
OECD cuts global GDP forecast amid tariff uncertainties, increase in trade barriers
Trade policy under US President Donald Trump is taking a major toll on global growth. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has cut its GDP forecast for this year and the next to below 3%. It has warned of an even weaker outlook, should it see a further rise in protectionism. The OECD's chief economist also said a "significant increase in trade barriers" and uncertainty caused will lead to "weakened economic prospects" all around the world. Olly Barratt reports from London.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNA
42 minutes ago
- CNA
Trafigura posts slight rise in first-half net profit, lower revenues
LONDON : Global commodity trading house Trafigura reported on Thursday that its net profit rose slightly on the year to about $1.52 billion in the first half of its 2025 financial year, while its revenues fell on lower average commodity prices. The unlisted company's net profit was up 3 per cent from the first half of 2024, stabilising after a sharp drop in its 2024 full-year results, when the company discovered a $1.1 billion fraud in Mongolia and as major trading houses adjusted to an end to a record earnings period over 2022-2023. The first half of its 2025 financial year, the six months to March 31, also coincided with a power transition at the Swiss-based trading house, with Richard Holtum taking over from Jeremy Weir as group CEO on January 1. It also comes as commodity players grapple with global markets thrown into turmoil this year by heightened trade and geopolitical tensions. "Increased volatility may not necessarily translate into physical trading opportunities, as current market movements are driven more by policy-focused decisions rather than traditional supply-demand disruptions, Trafigura Chief Financial Officer Stephan Jansma said, adding that he anticipated turbulence would continue in the second half of the year. Group revenues for the period fell by 4 per cent to $119.2 billion, because of lower commodity prices on average, the firm said in its results statement. Trafigura, alongside rival traders including Vitol and Gunvor, reaped lower profits in 2024 as their boom period in 2022-2023, driven by the post-pandemic recovery and commodity price shocks in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, came to an end. Trafigura's full-year net profit for 2024 was $2.8 billion, down from a record $7.4 billion in 2023. OIL AND GAS VOLUMES UP, METALS DOWN Trafigura's first-half traded oil and gas volumes were unchanged on the year at around 7.2 million barrels per day. Traded volumes of metals fell. Trafigura traded 9.9 million metric tons of non-ferrous metals, down from 10.4 million a year earlier, as it said it was focusing more on "profitable tonnages." Bulk minerals volumes fell to 43.4 million tons, from 54.7 million in the first half of 2024.


CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
UK's Wise plans US primary listing amid London market woes
Money transfer company Wise on Thursday said it intends to move its primary listing to the U.S. from London, the latest British company to do so, sending shares up over 8 per cent. Wise, which will maintain a secondary listing in London, had been exploring its listing options lately - a shift seen across the London markets due to stunted growth opportunities and lower valuations. "We believe the addition of a primary U.S. listing would help us accelerate our mission and bring substantial strategic and capital market benefits to Wise and our owners," Kristo Kaarmann, co-founder and CEO of Wise said. Shares of the money transfer firm were up 8.7 per cent at 1,177 pence in early trading. They have risen about 40 per cent in the last 12 months. Metals investor Cobalt Holdings, backed by Glencore, also scrapped its plans for a London IPO on Wednesday, which, according to one source, was driven by a lack of demand. In recent months, Unilever chose Amsterdam for the primary listing of its ice-cream business while fast-fashion firm Shein has been considering Hong Kong after plans for a London IPO were met with Chinese regulatory hurdles, according to sources. Wise plans to tap domestic institutional and retail investors in the U.S., the largest global constituent of investors, to shore up global demand for its services, notably Wise Platform - a money transfer service that Wise markets as fast and low-cost. British peer Revolut, which competes Wise on pricing and features, has also been aggressively pushing into the U.S., taking advantage of a lucrative playing field which houses some of the world's largest financial institutions. Wise also reported its annual earnings, where underlying pretax profit rose 17 per cent to 282.1 million pounds ($382 million) in the period, benefiting from strong customer growth and account adoption. ($1 = 0.7371 pounds)


CNA
4 hours ago
- CNA
Anger as US blocks Gaza ceasefire resolution at UN Security Council
UNITED NATIONS: UN Security Council members criticised the United States on Wednesday (Jun 5) after it vetoed a resolution calling for a ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access in Gaza, which Washington said undermined ongoing diplomacy. It was the 15-member body's first vote on the situation since November, when the US - a key Israeli ally - also blocked a text calling for an end to fighting. "Today, the United States sent a strong message by vetoing a counterproductive UN Security Council resolution on Gaza targeting Israel," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement after Wednesday's 14 to 1 vote. He said Washington would not support any text that "draws a false equivalence between Israel and Hamas, or disregards Israel's right to defend itself. "The United States will continue to stand with Israel at the UN." The draft resolution had demanded "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza respected by all parties". It also called for the "immediate, dignified and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups", and demanded the lifting of all restrictions on the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Hamas, whose unprecedented attack inside Israel on Oct 7, 2023 sparked the war, condemned the "disgraceful" US veto, reiterating accusations of "genocide" in Gaza, something Israel vehemently rejects. The veto "marks a new stain on the ethical record of the United States of America," the group said in a statement, accusing Washington of "legitimising genocide, supporting aggression, and rationalising starvation, destruction, and mass killings". "MORAL STAIN" Pakistan's ambassador to the UN Asim Ahmad meanwhile said the failed resolution would "remain not only a moral stain on the conscience of this council, but a fateful moment of political application that will reverberate for generations". China's ambassador to the UN Fu Cong said "today's vote result once again exposes that the root cause of the council's inability to quell the conflict in Gaza is the repeated obstruction by the US." The veto marks Washington's first such action since US President Donald Trump took office in January. Israel has faced mounting international pressure to end its war in Gaza. That scrutiny has increased over flailing aid distribution in Gaza, which Israel blocked for more than two months before allowing a small number of UN vehicles to enter in mid-May. The United Nations, which warned last month the entire population in the besieged Palestinian territory was at risk of famine, said trickle was far from enough to meet the humanitarian needs. "JUDGED BY HISTORY" "The Council was prevented from shouldering its responsibility, despite the fact that most of us seem to be converging on one view," said France's ambassador to the UN Jerome Bonnafont. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the UN, said after the Security Council vote he would now ask the General Assembly to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire. Israel's ambassador to the UN Danny Danon however said that the Palestinian plan to put the resolution to a vote at the General Assembly, where no country can veto it, was pointless, telling countries "don't waste more of your energy". "This resolution doesn't advance humanitarian relief and undermines it. It ignores a working system in favor of political agendas," he said.