Latest
Musk’s SpaceX Starship explodes (again)
Wreckage from the latest explosion was seen streaming from the skies over Florida.
Whyalla collapse wrecks Gupta’s plans to save British steel mills
Last month, the industrialist said he was on the verge of striking a deal to repay billions of dollars. But a deadline to finalise it is in doubt.
‘We are simply stronger’: Europe to boost defence to hold back Putin
EU leaders agreed new defence funding including billions of dollars of new loans, as they stand by Ukraine amid fears Russia may attack a European country.
Trump pauses Mexico-Canada tariffs but no aluminium exemptions
Both countries secured an exemption until April 2, when the US expects to slap fresh levies, including “reciprocal” duties, on nations around the world.
US trade deficit hits record high in January as imports surge
Imports soared 10 per cent to $633.6 billion, the most in almost five years, as tariff clouds spurred a buying wave.
ECB cuts key rate to 2.5pc, signals easing phase nears end
Christine Lagarde says the central bank is switching “to a more evolutionary approach” as it will take longer for inflation to cool towards its 2 per cent target.
Opinion & Analysis
From the Financial Times
Apple’s quiet pivot to India
The iPhone maker wants to diversify its supply chain beyond China. Can the world’s largest democracy deliver?
How billionaire elites answered Trump’s call on Panama
Li Ka-shing, Larry Fink and Adebayo Ogunlesi picked up the phone and struck a $36 billion deal to take over 43 ports within weeks.
Tariffs will bring ‘nothing but pain’ to rural America, farmers say
Farmers expressed particular concern about the impact of retaliatory tariffs, saying they will restrict their access to some of the US’s most important export markets.
More From Today
Trump’s tariff pullback shows honeymoon may be over
The US president’s backtrack on imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico shows that political gravity may apply to him after all.
Mexico’s cool-headed president charms Trump on tariffs
Claudia Sheinbaum is enjoying soaring approval ratings while deftly dealing with the bellicose, volatile Donald Trump.
Yesterday
Apple’s quiet pivot to India
The iPhone maker wants to diversify its supply chain beyond China. Can the world’s largest democracy deliver?
US freezes some Ukraine intelligence sharing as pressure mounts
The halt to sharing sensitive data added to mounting tension days after Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to the White House descended into a shouting match.
France could protect Europe with its nuclear weapons, Macron says
In a televised address, the French president warned that the Continent needed to deal with a retreating America and a bellicose Russia.
Hegseth hits back after China declares ‘we’re ready’ for war
The US defence secretary says “those who long for peace must prepare for war”.
How billionaire elites answered Trump’s call on Panama
Li Ka-shing, Larry Fink and Adebayo Ogunlesi picked up the phone and struck a $36 billion deal to take over 43 ports within weeks.
‘Stay away from the EU’: Tesla sales plummet on Musk anger
February numbers show the US electric-car maker is struggling to attract buyers across Europe – and the billionaire’s politics are partly to blame.
Trump grants car makers one-month tariff exemption
The president declined, however, to give Canada and Mexico a broader reprieve on levies, while Justin Trudeau said he would not lift retaliatory duties.
Greenland’s prime minister says island isn’t for sale
“We don’t want to be Americans, nor Danes; We are Kalaallit,” Múte Bourup Egede said, using the Greenlandic name for his country.
Trump set to decide on Canada, Mexico relief, Lutnick says
The car sector, and potentially others, could be given a reprieve as early as Thursday AEDT, the commerce secretary said.
This Month
NZ Reserve Bank governor resigns as nation tries to shake off recession
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand was unable to explain why Adrian Orr abruptly quit on Wednesday in Wellington with three years still to run in his second five-year term.
China bolsters defence budget to build bigger military
China is increasing its defence spending and looks to fire up its sluggish economy, in the midst of a trade war with the United States.
Trump vows tariffs on ‘nearly every country on Earth’
In a lengthy speech to Congress, the president also conceded his trade war could cause a “little disturbance” to the US economy.
Tariffs will bring ‘nothing but pain’ to rural America, farmers say
Farmers expressed particular concern about the impact of retaliatory tariffs, saying they will restrict their access to some of the US’s most important export markets.
China steps up stimulus amid escalating trade war
Premier Li Qiang warns that “changes unseen in a century are unfolding across the world at a faster pace”.
Trump 2.0 marks the end of shame. Here’s how that’s playing out
You could call it the ‘Great Emboldening’: an era where ideas and actions that might have been unthinkable in the past are now on the table.
How do tariffs work? Who pays, who collects and more
Donald Trump has rattled economies and markets with punitive levies on goods from the US’ largest trade partners. But why is he doing it?
‘Dumb thing to do’: Trudeau quotes WSJ in slamming tariffs
The prime minister said the US president wanted to trigger “a total collapse of the Canadian economy because that’ll make it easier to annex us”.
What to watch for in Trump’s speech to Congress
The US president is expected to promote a laundry list of accomplishments – immigration, tariffs and cuts to spending – and outline his plans for the months ahead.