Global markets nose-dive as Trump’s tariff on UK products comes into effect April 5, 2025 Donald Trump’s 10 per cent tariff on UK products has officially come into force, with global stock markets plunging deeper into the red in response to the imposition of import taxes. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to spend the weekend speaking to foreign leaders about the tariffs, after calls with the prime ministers [...]
Number 10 slaps down David Lammy ‘protectionism’ comments as tariff shockwaves continue April 4, 2025 Downing Street has distanced itself from comments made by the foreign secretary, who told reporters on Friday that he regrets “the return of protectionism in the United States.” David Lammy said that Britain is “a nation that believes in open trade” and that these curbs on trade are “something we’ve not seen for nearly a [...]
UK retailers respond to Trump tariffs: ‘The timing couldn’t be worse’ April 4, 2025 Retail bodies and tax advisers have warned that Trump’s tariffs come at a dire time for UK retail, saying price rises are “inevitable”. US President Donald Trump announced a 10 per cent tariff on goods from the UK on 2 April, and a range of higher tariffs on many of the countries retailers manufacture goods [...]
HSBC, Natwest and Barclays shares plunge as FTSE 100 downturn deepens April 4, 2025 The FTSE 100’s ‘Big Five’ banks were back in the red on Friday as tariff woes intensified. Shares in Natwest and Barclays slumped nearly ten per cent after China announced retaliatory tariffs against the US, making them the index’s top fallers. HSBC lost over eight per cent. Lloyds and Standard Chartered were not far behind [...]
Construction output drops again despite Rayner’s planning reforms April 4, 2025 Construction activity has suffered a further decline and confidence is low despite minister Angela Rayner’s planning reforms getting a thumbs up from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). Rayner’s Ministry of Housing is introducing broad changes to planning rules as it hopes to deliver the UK’s construction sector an extra boost. Its planning reforms have [...]
Reeves’ £25bn tax grab to become ‘toxic reality’ for British business, firms suggest April 4, 2025 Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ £25bn tax grab from employers will become a “toxic reality” for British businesses from Sunday as higher costs risk stunting firms’ income, one of the UK’s largest industry bodies has warned. Reeves’ has pinned her hopes for improving the state of public finances on growing the UK economy but more firms have [...]
How will Trump’s tariffs impact the UK economy? April 3, 2025 The US president holds up a sandwich board in the Rose Garden. On it is a list of countries. Next to each country are two columns: one for “tariffs charged to the USA” and one for “USA Discounted Reciprocal Tariffs”. The leader of the free world is cooking up a storm. “Our country has been [...]
Fear over Labour plans to allow firms to extract cash from pension schemes April 3, 2025 The vast majority of pension scheme members are “afraid” of government plans that would allow firms to take cash from defined benefit (DB) schemes for investment. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves signalled earlier this year that “trapped surplus funds” in DB pension schemes would be unleashed for firms to invest. But a [...]
S&P 500 and Dow Jones plunge as banks drive FTSE 100 slump April 3, 2025 The S&P 500 and Dow Jones joined the FTSE 100 in the red as US markets opened following Trump’s tariff onslaught. The S&P plummeted over three per cent in early trading, whilst the Dow slid nearly three per cent marking a loss of 1,200 points. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Exchange, which includes Tesla and Apple, slumped [...]
UK to consult on ‘retaliatory tariffs’ as Tories call for employment reforms to be scrapped April 3, 2025 The UK will consult businesses on “possible retaliatory action’ including on US products that could face tariffs, in response to Donald Trump’s sweeping global import taxes. Jonathan Reynolds made the announcement to MPs in the House of Commons, stating: “To enable the UK to have every option open to us in the future, I am [...]