US warns 15 per cent tariffs to come this week Economics US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has warned that the administration’s plans for a higher universal 15 per cent tariff could come into effect this week. Bessent said the new baseline tariff rate would come in “likely some time this week” in an interview on Wednesday. The US implemented its 10 per cent tariff rate last [...]
Sanae Takaichi rolled the dice and won – what next? Opinion Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi secured a commanding victory in a snap general election, clinching a two-thirds supermajority that signals a new, more assertive phase in the country’s economic and foreign policy, says Helen Thomas Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi’s decision to call a snap general election was a high-risk move. Just like investment theory [...]
The World Bank should focus on poverty, not climate change Opinion Research repeatedly shows that pound for pound, core development investments — like improving maternal health, advancing e-learning, or enhancing agricultural yields — deliver much greater and faster benefits than climate spending, writes Bjorn Lomborg With Cop30 underway in Brazil, the United States has told the World Bank to stop obsessing about climate and get back to [...]
Banking watchdog boss warns easing capital rules ‘highly risky’ October 22, 2025 The head of the UK’s banking watchdog has warned of high risk if the UK loosens its rules around lenders’ capital framework as the government pushes for economic growth. Sam Woods, the head of the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), said requiring banks to no longer set aside capital for top-tier sovereign bonds would “be equivalent [...]
Trump’s treasury secretary Scott Bessent lashes out at ‘weak’ China October 14, 2025 Markets have wobbled amid attacks by Scott Bessent on China’s trade policy, after Beijing unveiled sweeping controls on rare earth materials and critical minerals. The US treasury secretary told the Financial Times: “This is a sign of how weak their economy is, and they want to pull everybody else down with them.” He said: “Maybe [...]
Rachel Reeves hosts Scott Bessent and finance execs for investment talks September 16, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves hosted US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent and top dogs from most of the world’s biggest finance firms in a warm-up event ahead of President Donald Trump’s UK arrival on Tuesday evening. City firms including Barclays, HSBC and Revolut sent representatives to Downing Street, where they were joined by bosses from top Wall [...]
UK edges closer to US trade deal for cars and steel May 7, 2025 The UK is coming close to agreeing a trade deal with the US that would see president Donald Trump’s tariffs on motor and steel exports slashed, according to reports. The additional 25 per cent tariffs that Trump instituted on steel and car imports earlier this year are expected to be reduced in a deal later [...]
Reeves pledges to defend UK interests ahead of IMF meetings in Washington April 22, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has pledged to “defend Britain’s interests” as she prepares to meet fellow finance ministers in Washington and push for a US trade deal. Reeves will spend three days in the US capital for the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s spring meetings of finance ministers and business leaders from across the G7 and G20. [...]
Trump’s tariffs to cause pandemic-level fall in trade April 14, 2025 President Donald Trump’s tariffs are set to knock trillions of dollars off world GDP, fresh forecasts suggest, as businesses reel from major disruption to global trading patterns. A spate of new tariffs on goods ranging from European cars to Chinese toys will take the US’ effective tariff rate from 2.5 per cent to over 20 [...]
Reeves to meet US Treasury Secretary ‘shortly’ in trade deal race April 8, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said she plans to meet US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent as President Donald Trump is yet to offer allies any reprieve from his tariff policy. The UK is facing ten per cent tariffs on its goods exports to the US, putting the government under pressure to agree a deal that protects [...]