Bipartisan group reaches deal to avoid another US shutdown over Mexico border wall – but will Trump support it? February 12, 2019 US politicians thrashed out a finance deal late last night to prevent a renewed government shutdown, but fears loomed over whether President Donald Trump would support the deal. Republicans and Democrats secured an agreement which included just under $1.4bn (£1bn) for 55 miles of fencing to be built along the US border with Mexico. Read [...]
US officials head to Beijing to resume trade talks as deadline for tariff war looms February 11, 2019 Asian markets finished with mixed results this morning while the FTSE 100 had an early rise, as investors looked forward to the reopening of trade talks between the US and China this week. A delegation of US officials, including Treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin, head to Beijing today for the next round of negotiations, but investors’ [...]
Three themes for 2019 – and some black swans February 8, 2019 | City Talk 2018 was a challenging year for investors with US equity and government bond markets both returning less than cash. Two factors were instrumental in delivering this outcome: disappointment with global growth and less cash flowing through the global economy (tighter liquidity). These factors will continue to influence markets in the year ahead. We have identified [...]
If Trump reaches a hand across the aisle, Democrats would be wise to take it February 7, 2019 For a brief moment on Tuesday evening, the customary rancour of US politics was set aside in a most unusual spontaneous display. To everyone’s surprise, President Donald Trump’s delayed 2019 State of the Union speech – which had itself become a political football in the struggle between a Democratic House of Representatives and a Republican [...]
Opec exports to US fall to a five-year low as cartel cuts its output February 6, 2019 US oil imports from Opec countries have dropped to five-year lows as the oil producing cartel cuts output, while US domestic production grows. Opec’s sales to the world’s biggest economy fell 22 per cent month-on-month and 37 per cent year on year, to 1.4m barrels per day, data from energy intelligence company Kpler shows. Read [...]
Big business needs to step up and take the reins of leadership from the politicians February 6, 2019 I wanna be the leader I wanna be the leader Can I be the leader? Can I? I can? Promise? Promise? Yippee I’m the leader I’m the leader OK what shall we do? Roger McGough did not know how prescient his poem was. The days of Churchill, Thatcher and Mandela are gone. Whether you agreed [...]
Donald Trump set to return to London for Nato meeting February 6, 2019 Donald Trump looks set to visit London for the second time as US President later this year. Trump will likely be one of the Nato leaders to descend on the capital in December as the alliance celebrates its 70th year. Read more: UK warns of further sanctions on Russia after cyber attacks Nato secretary general [...]
President Trump to nominate World Bank critic David Malpass to lead the institution February 5, 2019 President Donald Trump is reportedly set to nominate an ally from the US Department of the Treasury to become president of the World Bank. The nomination of David Malpass would see an ardent critic of the World Bank put in line to lead the lending institution. Read more: Shutdown back down: Trump faces conservative backlash as [...]
The trade war in your head? A look behind the US-China feud February 5, 2019 As the US-China talks resume this week, the spectre of global trade disintegration on looms ever larger. There is one month for Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to strike a deal before the 90-day ceasefire in tit-for-tat rhetoric expires. At stake is $200bn of Chinese exports to the US, which will otherwise see tariffs rise [...]
Putin suspends missile treaty and pledges to build more weapons February 2, 2019 Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that Russia has suspended a cold war era treaty to limit missile building after a similar move by the US. Putin told a meeting with foreign and defence ministers that Russia had suspended the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty which limits land-based missiles with ranges of 310–3,420 miles. Putin [...]