Donald Trump has said he will launch tougher economic measures against Iran, as well as any country that helps or does business with it.   The US president wrote in all capital letters on Truth Social that he was launching “the most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country”, without providing further details or […]

US national debt has more than doubled in a decade to reach a milestone $40tn, Treasury figures show.   The rise reflects years of heavy spending under both the Trump and Biden administrations, along with higher interest payments that have steadily added to the total. In 2016, the national debt stood at just under $20tn. […]

The founder of Evergrande, the property giant at the centre of China’s housing market slump, has been sentenced to life in prison and had all of his personal property confiscated.   Hui Ka Yan pleaded guilty in April to several charges, including embezzlement of assets and corporate bribery.   Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court also fined […]

European polymer prices were largely unchanged over the week to 14th August. There was an increase of 90 EUR per tonne reported in the price of Polystyrene. In the UK, prices fell across most grades as the Pound gained value against the Euro.   Asian polymers were mixed with increases of between 30 and 80 […]

The White House reported that more than 40 countries had helped China sidestep US tariffs by routing exports through nations that face lower American import duties.   The countries named include Canada, India, Mexico, Japan and South Korea, which the White House said had helped China evade tens of billions of dollars in tariffs, which […]

Summer sun and sports fixtures helped the UK economy grow between April and June, according to official data, but some economists warned the outlook for the rest of the year was weaker.   The economy expanded by 0.4%, in line with market expectations but below a 0.6% increase in the first three months of this […]

US President, Donald Trump has signed an executive order that imposes a 15% tariff on imported products made from polysilicon, a crucial material used in semiconductors and solar panels.   The order also set minimum import prices on polysilicon and related products. It comes after a national security investigation into the production of the material […]

European polymer prices were largely unchanged over the week to 7th August. There was an increase of 10 EUR per tonne reported in the price of Polystyrene. In the UK, prices rose across most grades as the Pound lost value against the Euro.   Asian polymers were mixed with increases of 20 USD per tonne […]

Iran says it has reached an agreement with Oman on a route for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.   Foreign ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baqaei, did not give any further details on the agreement, which he said was “in the final stages”.   Baqaei warned, however, that a deal with Oman would not guarantee safe […]

There was a surprise slowdown in US economic growth in the three months to June despite an increase in consumer spending, according to official figures.   The Commerce Department said the US economy grew at an annual rate of 1.5% in the second quarter, down from 2.1% seen in the first three months of the […]