Saturday could be the best indication so far, when Trump has promised to slap neighbours Canada and Mexico with 25% levies until both illegal migrants and the drug fentanyl stop crossing their borders. In scope for tariffs are a combined trillion dollars of U.S.-bound shipments a year.

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey called for the world's financial powers, led by the United States and China, to avoid economic nationalism in a speech released three days before Donald Trump is due to be sworn in as U.

The Bank of England launched on Tuesday a new financial stability tool that insurers and pension funds can use during periods of turbulence in Britain's government bond market.

The US Senate’s confirmation hearing for Mr Bessent last week as Treasury Secretary was remarkable, as much of the discussion revolved around China’s rapid economic grow

The pound was little changed on Thursday as markets were focused on a raft of major central bank meetings that will culminate with the Bank of England next week.

Economic strength in the US relative to other major economies is likely to drive contrasting paths for interest rates worldwide.

Saturday could be the best indication so far, when Trump has promised to slap neighbors Canada and Mexico with 25% levies until both illegal migrants and the drug fentanyl stop crossing their borders. In scope for tariffs are a combined trillion dollars of U.S.-bound shipments a year.

Another plank of the U.S. tech story took an Asian twist on Thursday after the Wall Street Journal reported that Japan's Softbank is in talks to invest $40 billion in OpenAI, more than had previously been mooted.

The threat of sweeping tariffs, a central plank of his campaign promises, had raised concerns of a resurgence in inflation

Once a global leader in cryptocurrency mining, China banned the activity in 2021, citing financial and environmental concerns. Russia is also becoming increasingly dependent on its neighbor at a time when its war-time economy is being choked by sanctions, with no end in sight.

Global economic policymakers had been braced for an economic firestorm from the new U.S. administration but instead got a surprisingly restrained start from Donald Trump, who remains big on rhetoric but more cautious on action - for now.

Companies are cutting jobs at the fastest pace since the global financial crisis, barring the pandemic, after Rachel Reeves announced £40bn of tax rises in the Budget, according to a closely watched survey.