Planning reforms offer a bright spot for Rachel Reeves – but grey areas exist

OBR’s verdict of a long-term 0.4% boost to GDP from fewer building restrictions will have real political impact but there are gaps in funding

A bitter blow? British pubs, restaurants and hospitality firms brace for rise in NICs

An increase in national insurance and a rising living wage, is leading to predictions of a hiring freeze across the sector. But not every economist agrees

The storm-battered chancellor needs her nextdoor neighbour to be a steadfast friend

Even if the UK manages to dodge the worst of Donald Trump’s tariffs, we will still suffer from the fallout of a global trade war

Prosecution of people who help clients evade tax in UK falls by 75% in five years

Fewer than five criminal cases were brought against those who aid tax dodgers in 2023-24, down from 16 in 2018-19

Who is running Britain’s economy – Rachel Reeves or Donald Trump?

The chancellor’s careful calculations for her spring statement are likely to be blown out of the water by a looming US trade war

The poor don’t need Reeves’s austerity. And neither does Britain

With the economy stagnating, this is the very worst time to depress demand in order to be seen to ‘balance the books’

The Observer view on the spring statement: Rachel Reeves balanced the books – but at whose expense?

Here was a successful economic strategy in the making, marred by its abdication of responsibility to some of society’s weakest

Le boycott: French customers shun McDonald’s, Coca Cola and Tesla to protest against Trump

France has been urged to shun Maga America as #BoycottUSA hashtag spreads, but teenagers say they can’t afford to join the action

Hyundai facing legal action over car that can be stolen ‘effortlessly in seconds’

Elliott Ingram was stunned at how a thief made off with his Ioniq 5 deploying a device to mimic the smart key – and says he should have been warned

From more tax to rewriting budget rules: six alternative ways Rachel Reeves could raise money

The chancellor has been slated by politicians, the public and campaigners for pushing ahead with brutal welfare cuts – but there were other options

Banks aim to reverse crunch appeal court victory for car buyers

Fears of a £44bn compensation bill over dealer commissions has prompted a high-profile appeal, which will be heard this week

Retailer Søstrene Grene joins Nordic invaders hoping to revive UK high street

Danish business, which has opened a new central London store, moves into space left empty by the pandemic and cost of living crisis

UK ministers need to ask why they are offered freebies – and who loses out

Firms who wine and dine officials may gain a seat at the policymaking table while the third sector is squeezed out

Wall Street slides as US consumer sentiment falls to two-year low amid tariff fears – as it happened

US stocks fall after latest consumer sentiment poll shows Americans are anxious about the state of the economy

‘Down to the wire’: inside the UK’s crunch talks with the US as it bids to avoid Trump tariffs

Ministers seek carve-out from import taxes before 2 April deadline – but critics believe they may have offered too many concessions