FTSE 100 and Wall Street gain on signs of economic recovery June 23, 2020 The FTSE 100 closed up and Wall Street posted strong gains on Tuesday afternoon after new economic data signalled that business activity across the US, UK and the Eurozone was recovering faster than expected. Having risen steadily throughout the morning, the FTSE 100 pushed ahead in afternoon trading today as traders welcomed the most significant [...]
Oil prices recover as Donald Trump says China deal still intact June 23, 2020 Global oil prices pushed higher this morning after US president Donald Trump soothed traders’ nerves by assuring the market that his long-sought trade deal with China was intact. The previous session had seen the market suffer a bout of jitters after White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said that the hard-fought deal was “over”. However, [...]
Trump adviser walks back comments saying US-China trade deal is ‘over’ June 23, 2020 White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said on Monday the US trade deal with China “continues in place”, walking back on his earlier remarks that the pact was ‘over’, stoking volatility in markets already frazzled by the coronavirus pandemic. Navarro said his comments were taken “wildly out of context”, while US President Donald Trump confirmed [...]
Swansea tidal lagoon backers call for Boris Johnson to greenlight project June 22, 2020 The chief executive of the Swansea Tidal Lagoon has called for Boris Johnson to give the go ahead to the renewable energy project, saying that the UK will need to use “every green project we can” if it is to decarbonise its energy system. Currently, the project is waiting for the Department of Business, Energy [...]
Asian stocks wobble on US fears of coronavirus second wave June 22, 2020 Stocks in Asia had a rocky start to trading today, as concerns about rising coronavirus cases in the US prompted fears of a second economic lockdown on the horizon. Japan’s Nikkei index recovered from early losses to trade either side of flat, while US S&P 500 futures were at a gain of 0.3 per cent after [...]
Coronavirus deaths in the UK rise by 43 June 21, 2020 A further 43 people have died in the UK after contracting coronavirus, taking the total number of deaths to 42,632. The increase, announced today by the Department of Health (DoH), includes the number of people who have died after testing positive for Covid-19 in hospitals, care homes and the wider community as of 5pm on [...]
Coronavirus outbreak in Beijing is under control, says Chinese health expert June 18, 2020 The outbreak of coronavirus in Beijing has been brought under control, the chief epidemiologist of China’s Center for Diseases Prevention and Control has said. Wu Zunyou said today that the latest outbreak in Beijing is now under control, adding that while new cases may emerge in the coming days, these would be cases discovered during [...]
Tiktok launches €13m educational platform as company increases presence in Europe June 18, 2020 Social media giant Tiktok has announced its entrance to the education market with the launch of a new learning platform in Europe, as the company seeks to bolster its presence outside the Chinese market. The Bytedance-owned firm today unveiled its #LearnOnTiktok platform, which will see the social media company partner with universities, experts and charities [...]
China hawks risk accelerating the outcomes they are trying to avoid June 18, 2020 The Covid-19 pandemic is leading to a clear hardening of western attitudes towards China. The origins of the virus in Wuhan, coupled with suspicions that the Chinese government suppressed awareness of the initial outbreak, have emboldened sino-sceptics and heightened fears of growing Chinese influence. Yet blanket hostility risks accelerating the emergence of the aggressive and [...]
G7 urges China to reconsider Hong Kong security law June 17, 2020 Foreign secretary Dominic Raab has issued a statement alongside his counterparts in the G7 urging China not to impose a new national security law on Hong Kong. The statement called on the Chinese to reconsider their decision to implement the law, saying ministers were “gravely” concerned about it. The statement said: “The proposed national security [...]