Financial World, the magazine of LIBF

Bleak economic data shows UK plc in trouble well before the Middle East crisis Zero GDP growth in January will not help Rachel Reeves claim her policies have put UK in a stronger position to weather oil price storm

Bleak economic data shows UK plc in trouble well before the Middle East crisis

uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/bleak-e...

#economy #UK #growth #investment #interestrates #employment #productivity

States Ask to Fast-Track Suit Over Trump’s 10% Global Tariff Two dozen US states asked a judge to expedite their lawsuit challenging the 10% global tariff President Donald Trump imposed last month after the Supreme Court ruled many of his earlier levies unconstitutional.

Two dozen US states asked a judge to expedite their lawsuit challenging the 10% global tariff President Donald Trump imposed last month after the Supreme Court ruled many of his earlier levies unconstitutional.

‘God, It’s Terrifying’: How the Pentagon Got Hooked on AI War Machines An excerpt from the coming book Project Maven shows how the US enlisted Silicon Valley in its vision for AI warfare, now playing out in Iran.

The US turned to Claude and other artificial intelligence systems to help shape its vision for AI warfare. In Iran that strategy is unfolding in real time.

Read The Big Take ⬇️

Singapore Disputes US Trade Surplus Data as New Tariffs Loom Singapore said it ran a trade deficit with the US in 2024, disputing figures published by Washington that showed the city-state posted a surplus and challenging suggestions that it is contributing to global manufacturing overcapacity.

Singapore said it ran a trade deficit with the US in 2024, disputing figures published by Washington that showed the city-state posted a surplus and challenging suggestions that it is contributing to global manufacturing overcapacity

US Starts Second Trade Probe in Trump’s Tariff Policy Revival President Donald Trump’s administration began its second tariff investigation in as many days, continuing its effort to rebuild his key trade policy that was struck down by the Supreme Court.

President Trump’s administration began its second tariff investigation in as many days, continuing its effort to rebuild his key trade policy that was struck down by the Supreme Court

In Southeast Asia, tens of thousands of workers have been trafficked into prisonlike scam centers.

Until recently, the workings of these compounds were mysterious. But late last year, the Thai military took control of a major complex in Cambodia: bloom.bg/4bsyyF3

📷️: Valeria Mongelli/Bloomberg

Germany's chemicals lobby sees serious disruptions from war in the Middle East German chemicals lobby VCI said on Friday it expects potential persistent disruptions from the closure of ​the Hormuz strait to cause inflationary pressure and ‌unsettle markets, piling onto the difficulties the sector has experienced for years.

Germany's chemicals lobby sees serious disruptions from war in the Middle East reut.rs/4d3TcOf

Debt-burdened Europe has fewer options to buffer energy shock The surge in energy prices triggered by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is putting European governments under pressure to help households and businesses, but strained finances in some major economies mean their firepower is limited.

Debt-burdened Europe has fewer options to buffer energy shock reut.rs/4rplDcJ

Both sides trade strikes and threats as the Iran war approaches the two-week mark The leaders of Iran, Israel and the United ​States all voiced defiance and vowed to fight on.

The leaders of Iran, Israel and the United States all voiced defiance and vowed to fight on as the Middle East war approached the two-week mark, killing thousands of people, disrupting the lives of millions of others and ‌shaking financial markets reut.rs/4s9XCb1

HSBC's Sustainable Finance Activity Tops $100 Billion in 2025 - ESG Today HSBC announced that it mobilized more than $102 billion in sustainable finance and investment in 2025, reaching a new annual record for the bank, and the first time that it has exceeded $100 billion. ...

HSBC’s Sustainable Finance Activity Tops $100 Billion in 2025

www.esgtoday.com/hsbc-sustain...

#HSBC #banks #financialservices #Sustainability #SustainableFinance #ESG #netzero

US Launches Trade Probe Into China, EU in Trump’s Tariffs Revival President Donald Trump’s administration started the first of several sweeping trade investigations that set the stage for new tariffs, the centerpiece of a push to replace levies struck down by the US Supreme Court.

Trump’s administration launched the first of several sweeping trade investigations that set the stage for new tariffs, the centerpiece of a push to replace levies struck down by the Supreme Court.

Soybeans in Spotlight as Trade Chiefs Prepare for Trump-Xi Meet Soybeans are likely to be on the agenda when trade chiefs from the US and China next meet, a conversation that could shed light on when Beijing plans to resume purchases in earnest.

Soybeans are likely to be on the agenda when trade chiefs from the US and China next meet, a conversation that could shed light on when Beijing plans to resume purchases in earnest

OpenClaw, the open source AI Assistant, that's rampaging through China

The AI digital assistant that grandmas, developers and hobbyists are using to boost personal digital productivity: AI marvel or cybersecurity nightmare?

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

#AI

Morgan Stanley restricts redemptions at private credit fund after withdrawals surge Wall Street banking giant Morgan Stanley has limited redemptions at one of its private credit funds after investors sought to withdraw almost 11% of shares outstanding, a ​regulatory filing showed on Wednesday.

Morgan Stanley restricts redemptions at private credit fund after withdrawals surge reut.rs/4sxTuRQ

US to release 172 million barrels of oil from strategic petroleum reserve The U.S. will ​release 172 million barrels of oil from its strategic ‌petroleum reserve in a bid to reduce oil prices that have soared due to supply shocks from the U.S.-Israeli war on ​Iran, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on ​Wednesday.

US to release 172 million barrels of oil from strategic petroleum reserve reut.rs/3P5NeST

The 16 US trading partners hit by Trump's '301' probes The Trump administration alleges that they all employ policies that disadvantage US goods producers.

The 16 US trading partners hit by Trump's '301' probes reut.rs/40qXmIs

UK home buyer sentiment hit by worries stemming from Middle East conflict, RICS says Britain's housing market has lost steam as demand faded from buyers concerned about ​the implications of the Middle East conflict and ‌possible increases in mortgage rates on the back of energy price rises, a survey showed on Thursday.

UK home buyer sentiment hit by worries stemming from Middle East conflict, RICS says reut.rs/3N1Q8aJ

A global energy squeeze is now unavoidable: podcast Though investors are still pricing in a swift end to the Middle East conflict, the disruption to oil and gas flows from the region is producing early signs of stress. In this week’s Viewsroom, Breakin...

🔊 Though investors are not yet in full panic mode, the disruption to oil and gas flows from the Middle East is producing early signs of economic stress. In this week’s Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists debate how bad it could get reut.rs/4sHCSqR

Anthropic in talks with private equity firms on AI joint venture, The Information reports Anthropic is in talks with a group of private ​equity firms, including Blackstone and Hellman & Friedman, to ‌form an AI-focused joint venture, The Information reported on Wednesday.

Anthropic in talks with private equity firms on AI joint venture, The Information reports reut.rs/3PvT7sy

Allianz, Sun Life weigh bids for HSBC Singapore insurance business, Bloomberg News reports Allianz SE and Sun Life Financial are considering bids ​for HSBC's Singapore insurance unit ‌after the bank launched a strategic review of the business, Bloomberg ​News reported on Thursday, ​citing people familiar with the ⁠matter.

Allianz, Sun Life weigh bids for HSBC Singapore insurance business, Bloomberg News reports reut.rs/4s0xCi5

China orders immediate ban on March fuel exports, sources say China has ordered an immediate ban on refined ​fuel exports in March in a further step to pre-empt ‌a potential domestic fuel shortage caused by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, four sources with knowledge of the matter said on Thursday.

China orders immediate ban on March fuel exports, sources say reut.rs/4luVEPY

Samsung Display CEO warns of cost pressure due to oil shock from Iran war The CEO of Samsung Display, a ​supplier for Apple and Samsung Electronics, ‌said on Thursday the Iran war and surging oil prices threaten to drive up ​costs of energy and raw ​materials.

Samsung Display CEO warns of cost pressure due to oil shock from Iran war reut.rs/4rnagC5

South Korean parliament approves $350 bln US investment bill South Korea's parliament passed ​a special bill on Thursday to pave the way for Seoul's $350 billion investment commitments in strategic U.S. ‌industries under a trade deal struck last year.

South Korean parliament approves $350 bln US investment bill reut.rs/4rsclNc

One-third of Americans cut back on other expenses to cover healthcare in 2025, survey shows Roughly one-third of Americans cut back on food, utilities or other daily expenses to pay for healthcare last year, research from ​the West Health-Gallup Center showed on Thursday, as steeper prices and ‌rising living costs hit households.

One-third of Americans cut back on other expenses to cover healthcare in 2025, survey shows reut.rs/4dejkFV

U.S. Solar Installations Fell in 2025 as Trump Attacked Clean Energy

U.S. Solar Installations Fell in 2025 as Trump Attacked Clean Energy www.nytimes.com/2026/03/10/b...

#ESG #sustainability #netzero #solar #renewables #energy

For China, Billions of Dollars Are at Risk From a Widening War

For China, Billions of Dollars Are at Risk From a Widening War

www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/b...

#china #iran #MiddleEast #conflict #investment

How Americans Are Feeling the Economic Effects of the War With Iran

How Americans Are Feeling the Economic Effects of the War With Iran

www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/b...

#inflation #trade #oil #supplychain #food #fertilisers #dollar #interestrates

Barclays probably lost $700m to MFS. It also employed the owner's son as a credit trader When your mum and her new husband seem to go off the rails.

Barclays probably lost $700m to MFS. It also employed the owner's son as a credit trader

www.efinancialcareers.com/news/barclay...

#barclays #banks #credit #regulation #compliance #financialservices

Financier Crispin Odey takes FCA to court over exclusion from City Regulator fined the multimillionaire £1.8m and banned him from the financial services industry last year

Financier Crispin Odey takes FCA to court over exclusion from City

uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/financi...

#regulation #FitandProper #ethics #FCA #financialservices

Apple increased iPhone production in India by about 53% last year and now makes a quarter of its marquee devices there, reflecting the US company’s efforts to avoid tariffs on China. bloom.bg/4upNrRa

📷: Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg