Bankers on edge, a gilded cash room and US blaming China - my week at IMF After five days talking to ministers, bankers and trade negotiators at the IMF, the BBC's Faisal Islam assesses the global outlook.

NEW

It’s China vs the world” says US Treasury Secretary but is it in fact the trade war vs the Nasdaq?

Mad week in America… trying to work out how the rest of the world, and markets work out what’s going on with US economic policy and markets…

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Rachel Reeves blames Brexit deal for long-term damage to economy Rachel Reeves made the comments about the 2020 deal at a key meeting of the world's leading finance ministers and central bankers.

NEW

At the key international economic committee of finance ministers and central bankers, the IMFC, Chancellor Rachel Reeves chose to stress how the 2020 Brexit deal has “compounded” the UKs long term productivity, “acknowledging” OBR 4% long term hit

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Coming up on @BBCNewsnight

Powerful interview with the family of Virginia Giuffre on latest attempts in Congress to release all Epstein files, their call for Sarah Ferguson to lose Royal title, and how they and she reacted to the Newsnight interview with Prince Andrew

PLUS
Digital ID
Burnham
2230

on #Newsnight

1. Trump suggesting a Ukraine-Russia peace deal involving “some swapping of territories”

2. JD Vance @ UK - a charm offensive after his sharp criticism ? - a confidant explains

3. Wikipedia boss Jimmy Wales tells us of his concerns about Online Safety Act & AI hit to graduate jobs…

#BBCNewsnight at 2230 on BBC2 / IPlayer & across the world on BBC News:

Astonishing footage of a drone dropping off contraband at a major prison: “we have ceded airspace” over our prisons says chief inspector

- Chancellor big Mansion House speech as tax rise speculation rife

Do believe the hype… 🎤

Standing Strong: the John & Amy Hunt interview

@BBCOne 9pm

Trump has turned his back on the foundation of US economic might What made the US step back from the system that it profited handsomely from for decades?

LONG READ
From David Ricardo to Alexander Hamilton to David Autor to the “sum of all cheating” to the equation that tariffs penguins, to loaded guns & game theory.

Another BBC InDepth trying to explain what’s on earth is going on and where it’s going….

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Tonight @BBCNewsnight at 2230

Does Russia want actual peace? key Putin ally suggests Moscow not about to compromise…

Panel @PeterRicketts @montie @cocobyname

What’s going on with Reform?

AND end of week excl with banned Eurovision singer from Malta

on @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social latest in geopolitical geoeconomic chaos

⚡️ EU agreeing to fund rearmament
🚨 Trump row back on trade war after stock falls
🇨🇦 excl with Canada’s Security minister
💥 is tariff chaos is in fact about a bigger plan for a weaker dollar @gilliantett.bsky.social

…
👀
So in January 2025

166,065 Battery Electric Vehicles sold across Europe (EU+Efta+UK)
UP 45,099 increase on last Jan, (+37%)

Within that, Tesla sold 9,945
DOWN 8,216 on last Jan (-45.2%)

So 1 in 7 EVs sold across Europe was a Tesla last January,

Now it’s 1 in 16.

Thumping fall in Tesla sales in Jan across Europe (EU +Efta + UK)… down 45%, to 9,945 from 18k last Jan. In EU alone halved to 7,500… at the same time EV sales in general up 37%.

Shares down 10%.

Overtaken by JLR and Mazda. And BYD in UK.
New model Y factor, but Musk hit too?

YouTube video by BBC Newsnight Nobel prize winner on threat of AI dictators and Big Tech’s risk to democracy

“Whoever controls powerful AI… could be a dictator”

@faisalislam.bsky.social speaks to Nobel Prize winning Turkish-American economist Daron Acemoglu, who warns about the dangers of AI dictators and the impact powerful AI could have on global democracy.

#Newsnight

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmzs...

YouTube video by BBC Newsnight "We're going to stand up to a bully" | Mark Carney on President Trump’s Canada trade tariffs

Carney on five years of Brexit: "…unfortunately, the United Kingdom is living with the economic impact of that decision. This is a case where I wish I were wrong or had been wrong about the likely economic impact."

WATCH: m.youtube.com/watch?v=yV10...

#Newsnight | @faisalislam.bsky.social

Davos elite nod along as Trump delivers ultimatum President Trump's 'America First' message takes shape, as the rest of the world begins to digest what it might mean for them and global trade.

quite something…

An attempt to reshape global econ & trade by projecting US tech supremacy & economic optimism AND threatening trillions in tariffs…

Ultimate carrot and stick. Charm & Offence.

Davos elite nod along as Trump delivers ultimatum

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

👀

PEM convention doesn't cross red lines?
No it doesn’t… it’s not a customs union

q. and a full fat Veterinary agreement. Dynamic alignment with the EU, that doesn't cross the red lines?

No thats part of our manifesto, an SPS agreement, a veterinary agreement, yes.

Trade Sec Reynolds met with EU trade Commissioner Sefcovic at Davos thanked him for “incredibly positive & helpful contribution” in my interview with him

… “proves we can improve the terms of trade with EU and can do that whilst pursuing closer trade links around the world”

NEW

🚨 Trade Sec Jonathan Reynolds tells @BBCNews after Trump speech US does not need to apply tariffs to UK because there is no goods trade deficit.
 
🚨 Reynolds also clarified that both UK joining PEM and a Brexit vet deal with dynamic alignment would not cross red lines.

@faisalislam.bsky.social: “ #Trump tells #Davos for those that want to
import into the #US from abroad:

“You will pay a #tariff” differing amounts… which could be worth “trillions of dollars” for the US Treasury.

This must be a universal tariff.”

EU trade chief: Bloc may consider UK joining pan-Europe customs scheme The UK joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention is up for discussion in reset talks, says Maros Sefcovic.

Exclusive interview with EU Trade chief from Davos…

Seeking talks with Trump’s team… open to ambitious reset with UK on food/farm exports and pan European customs rule of origin area

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

EU trade chief: Bloc may consider UK joining pan-Europe customs scheme The UK joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention is up for discussion in reset talks, says Maros Sefcovic.

Referring of course to this @faisalislam.bsky.social story:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

EU trade chief: Bloc may consider UK joining pan-Europe customs scheme The UK re-joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention is up for discussion in reset talks, says Maros Sefcovic.

The new European Union trade chief responsible for post-Brexit negotiations has told the BBC that a "pan-European [customs] area is something we could consider" as part of "reset" discussions between the UK and EU.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
#EU #brexit
By @faisalislam.bsky.social

Mortgages rates are not rising yet but Reeves has to act Why Rachel Reeves needs a more detailed growth strategy - and soon.

Bidenomics without the money and now without Biden too, is much too thin. A more detailed strategy for sustained growth is needed, and in short order.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Newsnight - The inferno that woke the world As the worst-ever Los Angeles fires continue to burn, the political blame game has begun. What does the debate tell us about the imminent second Trump presidency?

Full show - it was a lively one watched by a stellar 600k viewers - featuring Joe Lonsdale, Caroline Lucas, Guto Hari, Nick Watt …

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

Green Party former leader Lucas concerned about the influence of tech infused Trumpism bsky.app/profile/bbcn...

We heard from one of the circle of tech bro billionaires backing Trump Joe Lonsdale about what their agenda is at this time of exponential change in AI etc… bottom line - incorporating Greenland could be part of a “healthy” growth in the US “frontier” bsky.app/profile/bbcn...

Last night’s @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social kicked off with these extraordinary images from the devastation in LA

Coming up 2230 @BBCTwo

Fascinating iv with @DMiliband on working with Syria’s new leaders, refugees, & UK’s place in a rapidly changing geopolitics

And GDP, British ambition and Chinese spies with @samuelkasumu & @DrJoGrady
@bbcnewsnight.bsky.social

Stunning view from Newsnight towers….

RESET!

What does PM actually mean by a changed relationship with the EU, after his meeting with Council President at Number 10 today… myself and Nick picking up it could be more extensive than thought… with Margaret Hodge and Kwasi Kwarteng at 2230 on BBC 2 and IPlayer … @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social