From Iran to AI: the six key voter issues shaping the US midterm elections

The Guardian

By: Robert Tait in Washington

20 October 2026 at 12:52

Much of Donald Trump’s unpopularity in polls stems from dissatisfaction over the economy and war on Iran

US politics live – latest updates

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China’s economy grows faster than forecast after AI boom boosts exports

The Guardian

By: Julia Kollewe

19 October 2026 at 05:27

Third-quarter GDP up by 4.5% compared with last year as industrial output is buoyed by electronics demand

Roaring exports lifted China’s economic growth in the third quarter of this year, with factory output growing much faster than consumer spending.

China’s GDP grew by 4.5% year-on-year between July and September, the National Bureau of Statistics of China reported on Monday. The figures were better than economists had expected and up from the second quarter’s growth rate of 4.3%.

World Bank says ‘small AI’ could transform developing countries

The Guardian

By: Heather Stewart in Bangkok

18 October 2026 at 06:00

Bank’s chief knowledge officer says the tech could speed up economic development from centuries to decades

The World Bank is urging developing countries to kickstart the creation of “small AI” models, which can run on a mobile phone with low connectivity, to reap the full benefits of artificial intelligence.

While Silicon Valley big tech firms are focused on ever more sophisticated consumer products, Paschal Donohoe, the World Bank’s chief knowledge officer, said AI could also accelerate development for emerging economies – but only if it was adapted to local needs.

Heat pumps and insulation would cut UK living costs more than new oilfields, study suggests

The Guardian

By: Fiona Harvey Environment editor

18 October 2026 at 02:00

Warm homes plan would create 50,000 jobs, compared with about 1,100 for Rosebank oilfield, thinktank finds

Insulating Britain’s homes and investing in heat pumps would do more to cut the cost of living, create jobs and boost the UK’s economy than drilling for new oil, research suggests.

The government’s £15bn warm homes plan, currently under threat of cuts as ministers seek budget savings, would slash £1bn a year from household energy bills across the UK, concentrated on those on low incomes, according to research by the thinktank E3G. It would also provide a £1.6bn yearly boost to the economy, and about 50,000 new jobs spread across thousands of small businesses.

Why Britain should reject the lure of cheap – and scary – Chinese AI

The Guardian

By: Phillip Inman

17 October 2026 at 11:00

In the west the technology comes with at least some effort to provide security and a benign intent – not so from China

There is much to fear from artificial intelligence developed in China and handed to businesses and governments in the west almost free of charge.

Every month Chinese AI developers such as DeepSeek and Xiaomi dispatch the latest versions of their “open-weight” models that allow users to take the core software and use it without paying an expensive ongoing licence.

‘Countries are defying gravity’: how much longer can global economy resist chaos?

The Guardian

By: Heather Stewart in Bangkok and Graeme Wearden

17 October 2026 at 06:00

Sky-high oil prices and geopolitical turmoil have made less of a dent than feared … just don’t bank on it to last

Inside the vast, glass-walled Queen Sirikit conference centre in Bangkok, the air-conditioned atmosphere was calm as policymakers from more than 100 countries gathered this week for the International Monetary Fund’s annual meeting – and contemplated the surprising strength of the global economy.

A small army of smiling, uniformed Thai staff were on hand to explain the baffling geography of the heavily guarded building, where lunch options were as cosmopolitan as the delegates – including, improbably, a Burger King.

No 10 leaves option open to impose Chinese EV tariffs if UK joins EU scheme

The Guardian

By: Rowena Mason · Lisa O’Carroll and Jasper Jolly

16 October 2026 at 14:09

Beijing warns against ‘discriminatory’ step after France drops opposition to British role in Made in Europe package

No 10 has left the door open to imposing tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles as part of the Made in Europe package, prompting a warning from Beijing that such a move would be “discriminatory”.

Downing Street said on Friday that it would “welcome the objective to have the UK included in the Industrial Accelerator Act” after France dropped its opposition to Britain joining the scheme.

Bad news for Trump ahead of the midterms: it’s still the economy, stupid

The Guardian

By: Eduardo Porter

15 October 2026 at 08:00

Voters’ opposition to the state of Trump’s economy is well established – despite his desperate attempts to deflect

Our reporters answer your questions about the US economy and the midterm elections

It’s indisputable that the political polarization of our time has reduced (and confused) the influence of economic conditions on US elections.

In September of 2024, in the waning weeks of the Joe Biden presidency, 65% of Republicans believed the US economy was getting worse. About six months later, as Donald Trump launched a trade war on the rest of the world with his “liberation day” tariffs, the share of Republican pessimists had dropped to 33%.

John Healey vows to give ‘breathing space’ to consumers and businesses in first budget

The Guardian

By: Heather Stewart in Bangkok

15 October 2026 at 07:47

Speaking at IMF meeting, chancellor says he will stick to fiscal rules while recognising business and living costs

John Healey has promised to use his first budget in a fortnight’s time to offer consumers and businesses a “breathing space” while sticking to Labour’s fiscal rules.

Speaking to journalists in Bangkok, where he has been attending the International Monetary Fund annual meetings, the chancellor said he was conscious of rising costs.

Gen Z wrestle with shame from ordering delivery food: ‘This economy is not for the weak’

The Guardian

By: Alaina Demopoulos

15 October 2026 at 07:00

As Americans use apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats more habitually, they confront the guilt of paying extra fees for convenience

Tell us: what is your personal ‘recession indicator’?

When it comes to food, Caroline Bauldree does not like to “deprive” herself of anything. She does not like to cook either, so that means a lot of food deliveries. “If I want sushi, I’m getting sushi,” said the 24-year-old nanny, who lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. “I’m definitely lazy in that regard.”

Bauldree got into the habit of near-daily DoorDashing back in college. “I could order whatever food from whatever restaurant and it showed up at my door – that’s the dream,” she said. “But then I just feel like crap about myself because I’m like, ‘wow, I’m a lazy piece of shit.’ Nine times out of 10, I feel bad about myself.”

UK economy unexpectedly grows in August despite fall in consumer spending

The Guardian

By: Richard Partington Senior economics correspondent

15 October 2026 at 02:05

Latest data showing surprise 0.1% growth is boost to John Healey a fortnight before his first budget

Business news – live updates

The UK economy unexpectedly continued to grow in August despite a fall in consumer spending before John Healey’s first budget as chancellor.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.1% last month, compared with 0.4% growth in July. That confounded a forecast by City economists of a 0.1% contraction.

Tech market sell-off deepens amid fears over US inflation and AI debt

The Guardian

By: Kalyeena Makortoff

15 October 2026 at 04:39

Chip makers and tech investors such as Samsung and SoftBank plunge as global investors fret over potential interest rate hikes

An accelerating sell-off of AI-linked shares has hit global markets, as fears over rising inflation and future interest rate hikes spooked traders already wary of the heavily indebted sector.

South Korea’s benchmark Kospi 200 index, which is heavily skewed towards the companies that make memory chips, fell more than 8% overnight to a six-month closing low, triggering circuit breakers that brought trading to a halt at various points.

The global economy is muddling through against the odds. But a storm is coming | Larry Elliott

The Guardian

By: Larry Elliott

15 October 2026 at 01:00

Finance ministers gathering for the IMF annual meeting know the need for multilateral cooperation to deal with many crises. There is little chance of that

Not much has gone right for the global economy this year, and plenty has gone wrong. Two big regional wars are destabilising prices and supply chains everywhere. Businesses and consumers are feeling the effects of a serious energy shock. Rising inflation has made it a lot more expensive for governments to finance their debts. China and the US are at loggerheads over trade.

Yet, so far, the impact has been modest. It is something of a miracle that the finance ministers and central bank governors gathered for this year’s annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Bangkok are not having to deal with a full-blown crisis. This is not like the autumn of 2008, when the meetings took place during the worst of the global banking meltdown.

Larry Elliott is a Guardian columnist

Excluding UK from ‘Made in Europe’ law will hurt entire EU car industry, Mercedes boss warns

The Guardian

By: Lisa O’Carroll in Brussels

14 October 2026 at 09:57

Ola Källenius says it will ‘weaken the industry on both sides’ ahead of act intended to counter non-EU competition

Locking the UK out of the EU’s flagship industrial “Made in Europe” legislation would amount to a “deliberate choice” by EU leaders to “hurt” the car industry across the bloc, the head of Mercedes-Benz has said.

Speaking in his capacity as president of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), Ola Källenius said such a move would “weaken the industry on both sides”.

‘From liabilities to goldmines’: refineries eye record profits from diesel shortage

The Guardian

By: Jillian Ambrose Energy correspondent

14 October 2026 at 08:26

Firms turning crude oil into the ‘workhorse’ fuel stand to gain most despite economic fallout from record prices

Business live – latest updates

Days after Donald Trump announced a deal to import Russian diesel into the US in an effort to lower soaring pump prices, the world’s energy watchdog has warned that the global fuel shortage will drag into 2027.

Trump’s temporary sanctions reprieve was criticised for offering “too little, too late” to temper the sky high pump prices triggered by the shutdown of war-damaged refineries in the Middle East and Russia – once the world’s second-largest diesel exporter behind the US.

Global financial system is failing developing countries, says Ed Miliband

The Guardian

By: Heather Stewart in Bangkok

14 October 2026 at 01:00

UK foreign secretary will call for World Bank and others to help governments trapped by hefty borrowing costs

The foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, will claim the global financial system is failing developing countries, as he calls for a “new deal” for governments struggling under the burden of debt.

Promising to throw the UK’s diplomatic weight behind urgent reform, he will evoke the example of the Gleneagles summit under the last Labour government in 2005 – the culmination of the Make Poverty History campaign.

EU to limit Chinese hybrid vehicle imports to 350,000 a year

The Guardian

By: Lisa O’Carroll

12 October 2026 at 07:23

Brussels uses WTO rules to quickly impose quota, which will halve Chinese market share to 3%

The EU is to limit the number of hybrid electric vehicles imported from China to 350,000 cars a year, the European Commission has confirmed.

Imports have been soaring in the past two years; about 800,000 battery and plug-in hybrids are likely to be sold this year.

Volkswagen boss backs EU plan to bolster domestic European industry

The Guardian

By: Jasper Jolly in Paris

11 October 2026 at 12:53

Oliver Blume says ‘Made in Europe’ rules to counter rapid rise of lower-price Chinese brands ‘must reward real value creation’

The boss of Volkswagen has backed EU proposals to boost its domestic industry, arguing European carmakers need to be able to “compete under comparable conditions” with Chinese rivals.

Oliver Blume said “Made in Europe” rules from the EU “must reward real value creation in Europe”, speaking in Paris before the motor show this week.

Labour has got the message – developing nations suffer most from bond market turmoil | Heather Stewart

The Guardian

By: Heather Stewart in Bangkok

11 October 2026 at 06:11

Just as Brown and Blair did in 2005, Andy Burnham aims to champion debt relief to help developing countries

Developing nations face triple shock, UN warns

From Washington to Paris, London to Tokyo, policymakers in every large economy have been counting the costs of bond market turmoil in recent weeks. But the brunt of the pain is being borne by heavily indebted developing countries that have little hope of influencing the whims of global investors, but pay the price regardless.

Markets have responded to the war in the Middle East, and a spendthrift White House, by dumping government bonds – driving up borrowing costs just about everywhere.

France’s dilemma: protesters demand spending as markets require fiscal restraint

The Guardian

By: Phillip Inman

10 October 2026 at 00:00

Waves of protests expose debt crisis faced by French government, but political wrangling is stalling an escape plan. Is there a way out?

Eight years have passed since rising fuel prices brought the gilets jaunes (yellow vest) demonstrators to the streets of France, prompting the first big crisis of Emmanuel Macron’s time in the Élysée Palace.

As the French president contemplates his exit next year, turmoil has again gripped the streets in the form of student protests, but this time the financial markets are unhappy too.

EU ‘pulling out all stops’ with minerals projects as it tries to avert China trade war

The Guardian

By: Lisa O’Carroll

9 October 2026 at 09:31

Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné says bloc will support 46 strategic projects including lithium and rare earths plants

The EU is “pulling out all the stops” to fend off an imminent potential trade crisis with China, the industry commissioner, Stéphane Séjourné, has said, as the bloc announced its backing for a string of critical materials projects.

Séjourné said on Friday that the EU would support 46 new strategic projects to accelerate supplies of critical raw materials by 2030 across the bloc.

Poland’s ‘solidarity’ push for EU energy resilience in face of Russian aggression

The Guardian

By: Richard Partington in Gdańsk

7 October 2026 at 00:00

In the second article in a series on the Polish economy, we look at how the country is forging closer ties with its neighbours

Two miles off the coast of Gdańsk, the white steel piles of Poland’s first offshore gas terminal rise from the slate-grey Baltic. Installed at a height eight metres above the waves, the floating cranes and construction vessels here are on the frontline of Europe’s push for energy security.

Since the taps were turned off on Russian gas after Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine four years ago, Poland has turned to the global energy market for supplies. But while conditions are far from ideal as the Middle East war drives oil and gas prices to stratospheric levels, strengthening the diversity of the country’s energy mix remains a top priority for Poland, its Baltic neighbours, and the EU at large.

Bailiffs and 100 unpaid teachers: inside the collapse of ‘groundbreaking’ yoga studio Triyoga

The Guardian

By: Rachel Hall and Frankie Tobi

3 October 2026 at 05:00

Formerly a favourite of the A-list, the chain has abruptly ceased trading, leaving teachers and customers blindsided

Kate Comer is a single mother with two children, so she is used to living on a financial knife-edge. But when the yoga studio at which she taught closed without warning in September, leaving her with two months’ worth of unpaid wages, it sent her anxiety skyrocketing.

“I’m just reeling right now,” she said, estimating her loss at about £1,500. “I’m very concerned about the future.”

The next era of workplace literature

MetaFilter

By: chavenet

27 September 2026 at 11:21

It's the software engineers who are losing their jobs to AI, not the weed trimmers, pawn shop workers, garbage men, and grocery store workers. In these novels and in this economy, even the extralegal jobs, despite being precarious on their head, have become more stable than most.

Chris Wright Sells Trump’s ‘Energy Dominance’ Vision

NYT: Science

By: Brad Plumer

23 September 2026 at 08:50

Energy Secretary Chris Wright is pitching a future of fossil fuel abundance. It’s not always an easy sell while war drags on and oil prices surge.

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