Chinese aluminium giant seeks advice over $1.8bn US probe August 4, 2019 One of the world’s largest aluminium companies is consulting with lawyers after it was indicted in the US for smuggling into ports around Los Angeles. China’s Zhongwang Holdings said it, and controlling shareholder Liu Zhongtian who was named on the indictment, have not been served any notice. But in a statement to the Hong Kong [...]
Iran seizes another tanker over fuel smuggling, state media reports August 4, 2019 Iranian authorities have boarded another international oil tanker after weeks of tensions around one of the world’s most important shipping routes. The Revolutionary Guard said today that it had seized a tanker in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday night, according to Iran’s Press TV. “The foreign vessel was receiving fuel from other ships and was [...]
Global markets recoil and China warns of retaliation after Trump trade war threat August 2, 2019 Stock markets around the world have fallen after a sharp escalation in the United States’ trade war with China. Indices in the US fell after the open, amid fears of an economic slowdown if President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to impose a further 10 per cent tariff on $300bn worth of Chinese [...]
US employment reaches new high as country adds 164,000 jobs in July August 2, 2019 The United States added 164,000 jobs last month, suggesting the economy is cooling but not as much as analysts had feared. The gain was well down on June’s figure of 224,000, but was roughly in line with economists’ forecasts of around 165,000 for July. Read more: FTSE 100 sinks into red on Trump’s threat to [...]
Facebook’s libra cryptocurrency ‘poses global currency threat’ August 2, 2019 Facebook’s new cryptocurrency libra poses a threat to global financial policy, according to former Bank of Japan executive Hiromi Yamaoka. Worldwide, Facebook has over 2.4bn active monthly users and, should a significant proportion of these start using Facebook’s new currency, Yamaoka warned that this could significantly devalue trade and monetary policies globally. Read more: MP’s [...]
FTSE 100 sinks into red on Trump’s threat to impose fresh China tariffs August 2, 2019 The FTSE 100 has slumped 1.7 per cent this morning, putting it on course for its worst day in more than four months after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose more tariffs on China. Trump’s threatened escalation in the trade war, plus tumbling shares in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) on the back of [...]
Oil prices bounce back after Donald Trump’s China tariffs send them plummeting August 2, 2019 Oil prices rebounded by around two per cent on Friday as they recovered some ground following the biggest falls in recent years on Thursday in the wake of US President Donald Trump imposing more tariffs on Chinese imports. As the trade war intensified, the price of World Texas Intermediate and Brent Crude suffered its steepest [...]
Mark Carney warns no-deal Brexit shock would be ‘instantaneous’ August 2, 2019 Bank of England governor Mark Carney has hit back at accusations that he is stirring fear about Brexit, warning that the UK would be hit by an “instantaneous” economic shockwave if it cannot strike a deal with the EU. Carney said this morning it is “not helpful” to deny the challenges that a no-deal scenario [...]
Mike Ashley-backed Goals Soccer Centres to delist from stock market after ‘improper’ accounting August 2, 2019 Goals Soccer Centres said today it will delist from the stock market after it discovered “improper behaviour” going back to 2010 that means it will be unable to file its accounts. The move will be a blow to Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct which owns an 18 per cent stake in the company. Goals said today [...]
Bailey’s FCA is in need of a remit reboot August 2, 2019 Several months ago it felt as if the top job in Britain’s banking system was Andrew Bailey’s to lose. A veteran of Threadneedle Street who is at ease among top City bosses, the head of the City watchdog has been the bookies’ favourite to replace Mark Carney as governor of the Bank of England as [...]