Political News
Pound wavers on conflicting reports ahead of meaningful vote
Sterling wobbled but recovered on Monday as reports emerged from Westminster that Theresa May was poised to pull the 'meaningful vote' on her Brexit deal.
Brexit defeat looms for PM as talks 'deadlocked'
Downing Street said on Monday that Brexit talks with the European Union were "deadlocked" ahead of the crunch parliamentary vote on Tuesday, leading to calls from senior Conservatives to offer MPs new options.
Week ahead: Second 'meaningful' vote, US-China trade talks in focus
All eyes will be firmly on what are expected to be multiple key votes on the Prime Minister's Withdrawal proposal, starting from Tuesday, although political analysts appear to be completely divided as to what the result of the entire process will be; namely, an extension of Article 50, some sort of 'soft' Brexit', a second referendum or even new elections.
Trade deal with China not imminent, US ambassador says
Hopes of an imminent US-China trade deal were quashed at the end of the week by America's ambassador to Beijing. In an interview with the Journal, US ambassador Terry Branstad said that no date had yet been set for a summit between the two country's leaders as neither side felt that an agreement was "imminent".
Norway SWF to dispose of stakes in oil E&P companies
The world's biggest sovereign wealth fund will offload its stakes in oil and gas explorers and producers but will continue invest in energy companies with refineries and other downstream activities.
Govt prepares for Brexit defeat with plans for third 'meaningful vote'
Downing Street is preparing for a third meaningful vote in the House of Commons as it fears another big defeat for Theresa May's Brexit deal next Tuesday, as talks continue in Brussels with no signs of progress.
Renewables to produce more power than fossil fuels by 2030 - UK government
Offshore wind farms will generate a third of British electricity in a little over a decade, the government claimed on Thursday, as it announced a new deal with industry.
Scotland could hold referendum without UK's approval - SNP deputy
Scotland could press ahead with a second referendum on independence, even if Westminster does not give its approval, the deputy leader of the Scottish National Party has claimed.
Planes to keep flying in event of no-deal Brexit - UK government
Flights in and out of the UK are set to continue after 29 March, the government confirmed on Thursday, even if the country quits the European Union without a deal.
Trump 'disappointed' as further evidence of North Korean nuclear activity surfaces
US President Donald Trump has said he will be "disappointed" if it is confirmed that North Korea has begun rebuilding one of its missile launch sites.
Brexit backstop compromise 'blocked by Spain' - report
Attempts by the UK to reach a compromise with the European Union over the Irish backstop in order to agree a Brexit deal are being blocked by Spain as it makes a “land grab for Gibraltar”, according to reports.
North Korea is rebuilding a rocket test site
New satellite images of North Korea from the Center for Strategic Studies’ Beyond Parallel project and 38 North suggest that the country's government is rebuilding a rocket launch site it had vowed to dismantle.
Italy to sign up to China's 'Belt and Road' initiative
Italy will announce its support for China's 'Belt and Road' initiative in what would be the policy's first endorsement from a G7 nation, according to a report on Wednesday from the Financial Times.
US job growth slows to 183,000 in February, ADP says
The US jobs market cooled more rapidly than expected last month, but from a much higher base of comparison and in any case economists were continuing to predict steady demand for labour.
US Senate on the brink of rejecting border wall emergency
The US Congress is on the brink of cancelling President Donald Trump's national emergency declaration after opponents of the measure in the Senate managed to round-up enough support in order to vote it down.
US and UK trade digs over food standards post-Brexit
Woody Johnson, the US ambassador to the UK, has claimed that there is a “smear campaign” against American agriculture as he said US food standards would not lead to lower quality food than under current European Union standards.
Brexit delay 'inevitable' as Brussels talks meander
Theresa May's government has continued to struggle in talks with the European Union and a senior cabinet minister has said that a Brexit delay is now "inevitable".
OECD cuts global economic growth forecasts; warns against no-deal Brexit
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has warned that the global economy is weakening, with UK economic growth forecast to dip below 1% this year for the first time in a decade.
Eight lenders sued in US for alleged European government bond price rigging
A group of investors filed a lawsuit in the US against eight lenders, accusing them of conspiring to rig the European government bond market between 2007 and 2012.
Pound stumbles as hopes dim of quick Brexit breakthrough
Theresa May's government does not expect to reach a deal with the European Union negotiators before the weekend, according to reports from Brussels on Tuesday afternoon.