Before the Bell: Equities and copper are on a roll January 8, 2021 Equity markets in Europe and the US enjoyed rallies yesterday as traders bought stocks on the back of the view that the future Biden administration will be keen to use stimulus packages to support the economy. In late December, lawmakers signed off on a $900bn relief package but in October, Nancy Pelosi, of the Democrats, [...]
Shopify joins Facebook and Instagram Trump ban January 7, 2021 Donald Trump has been banned from Facebook and Instagram until the presidential transition is completed, Mark Zuckerberg has confirmed – and the ban could go on for longer. Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Facebook, which owns Instagram, confirmed the current US President would be banned from posting on the platforms for the remaining days [...]
Defending the rulebook: Overcoming America’s Darkest Day January 7, 2021 This is a time for elemental thoughts. Following one of the darkest days in the history of the American Republic, when an armed mob set in motion by Donald Trump marched on the capitol, ransacking it, and pressured lawmakers to overturn the 2020 election results (words I never, ever thought I’d write), it is time [...]
Four people dead at US Capitol as world watches on in horror January 7, 2021 Police have confirmed that four people were killed last night as supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the US Capitol in a bid to overturn the election result. Egged on by the President, rioters broke into the House of Representatives, smashing windows and fighting with police, who said that 52 people had been arrested. [...]
Before the Bell: Bulls in control, calm restored to Capitol Hill January 7, 2021 The disturbance at Capitol Hill derailed the process of certifying the Biden electoral victory for a number of hours last night but was then resumed so the final confirmation of Biden’s win should be relatively straightforward. Moreover, the FTSE 100 had a stellar run yesterday as it closed up more than 3 per cent and [...]
Twitter and Facebook lock Trump’s account amid Capitol riots January 7, 2021 Twitter and Facebook last night took the unprecedented step of locking US President Donald Trump’s account after his supporters stormed the Capitol. In a message to protesters at the height of the violence, Trump told protesters “I love you” before telling them to go home. He also repeated false claims that the election, which he [...]
American Carnage: Woman shot as Trump rioters storm building January 6, 2021 Supporters of Donald Trump have descended on Washington DC’s Capitol Hill, with some having breached the doors of the Capitol building. Congress was forced to pause the voter certification process taking place today because of the protests. Trump addressed supporters outside the White House earlier today, where he told protestors to “fight” for him. Since [...]
Trump issues ban on Alipay in latest China crackdown January 6, 2021 US President Donald Trump today stepped up his campaign against Chinese businesses, banning transactions with eight apps including Alipay. The new executive order is aimed at curbing the alleged threat to Americans posed by Chinese software companies that have access to personal data. The order states that the US must take “aggressive action” against Chinese [...]
Trump phone call: Democrats ask FBI to open criminal investigation January 5, 2021 Two Democrats have asked the FBI to open a criminal investigation into US President Donald Trump over a phone call in which he pressurised a top Georgian official to overturn his election defeat. In the call this weekend, Trump told Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to reverse Joe Biden’s victory [...]
Trump signs coronavirus relief and spending bill December 28, 2020 US President Donald Trump has signed into law a $2.3 trillion (£1.7 trillion) coronavirus aid and spending package, averting a partial government shutdown. The outgoing president plunged the government into chaos after refusing to sign the stimulus bill, which was approved by Congress last week. Trump criticised “wasteful spending” and called for payouts to struggling [...]