Author: staff

Japan’s exports to the United States, its largest single trading partner, fell nearly 2% in April as tariff hikes imposed by President Donald Trump hit home.Globally, exports rose just 2% year-on-year, down from 4% in March, leaving a trade deficit for the first time in three months.Imports from the United States fell more than 11% in April, while total imports slipped 2.2%.Weakening exports could drag on growth after the economy contracted 0.7% in the last quarter.Japan is asking the Trump administration to scrap its tariffs on imports from Japan, but so far, the US has not agreed to do so.Trump’s…

The Republican leader’s “first mistake was right at the beginning, when he essentially conceded Ukraine’s NATO membership and some of Russia’s territorial demands before even entering into talks,” Pistorius said. Trump — who has long touted his deal-making prowess and while campaigning claimed he could easily end the conflict — publicly ruled out Ukraine joining the transatlantic military alliance and said it was unlikely Kyiv would reclaim all of its territory occupied by Russia, to the consternation of Ukraine’s Western backers. “That’s not how you start negotiations. And it’s a very weak position from which to pursue peace or ceasefire…

By AP with Indrabati Lahiri Published on 21/05/2025 – 11:32 GMT+2Oil prices surged on Wednesday after a report by CNN suggested that Israel could launch an attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, according to new US intelligence. US crude oil jumped 1.1% on Wednesday morning to $62.7 per barrel, whereas Brent crude oil advanced 1% to $66 per barrel. However, CNN emphasised that it wasn’t clear as yet whether a confirmed decision about the possible attack had been made.Oil markets have been volatile for the last few days, mainly because of anticipation around the next round of Iran-US nuclear talks, due to be held…

Even though Trump has suspended the worst of his tariff increases on EU exports until the start of July, “a further escalation represents a significant risk for the German economy,” the panel warned. The new government in Berlin, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has announced plans to spend heavily on domestic infrastructure and defense, both of which should support what the panel called “a slow recovery in private consumption,” leading to anemic growth of 1 percent in 2026. The forecast is in line with the European Commission’s prognosis and, if borne out, would mean Germany…

Ambassadors from EU countries on Wednesday approved the €150 billion loan instrument to boost defence production across the bloc, enshrining a 65%-35% European preference.SAFE, which the Commission proposed through a legislative instrument that allows it to bypass a vote by European lawmakers, still requires formal adoption by member states, which is expected to take place on 27 May.Here are the main things to remember:European preferenceAmbassadors from member states stuck with the proposal of the Commission that in order to qualify for EU funds, a minimum of 65% of the value of the weapon system being acquired has to be made…

Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves will have their strategy tested today as Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner sets out her plan for higher taxes, and questions are raised about their approach to Reform. Is becoming Reform-lite the way to go? And, as the prime minister joins global efforts to put pressure on Israel over Gaza, could more sanctions be next?

The lobby’s latest Economic Impact Research showed a 6.9 percent decline in international visitor spending, from $181 billion in 2024 to $168.7 billion this year, sounding the alarm for U.S. tourism. The document — first reported by the New York Times — doesn’t spell out which countries are seeing the largest declines in tourists to the U.S. By contrast, domestic visitor spending is expected to remain stable at about $1.5 trillion — a figure that shows the U.S. tourism industry is nearly 90 percent dependent on domestic travel. “We absolutely have seen a decline in popularity of foreign travelers coming…

But for plenty, there is scope for cross-border selling. Think of things like supermarket chains, or consulting. The strategy does include measures to smooth access to services among member countries. Construction makes up more than 10 percent of the bloc’s economy, but only a fraction of that, 1 percent of GDP, is conducted across borders. It’s a similar story with postal deliveries, a booming sector with the rise of e-commerce, as well as retail and telecoms. The Berlaymont is planning measures in all of these areas to deepen market access and allow for more cross-border competition.  Will it work?  In…

Another concerned neighbor said that shards of glass and pieces of debris had fallen off the buildings onto their property. They were particularly worried about damage to the structures from rain, as many of the windows are smashed, allowing water to get in easily.  The residents’ local MP is, serendipitously, Westminster’s biggest anti-corruption champion. Joe Powell wrote to Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty on April 28, urging the government to take action on the “urgent need to manage any unintended consequences of sanctions, particularly in the property sector.” “As time goes on, we’re going to increasingly have a situation where…

Am Vormittag wird die Konjunkturprognose vorgestellt. Wenig anderes als eine Null ist zu erwarten. Wie sich in die trüben wirtschaftlichen Aussichten auch noch Streit unter den Wirtschaftsweisen auch über das Gutachten mischt, hört ihr von Gordon Repinski. Die Folge mit Veronika Grimm hört ihr hier. Im 200-Sekunden-Interview ist Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann. Mit der EU-Abgeordneten und Verteidigungspolitikerin geht es um die neuen Sanktionen gegen Russland und was sie wirklich bringen.  Außerdem: Der Berlin Playbook Podcast feiert heute seinen 1. Geburtstag und wir nehmen euch mit in den “Maschinenraum”, wo der Podcast entsteht.   Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es morgens um 5…