs on Canadian imports, Trump says in letterFTSE 100 hit record high on ThursdayThe pound has dropped against the US dollar, as investors react to this morning’s worse-than-expected GDP report.Sterling has lost a third of a cent to $1.354, a drop of 0.2%.“The economy contracted slightly in May with notable falls in production and construction, only partially offset by growth in services. However, across the latest three months as a whole, the economy still grew. This reflected strength earlier in the year that resulted, in part, from some activity being brought forward to February and March.“May’s fall in production was driven by oil and gas extraction, car manufacturing and the often-erratic pharmaceutical industry. Continue reading...

Economics

8 h. ago US will impose 35% tariffs on Canadian imports, Trump says in letter

New levies, apart from the 25% on auto parts and 50% on steel and aluminum, will come into effect on 1 AugustDonald Trump has said the US will impose a 35% tariff on imports from Canada next month and threatened to impose blanket tariffs of 15% or 20% on most other trade partners.In a letter released on his social media platform, Trump told Mark Carney, the Canadian prime minister, the new rate would go into effect on 1 August and would increase if Canada retaliated. Continue reading...

Politics

9 h. ago Rubio in bind as he seeks to reassure Asia, even as region faces punishing Trump tariffs

Questions over US commitment to the region coupled with Trump’s tariff polices could be a boon to ChinaEven as they face among the most punitive tariffs globally, US secretary of state Marco Rubio has sought to reassure southeast Asian nations of Washington’s commitment to the region, saying countries there may get “better” trade deals than the rest of the world.In his first official visit to Asia, Rubio met foreign ministers of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Malaysia on Thursday, telling his counterparts the US has “no intention of abandoning” the region. His visit came days after president Donald Trump renewed his threat to impose severe tariffs across many southeast Asian countries if they did not strike deals by 1 August. Continue reading...

Politics

23 h. ago Judge to weigh blocking Trump on birthright citizenship despite supreme court ruling – US politics live

US district judge to grant class action status to a lawsuit seeking to represent any babies whose citizenship status would be threatened The Trump administration this week pressed five African presidents to take in migrants from other countries when they are deported by the US, two officials familiar with the discussions told Reuters on Thursday.The plan was presented to the presidents of Liberia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and Gabon during their visit to the White House on Wednesday, according to a US and a Liberian official who both asked not to be named.Donald Trump released an intemperate letter to Brazil’s president imposing a 50% tariff and complaining about the prosecution of his friend, former president Jair Bolsonaro, for the crime of simply trying to stay in office despite losing an election and then inciting a riot by his supporters to derail the transfer of power.Brazil’s current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, rejected Trump’s demand that the charges again...

Politics

33 h. ago Trump slaps 50% tariff on Brazil as punishment for 'witch hunt' trial against ex

Trump fired off a furious letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Wednesday laying out the details of his new tariff.

Politics

35 h. ago Chile foreign minister says US would not be able to ‘replace’ Chilean copper

Alberto van Klaveren’s comments follow Trump’s announcement that he would impose 50 per cent tariffs on copper imports.

Politics

45 h. ago Trump defends tariffs as more trade announcements expected – live updates

President Donald Trump said that there would be more trade-related announcements this morningSources in the European Union, which Donald Trump said could expect a letter regarding its tariff deal in the next 48 hours, said they believed a framework agreement would be reached this week. The agreement is expected to include headline tariff arrangements for a limited number of sectors including cars, steel and medical devices.The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, told the Bundestag today: “I am cautiously optimistic that we can succeed in reaching an agreement with the US in the next few days, by the end of the month at the latest.” Continue reading...

Politics

47 h. ago Bank of England says UK banks can increase riskier mortgage lending – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news, as BoE recommends banks can issue more high loan-to-income level loansCopper prices in US hit record high after Trump announces 50% tariffTrump threatens to escalate trade war amid confusion over new tariff ratesCarsten Menke, Head of Next Generation Research at Julius Baer, says the copper tariffs will be inflationary domestically in the US and deflationary internationally – which matches the price action we’ve seen since last night.Menke also points out that the jump in US copper prices (13% yesterday) is less than the 50% tariff, implying traders expect some imports will be exempt, saying:President Trump announced the imposition of 50% import tariffs at a cabinet meeting yesterday. While US-traded futures jumped on the news, the price differential is well below the tariff level, pointing to expectations of exemptions for key suppliers or expectations of different demand dynamics.As already mentioned, we remain of the con...

Economics

49 h. ago Copper prices in US hit record high after Trump announces 50% tariff

Latest escalation in trade war is expected to push up costs across key parts of US economyBusiness live – latest updatesCopper prices hit a record high in the US after Donald Trump announced he would impose a 50% tariff on the industrial metal, in the latest escalation in his trade war.Trump said before a cabinet meeting on Tuesday: “Today we’re doing copper,” proposing a 50% tariff rate for imports. He also threatened to impose a 200% border tax on pharmaceuticals but in a year or year and a half’s time. Continue reading...

Politics

50 h. ago Russia launches major attack on Ukraine after Trump’s criticism of Putin – Europe live

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia attempted to strike 741 targets with 728 drones and 13 missilesVon der Leyen also spoke about the prospects for the EU-US tariff deal after last night’s comments by Trump that a US proposal should be ready within the next two days.She said the US imposed tariffs were “unprecedented,” and insisted the bloc preferred “a negotiated solution” to avoid them in the future. Continue reading...

Politics

58 h. ago Australian government ‘urgently seeking more detail’ after Trump flags 200% tariffs on foreign pharmaceuticals

Global trade tensions linked to unpredictable and expanding US levy regime a ‘substantial concern’, Jim Chalmers saysFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor is making urgent representations to the White House about Donald Trump’s threat to impose 200% tariffs on drug imports to the US, an announcement Jim Chalmers says is very concerning for the Australian economy.The US president said on Wednesday that the punishing new border levies would come with a transition period that could last more at least a year, after sustained pressure from the US pharmaceutical industry over price controls on common drugs in countries like Australia.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Politics

64 h. ago Trump threatens to impose high tariffs on pharmaceuticals and copper

Washington sent letters to 14 trading partners setting out the tariffs that would come into effect on August 1

Politics

66 h. ago Trump is bullying Canada over ‘digital taxes’ and Canada caved | Joseph Stiglitz

The question now: will countries cave in to these threats or stick together and collect the billions they are rightly owed?Donald Trump’s announcement calling off trade talks with Canada over its digital tax – and that he would impose retaliatory tariffs – demonstrates, once again, not only the president’s ignorance of economics and willful disregard of international norms and the rule of law, but also his willingness to use brute power to get whatever he and the oligarchs who support him want.He was wrong in labeling the tax as outrageous and “a direct and blatant attack on our country”. It is actually an efficient tax, well designed to ensure that the technology companies – the profits of which benefit the tech oligarchs who have come to dominate US policy – pay their fair share of taxes.Joseph E Stiglitz is a Nobel laureate in economics, university professor at Columbia University and chief economist of the Roosevelt InstituteAnya Schiffrin, senior lecturer at Columbia University...

Politics

3 d. ago Asian shares rise after Wall Street falls as Trump pressures trading partners with new tariffs

Asian shares are mostly higher after stocks fell on Wall Street as the Trump administration stepped up pressure on trading partners to make deals before punishing tariffs imposed by the U.S. take effect

Politics

3 d. ago Netanyahu nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize just weeks after joint strike on Iran

Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu presented US President Donald Trump with the letter he sent to the Nobel Peace Prize committee nominating him during a dinner at the White House

Politics

3 d. ago King tells of ‘profound sadness’ in letter to Trump after Texas floods

The British Embassy in Washington said Charles had offered his condolences.

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