Economics
U.S. and China Gear Up for Critical Trade Talks in London: Key Stakes and Outlook
The United States and China will reconvene in London on Monday, June 9, for high-stakes economic talks aimed at extending a 90-day tariff truce and tackling deeper structural disputes that have roiled global markets since early 2018. Coming just days after Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping...
Lagarde: ECB nears end of rate-cutting cycle
The European Central Bank is approaching the conclusion of its monetary easing phase after yet another rate reduction, announced ECB president Christine Lagarde at a press conference after the June meeting. On Thursday, the ECB lowered all three main interest rates by 25 basis points as...
Beijing’s Stranglehold: How China Controls the Global Auto Industry Supply Chain
In recent months, automakers around the world have faced an unsettling reality: the global automotive supply chain runs through Beijing. From the rare earth magnets that power electric vehicle (EV) motors to the lithium, cobalt, and graphite that feed battery factories, China exerts unprecedented...
Trump Halts Entry of Harvard’s International Students, Raising Far-Reaching Academic and Diplomatic Concerns
In a move that has sent shockwaves through higher education and diplomatic circles, the White House on Wednesday issued a proclamation suspending for an initial six months the entry into the United States of foreign nationals intending to enroll or participate in exchange programs at Harvard...
GIA to stop grading man-made diamonds by natural diamond standards in 2025
The Gemological Institute of America (GIA), the biggest certification lab, announced that in 2025 it will cease grading lab-grown diamonds using the standards applied to natural diamonds. The growth of lab-created diamonds, which are significantly less valuable than natural gems due to more...
Eurozone consumer lending hits highest since 2023
In April, the total amount of consumer loans issued in the eurozone rose by 1.9% compared to the same period last year, reaching €6.99 trillion, states the European Central Bank. The increase in the indicator's rate reached its highest point since May 2023. Analysts polled by Trading Economics...
IDC downgrades forecast for global smartphone shipments growth in 2025 to 0.6% from 2.3%
International Data Corporation (IDC) has revised down its prediction for the growth of global smartphone shipments in 2025 to 0.6%, a decrease from the February estimate of 2.3%. IDC's press release indicated that high overall uncertainty, a volatile duty situation, and various macroeconomic...
US Households Trim Purchases as Uncertainty and Costs Rise
U.S. consumers are pulling back on spending despite historically low unemployment and steady wage gains, driven by a mix of economic uncertainty, rising living costs, and concerns over future price pressures. April data showed only a modest increase in household outlays, with many Americans...
Front‐Loaded Demand Sparks Global Economy’s “Sugar Rush” Amid Trade Turmoil
Despite escalating trade tensions and headline‐grabbing tariff threats, the global economy is experiencing a burst of activity often described as a “sugar rush”—a brief, calorie-rich boost from advance purchases and policy reprieves that propels growth beyond what many expected. Manufacturers have...
Trump’s Planned 50% Metal Tariffs Poised to Ripple Through U.S. Economy
Fresh off a rally in Pennsylvania, where he lauded a major steel investment deal, President Donald Trump announced plans to double existing tariffs on imported steel and aluminum from 25% to 50%. The move, set to take effect in early June, is ostensibly designed to bolster domestic metal producers...
