Brexit will blow 59bn hole in public finances, admits Hammond

Chancellor attempts to strike cautiously upbeat tone but OBR warns of extra borrowing over next five years. Philip Hammond conceded that Brexit will blow a 59bn black hole in the public finances over the next five years, as he outlined plans to boost investment in infrastructure and housing to equip the UK economy for life […]

Natural disasters push 26m into poverty each year, says World Bank

Study finds floods, storms and droughts cost global economy $520bn a year and highlights need to tackle climate change. Floods, earthquakes, tsunamis and other extreme natural disasters push 26 million people into poverty each year and cost the global economy more than half a trillion dollars in lost consumption, the World Bank has said. A […]

Pound continues to fall against dollar amid ‘hard Brexit’ fears

Sterling falls 0.3% to $1.2395 as City worries persist about UK’s economic prospects outside EU. The pound has continued to fall against the US dollar as worries persist over the UK’s economic prospects outside the EU. Sterling suffered sharp losses last week as ministers at the Conservative party conference signalled they would opt for a […]

EU and US trade negotiators seek to get TTIP talks back on track

Officials will rush to lock in progress on controversial trade deal before Barack Obama leaves White House in January. Trade negotiators will meet in New York next week to search for common ground on the controversial EU-US trade deal, which has been buffeted by strong opposition on both sides of the Atlantic. A team of […]

Libya’s future looks dark with fate of government close to being sealed

Situation has deteriorated since David Cameron’s upbeat visit after Gaddafi fell, with latest administration on the brink. On 15 September 2011 David Cameron flew into a newly liberated Tripoli with the then president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, to be mobbed by rebels grateful for Nato airstrikes that had helped them secure victory over Muammar Gaddafi. […]