Author: Eka Gerona

The price of gold has hit the $3,000 per ounce mark for the first time as demand for the precious metal surges amid economic uncertainty over the impact of a global trade war. Spot gold touched a record $3,004.86 per ounce on Friday, with prices having risen by 14% since the start of 2025.Gold is seen as a safe asset for investors and is often sought after in times of economic instability. The escalating trade war between the US and many of its largest trading partners has unsettled financial markets and raised concerns about the impact on economies and consumers…

Tom EspinerBBC business reporterGetty ImagesThe UK economy shrank unexpectedly by 0.1% in January, with a slowdown in manufacturing one of the main reasons for the dip.The performance was weaker than expected, and came after the economy had grown by 0.4% in December.It will be seen as a blow to the government, which has said its number one priority is to boost UK economic growth.The figures come ahead of the chancellor’s Spring Statement, which is expected to include government spending cuts.Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics, said: “The economy shrank a little in January but grew in the latest three…

Esme StallardClimate and Science ReporterBBCDonald Trump’s arrival to the White House is a “a major blow to global climate action”. So said Christiana Figueres, the former UN climate chief, after he was elected for a second term in November.Since taking office Trump has withdrawn the US from what is considered the most important global climate pact, the Paris Climate Agreement. He has also reportedly prevented US scientists from participating in international climate research and removed national electric vehicle targets.Plus he derided his predecessor’s attempts to develop new green technology a “green new scam”.And yet despite his history on the issue…

BBCSarah Wynn-Williams says she watched Facebook grow from “a front row seat”Meta has won an emergency ruling in the US to temporarily stop a former director of Facebook from promoting or further distributing copies of her memoir.The book, Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams, who used to be the company’s global public policy director, includes a series of critical claims about what she witnessed during her seven years working at Facebook.Facebook’s parent company, Meta, says the ruling – which orders her to stop promotions “to the extent within her control” – affirms that “the false and defamatory book should never have…

Klawe Rzeczy/ BBC/ Getty Images(Credit: Klawe Rzeczy/ BBC/ Getty Images)The former Google and Yahoo executive believes AI should simplify our lives but warns the real battle for the future will be determined by how the US and China embrace this technology.Marissa Mayer has spent her career at the centre of some of Silicon Valley’s biggest moments. She was among Google’s earliest employees and its first female engineer, helping to shape the search engine’s user experience. She played a key role in many of the company’s other now well-known products including maps and Gmail during her 13 years there. Later she…

Zoe Kleinman & Georgina HayesTechnology editor & reporterGetty ImagesRoblox has seen meteoric growth among young gamersParents who are worried about their children being on Roblox should not let them use it, the chief executive of the gigantic gaming platform has said.The site, which is the most popular in the UK among young gamers aged eight to 12, has been dogged by claims of some children being exposed to explicit or harmful content through its games, alongside multiple reported allegations of bullying and grooming.But its co-founder and CEO Dave Baszucki insisted that the company is vigilant in protecting its users and…

Ineos Automotive, the vehicle maker owned by multi-billionaire businessman and Manchester United co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has recalled more than 7,000 of its sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in the US.The recall centres on latches that may not engage properly, which could lead to the doors on Grenadier SUVs opening while being driven “increasing the risk of injury to passengers inside the vehicle.”To fix the problem, Ineos says it will replace all door button assemblies on the affected vehicles, free of charge.The recall is the latest issue faced by the car company, which last year had to temporarily pause manufacturing after…

Paul Kirby, Bethany Bell & Adam EastonIn London, Rome & WarsawGetty ImagesImports of American jeans, motorcycles and bourbon will be hit by EU countermeasuresIn Brussels, it was just after 06:00 on Wednesday. But it was midnight in Washington DC when President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium took effect on major US trading partners.It took less than 10 minutes for the European Union to respond.”Tariffs are taxes. They are bad for business, and worse for consumers,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.The EU’s initial countermeasures will take effect on US products on 1 April, ranging from…

Steven McIntoshEntertainment reporterReutersSpotify paid the music industry $10bn (£7.7bn) in 2024, which the streaming service said was the highest annual payment from any single retailer in history. But the figures come as a heated debate continues about how much money artists and songwriters receive in royalties.Earlier this year, several Grammy-nominated songwriters boycotted an awards event hosted by Spotify in a row about their streaming earnings.As the new figures were published, a spokesperson for Spotify said the responsibility for distributing the money it pays lay with record labels and publishers.The company said it pays royalties to rights holders, adding that it…

João da Silva and Tom EspinerBusiness reporters, BBC NewsReutersThe 25% duty on steel and aluminium imports is a major hit to some of the US’s top trading partnersThe UK is pushing for a trade deal with the US as tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on imports of steel and aluminium take effect.The import tax introduction sparked an immediate response from the European Union on Wednesday which said it will impose counter tariffs on billions of euros of US goods.The UK did not announce any tariffs in response as it works towards “a wider economic agreement”, despite calls from…