Bank of England’s Bailey: Central banks must challenge populism Economics Andrew Bailey has called on central banks international institutions to stand up to proponents of populism with their words and actions, warning that organisations like the Bank of England are being painted as “unresponsive and acting for the benefit of powerful” interests. In a speech to a group of economists and officials in London, governor [...]
World Bank: Global economy ‘more resilient than expected’ Economics The global economy has been “markedly more resilient than expected” against a hostile backdrop of geopolitical and trade uncertainty, according to the World Bank which has upgraded its growth forecast for 2026. In its biannual assessment of the international economic outlook, the world’s preeminent financial body said that the “limited” pass-through of tariffs onto prices [...]
Trump’s protectionism is a threat to freedom Opinion Donald Trumps approach to Vietnam reveals the conflict of interest between his trade policy and his private business interests, says Rainer Zitelmann Donald Trump has said it time and time again: “To me, the most beautiful word in the dictionary is tariff. It’s my favorite word.” Over the years, Trump has expressed opposing opinions on [...]
Triumph: Profit almost wiped out at iconic motorcycles maker January 5, 2026 Profit at iconic motorcycles maker Triumph has almost been wiped out thanks to US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs and the cost-of-living crisis. The Derbyshire-headquartered business, which is owned by billionaire John Bloor, has posted a pre-tax profit of £2.2m for the year to 30 June, 2025. That figure is down significantly from the pre-tax [...]
Activity in UK’s embattled manufacturing sector hits 15-month high January 2, 2026 The UK’s embattled manufacturing sector took another small step towards recovery at the end of 2025 thanks to an influx of new orders. The latest UK Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) from S&P Global UK hit a 15-month high as the industry continued to grow for the second consecutive month. The PMI reading hit 50.6, up [...]
UK consumers cut spending amid wider economic nerves December 30, 2025 UK consumers’ debit and credit card spending slumped in 2025 for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic as wider economic nerves knocked confidence. Card spending fell 0.2 per cent in the last 12 months, according to Barclays, a sharp contrast to the 1.6 per cent growth recorded in 2024. Just a quarter of British [...]
2025: It’s been one hell of a year for UK business December 11, 2025 From political drama to market volatility, cyber attacks, takeovers and trade wars – 2025 has not been plain sailing. January: motor finance and angry farmers We began the year reporting on the exodus from the London stock exchange noting that 2024 had been the quietest year on record for new listings and we suggested that [...]
Will the land of the free take a dim view of my social media posts? December 11, 2025 Earlier this year one of our journalists booked a holiday to India, and I had to provide him with a letter confirming that he was travelling in a personal capacity and wouldn’t be doing anything as nefarious as journalism while in the country. Days later another of our reporters decided to follow suit, and I [...]
Strix Group boss exits and dividend axed after share price plunges November 26, 2025 The boss of Strix Group, a key player in safety controls for appliances, has departed following a plummet in the firm’s share price as macroeconomic pressures weighed. Mark Bartlett will step down from his role at Strix after nearly two decades at the company, one of which was spent in the top job. Shares were [...]
Santander: UK businesses shift away from China as tensions flare November 18, 2025 UK businesses are moving away from China as risks mount amid flaring geopolitical tensions. Over half of firms are taking steps to bring their supply chains closer to home, with one in five having already relocated their network closer to the UK. The moves come amid questions over China’s dominance in the supply chain, with [...]