A majority of British companies say that rising and unstable energy costs are undermining their growth plans, with firms warning that soaring electricity prices are threatening profitability, competitiveness, and the UK’s industrial future. According to a new EY survey, three in five UK businesses reported that high energy prices are hampering their ability to expand. […]
UK consumer confidence has dropped to its lowest level since the peak of the cost of living crisis in December 2022, as households feel the strain of Donald Trump’s new tariffs, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and a raft of domestic tax and price increases, according to new data from Which?. The consumer group’s latest […]
Shares in major US streaming platforms and film studios fell sharply on Monday following President Trump’s surprise announcement that he plans to introduce 100% tariffs on films produced abroad, reigniting concerns over the disruptive reach of his trade policies. Netflix shares slid 1.7%, Amazon was down 1.5%, and both Warner Bros Discovery and Paramount Global […]
Ministers will hold a high-level meeting with leading bank executives on Tuesday as pressure mounts on lenders to improve access to credit for small businesses, amid growing fears that the UK’s economic recovery could be held back by underinvestment in the SME sector. Senior figures from HSBC, NatWest and Lloyds will attend the talks to […]
The US economy shrank by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025, marking its first contraction in over two years, as businesses rushed to import goods ahead of President Trump’s sweeping tariff plans, triggering record trade imbalances and unsettling financial markets. The latest data from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) shows the economy […]
UK interest rates are expected to fall at their fastest pace since the 2008 financial crisis, as the Bank of England prepares to respond to mounting global economic headwinds driven by President Trump’s escalating trade war. Economists expect the central bank to begin cutting rates next week, lowering the base rate from 4.5% to 4.25%, […]
Rolls-Royce has become the latest major UK-headquartered company to pull back from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, citing the need to comply with anti-DEI legislation in the United States — a move influenced by growing pressure from President Trump’s White House. The FTSE 100 aerospace and defence group, which employs 43,000 staff globally, has […]
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has resumed shipments of its vehicles to the United States after a near month-long suspension triggered by President Trump’s 25% tariffs on imported cars — a move that underscores the UK carmaker’s tough balancing act in the face of US protectionism. The first shipments since April 7 departed the UK on […]
Dame Mary Archer has been removed from her role as a non-executive board member of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), in a move that has triggered accusations of political bias and intolerance of dissent within Ed Miliband’s department. The 80-year-old energy expert and wife of Conservative peer Lord Archer was summoned […]
The UK’s financial regulator is exploring a ban on using credit cards to buy cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, as part of a wider crackdown on high-risk retail crypto investing. In a discussion paper published on Friday, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warned that borrowing to invest in cryptoassets could lead consumers into unsustainable debt. The proposed […]