Author: Grace Johnson

Gold has reached its highest value ever as investors rush to secure their money in uncertain times. On Tuesday morning, the spot price hit $3,508.50 per ounce. The rally has lifted the precious metal by nearly a third this year. Trade disputes fuel investor demand Gold often gains when global stability weakens. Earlier this year, its price jumped after President Donald Trump imposed wide tariffs. Those measures unsettled international trade and pushed investors to safer ground. Analysts also expect the US central bank to cut interest rates, which further boosts gold’s appeal. Adrian Ash, research director at BullionVault, linked the…

Shares of Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD fell by up to 8% on Monday. The decline followed weak quarterly earnings, dragged down by an escalating price war in the domestic car market. Profits slide under heavy pressure On Friday, BYD reported that net profit dropped to 6.4bn yuan ($900m; £660m) between April and June. The figure represented a 30% fall from the same period last year. The company admitted that fierce price competition among Chinese EV makers has hurt the sector. Rivals fuel a crowded market The Shenzhen-based group competes against local rivals Nio and XPeng, as well as US…

Germany is drinking less regular beer, but alcohol-free options are breaking records. The federal statistics office reports that sales of non-alcoholic beer have increased by 109 percent since 2013. Meanwhile, overall beer sales have dropped to their lowest level in more than 30 years. For the first time, sales fell below four billion liters in a six-month period. From January to June 2025, German breweries sold around 3.9 billion liters. That equals a fall of 6.3 percent, or 262 million liters, compared with the same period in 2024. brewers seek younger audiences The Erdinger brewery near Munich has produced beer…

A US appeals court has decided that most tariffs imposed by Donald Trump are unlawful. The judgement threatens to unravel one of his signature trade strategies and sets up a dramatic legal fight. The ruling strikes down Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs applied to dozens of countries. It also covers levies targeting China, Mexico and Canada. Court rejects presidential authority claim The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit delivered a 7-4 decision. Judges declared that Trump’s tariffs were “invalid as contrary to law”. They dismissed his claim that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act allowed such action. The court stressed…

The United States has ended a long-standing tariff exemption that supported global trade in low-cost goods. From Friday, imports worth $800 or less will no longer enter duty-free and will face stricter customs checks. The change will impact millions of packages daily. In 2023, nearly 1.4 billion parcels entered the US duty-free under the de minimis exemption, worth more than $64bn. Experts warn the shift will hit small businesses hardest. Shoppers should prepare for higher prices and fewer choices until markets adjust. “I’ve reached the point of acceptance, but when I first heard the news, I thought it might be…

Nvidia continues to post rapid growth as global demand for artificial intelligence rises, even while political tensions cloud its outlook. On Wednesday, the California-based chipmaker reported $46.7bn (£34.6bn) in revenue for the second quarter, a 56% jump compared with the same period in 2024. Its shares, however, slipped in after-hours trading as the company admitted it was still “working through geopolitical issues”. Nvidia remains caught in the trade battle between Washington and Beijing. Shifting policies from the Trump administration, designed to secure America’s lead in artificial intelligence, add further uncertainty to the company’s prospects. Demand from tech giants drives growth…

South Korea has passed a law that bans smartphones and other smart devices during school hours. The country now joins a growing list of nations restricting students’ phone use. The law will take effect in March 2026. Lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties supported it. They say it aims to reduce smartphone addiction, which more research links to harmful effects on young people. Growing pressure from parents and teachers Supporters argue that phones disrupt lessons and weaken academic results. They say children lose valuable time scrolling instead of studying or building friendships. Parents fear smartphones dominate their children’s daily…

US President Donald Trump has declared he will remove Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook from her post without delay. The move heightens his showdown with the central bank. Trump claimed there was “sufficient reason” to accuse Cook of giving false information in mortgage filings. He cited constitutional authority he said gave him the power to act. Cook swiftly rejected the decision, stressing that the president had no legal right to dismiss her. She stated she would not resign. No president has ever attempted to fire a Federal Reserve governor. Trump’s action comes amid his growing frustration with the bank’s policies…