China has reportedly initiated a probe into Nvidia, the US computer chip manufacturer, over purported breaches of anti-monopoly regulations. The company’s shares fell by over 3% following the announcement, signalling the latest development in the ongoing tech conflict between the U.S. and China over the profitable semiconductor market. Over recentRead More →
In November 2024, business confidence in the U.K. dropped to its lowest point since January 2023, as reported by BDO, a business advisory and accountancy firm. Concurrently, KPMG noted that UK job vacancies decreased at the quickest pace since the pandemic began. This downturn coincides with warnings from businesses thatRead More →
In a significant turn of events, the 2024 U.S. elections have ushered in what many are calling the most pro-crypto Congress in history. The significant shift in political dynamics is largely due to the substantial financial support from the cryptocurrency industry, which has strategically funded political campaigns to foster aRead More →
Gold prices have fallen to near a two-month low as the dollar strengthens in the wake of Donald Trump’s election victory last week. This downturn has halted the bullion’s rally, which had achieved a series of record highs over the past year. Gold has seen a decline in six ofRead More →
The purchase of Meme coins is often viewed as indicators of retail interest and the willingness to take risks in the cryptocurrency market. Increased activity in meme coins typically signals that retail investors are engaging and are inclined to speculate more aggressively on the risk spectrum. Trump initially proposed theRead More →
The Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all hit new highs! Stocks rallied sharply on Wednesday 6th November 2024, with major indices hitting record highs, as Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election. It looks like the Trump rally has already begun. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 1,508.05 points to a recordRead More →
After losing the re-election to President Joe Biden in 2020, Donald Trump, the 45th president, has now been elected as the 47th. Trump’s victory sets several historic records. At the age of 78, he becomes the oldest individual to win a U.S. presidential election. He is the first president toRead More →
Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has recently made headlines in the U.S. with his stark predictions about the potential economic fallout if Donald Trump wins the upcoming presidential election. This is unusual, as you are more likely to hear these proposals in a crisis,Read More →
On Friday 25th October 2024, Russia’s central bank increased its key interest rate by 2% (200 basis points) to 21%, attributing the decision to consumer price increases significantly exceeding its projections and cautioning about persistent high inflation risks in the medium term This rate hike surpasses the 1% (100 basis-point)Read More →
The International Monetary Fund’s leader warned on Thursday 17th October 2024 that the global economy continues to be hindered by high government debt and sluggish growth. MD Kristalina Georgieva praised the efforts of major central banks in controlling inflation but pointed out that such successes were not widespread. Additionally, GeorgievaRead More →
On Friday 4th October 2024, the European Union voted to implement definitive tariffs on battery electric vehicles (BEVs) made in China ‘The European Commission’s proposal to levy definitive countervailing duties on imports of Chinese battery electric vehicles has garnered the requisite support from EU Member States to proceed with theRead More →
Tax Reforms Increase in VAT: Adjusting the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate could generate substantial revenue. Pension Tax Relief: Limiting pension tax relief to the basic rate of income tax could raise around £15 billion per year. Pension tax relief raid. Windfall Tax: Increasing the windfall tax on the profitsRead More →
Ireland stands to gain a substantial financial boost following a pivotal ruling by the European Union’s highest court, which requires Apple to pay €13 billion (around $14 billion) in back taxes. Initially resisted by Dublin, this windfall is now seen as a transformative chance for the nation. The settlement’s rootsRead More →
Chinese stocks continued to rise following state media reports that China’s top leaders have endorsed the government’s recent measures to bolster their economy. The CSI 300 index in Mainland China continued its rally for a seventh consecutive day, reaching its highest point in about four months, subsequent to a meetingRead More →
UK data centres are set to be classified as critical national infrastructure (CNI), aligning them with sectors such as emergency services, finance, healthcare, and utilities This classification will ensure they receive additional government support during major incidents like cyber-attacks, IT outages, or severe weather, to reduce disruption. Data centres, largeRead More →
The Biden administration is reportedly implementing new export controls on essential technologies, such as quantum computing and semiconductor materials, in response to China’s progress in the global chip market These controls encompass quantum computers and their components, sophisticated chipmaking tools, semiconductor technologies, certain metal and metal alloy components and software,Read More →
Job growth in the US last year was weaker than previously believed, according to a statement from the Labor Department on Wednesday 21st August 2024. This revelation has intensified the ongoing debate regarding the health of the U.S. economy. The department’s updated figures indicate that there were approximately 818,000 fewerRead More →
Has the Fed over-cooked it this time by waiting too long to reduce interest rates? U.S. stock markets threw a wobbly after the latest employment data and after the Fed delayed its first rate cut… again. September 2024 now looks likely for that first cut – but by how much:Read More →
U.S., UK and Germany hold more Bitcoin than you may think. According to the Arkham website, the United States’ government holds some 212,847 BTC making it one of the biggest holders of Bitcoin, while the treasuries of the U.K. and Germany reportedly hold around 61,245 BTC and 49,858 BTC each.Read More →
The world is in debt to the tune of $315 trillion, and counting. $315,000,000,000,000 $315 trillion or $315,000,000,000,000 is a daunting number, it’s massive. In 2024, the global GDP reached just $109.5 trillion, just over a third of the global debt figure. Perspective To provide some perspective, with the worldRead More →
Tungsten is a critically important rare earth metal, renowned for its unique and valuable properties. Tungsten has the highest melting point among all metals, which makes it exceptionally suitable for high-temperature applications. Key aspects of its importance Industrial and technological applications Tungsten is used in many industries where hardness, high density, high wearRead More →
For the first time, automotive companies in China surpassed their U.S. counterparts in car sales last year, driven by BYD and expansion in emerging markets, according to a data released Thursday 13th July 2024. Chinese brands such as BYD now at the forefront, reportedly sold 13.4 million new vehicles lastRead More →
In a significant development that may affect the electric vehicle (EV) market, the European Union (EU) has tentatively agreed to levy tariffs on Chinese EV manufacturers. This decision reportedly follows an inquiry into the surge of inexpensive, government-subsidized Chinese vehicles entering the EU market. From 4th July 2024, Chinese EVRead More →
UK election defence device to help stop you getting… ‘drowned out’.Read More →
On 22nd May 2024, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a snap general election for 4th July 2024 This decision caught many by surprise, as the election was called more than around six months earlier than legally required. Election Date: 4th July 2024 – let the fireworks begin The Conservative Party, led by Rishi Sunak, isRead More →
Leading technology companies, such as Microsoft, Amazon, and OpenAI, have united under a significant international accord for artificial intelligence (AI) safety measures, established at the Seoul AI Safety Summit on Tuesday 21st May 2024. Following the agreement, firms from various nations, including the UK, China, Canada, the U.S., France, SouthRead More →