International Economic
Trump attacks EU for sanctions on US tech companies
US President Donald Trump attacked the European Union for taking action against US tech companies such as Google and Facebook over antitrust issues.
European Commission opens antitrust investigation into Broadcom
The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation into Broadcom in order to assess whether it is restricting competition through exclusivity practices, in breach of EU rules.
Chinese hackers compromised eight tech services giants, Reuters says
Cyber-criminals working for China's Ministry of State Security have broken into the networks of eight of the world's largest technology businesses in order to raid them for secret client information, according to a report from Reuters.
Brent jumps after DoE reports 12.8m barrel drop in weekly US oil inventories
US crude oil inventories shrank at an accelerated pace last week amid a sharp drop in net imports and higher demand from refineries.
US durable goods orders shrink unexpectedly in May
Orders in the US for goods made to last more than three years, a key gauge of business investment, softened unexpectedly in May, amid drops in those for civilian and military aircraft.
US goods trade deficit widens unexpectedly in May, imports higher
America's shortfall in trade on goods with the rest of the world widened last month as imports rose more quickly than expected, contrary to expectations for declines in both exports and imports.
White House may suspend plans for next round of trade tariffs
Washington may not go ahead with another round of levies on Chinese exports while the two capitals are preparing to resume trade talks.
Bitcoin hits $12,900 as analysts spy all-time highs
Bitcoin’s price reached $12,900 for the first time since January 2018 on Wednesday following a furious 14% which has left speculators chomping at the bit in hopes of a further rally up to its 2017 highs or even further.
US Treasury Secretary sees "path" to completing US-China trade talks
American Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Wednesday sounded an upbeat note on the prospects for a US-China trade deal before the end of the year.
German consumer sentiment set to deteriorate in July
German consumer sentiment is set to deteriorate in July for the second time in a row, according to a survey from market research group GfK.
US consumer confidence falls back in June on Mexico tariff fears
US consumer confidence took a big hit in June and inflation expectations soared, according to the results of a widely-reported survey, likely due to the impact on sentiment from the White House's announcement of tariffs on Mexican exports.
US new home sales fall more sharply than expected in May
New home sales in the States slid last month, alongside a drop in prices.
US house price inflation cools further in April
US house prices edged past forecasts in April even as the annual rate of price gains added to evidence of an ongoing slowdown, although some economists believed prices might be close to hitting bottom.
Monzo doubles valuation to £2bn at latest funding round
Digital bank Monzo saw its valuation double to nearly £2bn at its second round of funding which saw it raise £113m in fresh equity from investors led by US-based investment outfit Y Combinator.
Trump hits Iran's supreme leader with latest sanctions
America's campaign of “maximum pressure” on Tehran continued on Monday as President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing new sanctions on Iranian officials, including the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,.
Soros leads call from billionaires for introduction of wealth tax
Billionaire investor and philantropist George Soros is leading a call from other billionaires and heiresses including Regan Pritzker and Abigail Disney to have the government introduce a "moderate" tax on wealth in order to address income inequality, climate change and public health issues.
Morgan Stanley sees little upside left on Wall Street
Strategists at Morgan Stanley believe the US stock market may be headed for a 10% correction if the economic data continues to worsen over the course of the third quarter.
Trump attacks Federal Reserve for not cutting rates
Donald Trump has taken another swipe at the Federal Reserve, claiming that the Dow Jones Industrial Average could have been “thousands of points higher" if the central bank had not ‘blown it’.
Boots set to ban plastic carrier bags and switch to paper
Boots is set to ban plastic carrier bags by 2020 and will replace them with brown paper bags.
Trump warns of further 'major' sanctions on Iran
US President Donald Trump said he would impose further sanctions on Iran as soon as Monday, although there may not be much left to target.