• G7 allies step up rare earth diversification efforts

    G7 finance ministers and allied economies are pushing to lessen global dependence on Chinese rare earths. The 10-nation meeting in Washington signalled growing consensus that critical minerals are not just trade goods but strategic assets. Governments are now exploring joint financing models and market coordination to support non-Chinese producers.


  • US-Indonesia trade deal imperilled as Jakarta retreats on commitments

    U.S. officials warn Indonesia is reneging on vital trade commitments. The 2025 agreement promised sweeping tariff cuts and non-tariff barrier removal. Jakarta now reportedly seeks to reclassify parts of the accord as non-binding. Markets and businesses await clarity as negotiations enter a critical phase.


  • U.S. tariffs and chip curbs deepen strain on Asia’s trade axis

    China’s October exports fell 1.1% as U.S. tariffs dampened demand. Japan faces its first contraction in six quarters, and Washington has moved to block Nvidia’s AI chip sales to China — three fronts of tightening pressure across Asia’s trade and technology corridors.


  • Trump and Takaichi seal rare-earths pact

    Trump met Japan’s new prime minister in Tokyo on Monday. The two leaders signed a critical-minerals deal to reduce reliance on China, as the U.S. president praised Sanae Takaichi’s historic appointment and reaffirmed the nations’ long-standing security alliance.


  • Cybersecurity leaders warn supply chain threats now ‘unmanageable’

    Sixty per cent of security leaders see supply chain risks as unmanageable. A new IO study reveals that confidence in cybersecurity response far exceeds real-world resilience, as 61 per cent of organisations suffered third-party breaches in the past year, driving financial losses and customer disruption across the board.


  • UK economy reportedly hit for £1.9 bn from JLR hack

    A new report quantifies Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber losses. The attack’s £1.9 billion economic cost reflects six weeks of halted production and supply-chain disruption across more than 5,000 UK businesses, prompting emergency government support and redefining the financial scale of industrial cyber risk in Britain.


  • China imports no US soybeans in September for first time in seven years

    China imported zero soybeans from the United States in September 2025. The absence of U.S. shipments — the first in seven years — highlights deepening trade frictions and a reordering of global agricultural supply chains.


  • JLR shutdown exposes supply chain to personal risk

    Jaguar Land Rover’s production pause has disrupted the UK automotive supply chain. Directors seeking emergency funding are being urged to check their exposure to personal guarantees, as rising finance pressures put smaller suppliers at risk.


  • US ends tariff exemption for low‑value parcels

    US duty‑free import threshold scrapped for parcels under $800. The United States has eliminated its longstanding tariff exemption for low‑value imports, forcing businesses and logistics providers to reconfigure shipping strategies as new charges and regulatory complexity take effect.


  • BRICs and the new rules of global commerce

    Tariffs have become geopolitical weapons of trade warfare in 2025. The US is targeting BRICS countries with sweeping levies, forcing businesses to rethink supply chains, risk planning, and resilience in a fragmented trade order.