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Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Electric vehicles myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. CATL has unveiled upgraded battery cells it claims can offer faster charging for electric vehicles than its rival BYD, putting the two Chinese groups ahead of competitors in the race to overcome a major barrier to the shift away from petrol vehicles. The world’s biggest electric vehicle battery maker said on Monday that a new version of its flagship Shenxing battery cell could offer a 520km range from just five…

This article is an on-site version of our Trade Secrets newsletter. Premium subscribers can sign up here to get the newsletter delivered every Monday. Standard subscribers can upgrade to Premium here, or explore all FT newsletters Welcome to Trade Secrets, those of you not enjoying an Easter Monday break. Today we examine what solid and lasting gains Donald Trump has got so far out of his strategy of negotiating deals with a tariff gun at his trading partners’ heads (none) and what he’s likely to get (probably not much). Also,…

Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Private equity myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. Chinese state-backed funds are cutting off new investment in US private equity, according to several people familiar with the situation, in the latest salvo of Donald Trump’s trade war. State-backed funds have been pulling back from investing in the funds of US-headquartered private capital firms in recent weeks, according to seven private equity executives with knowledge of the matter.  The moves come in response to pressure from the Chinese government,…

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for free Your guide to what the 2024 US election means for Washington and the world The president of Palau has pledged to maintain recognition of Taiwan, but warned that small countries needed to demonstrate the economic benefits of standing by Taipei as China increases pressure on its few remaining allies. Surangel Whipps Jr, speaking at the Lowy Institute in Sydney earlier this month, said that he would not change his country’s position during his four-year term, citing Taipei’s assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic…

This article is an on-site version of our FirstFT newsletter. Subscribers can sign up to our Asia, Europe/Africa or Americas edition to get the newsletter delivered every weekday morning. Explore all of our newsletters here Good morning and welcome back to FirstFT Asia. In today’s newsletter: The deteriorating global outlook for growth South Korea ‘will not fight back’ against US tariffs Why Jamie Dimon is right about meetings Threats to global growth are rising as the US-driven trade shock crushes confidence and slams financial markets, according to research for the…

Stay informed with free updates Simply sign up to the Global Economy myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox. Threats to global growth are rising as the US-driven trade shock crushes confidence and slams financial markets, according to research for the Financial Times ahead of key meetings of economic policymakers in Washington this week.  Confidence indicators have slumped sharply while financial market conditions have deteriorated, according to the Brookings-FT Tracking Indexes for the Global Economic Recovery, or Tiger. The deterioration in the global outlook is a marked contrast to…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Ever since Donald Trump’s imposition of 145 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports, Andy Wang has been panic buying supplies from rice wine to plastic containers for his restaurant in New York’s Chinatown.  Wang said that the price hikes expected on Chinese goods could put the Taiwan Pork Chop House he founded 26 years ago out of business, and force him into early retirement. “I have to stock up so…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. China’s latest export controls on rare earth minerals could cause shutdowns in automotive production, with stockpiles of essential magnets set to run out within months if Beijing fully chokes off exports. Beijing expanded its export restrictions to seven rare earth elements and magnets vital for electric vehicles, wind turbines and fighter jets in early April in retaliation for US President Donald Trump’s steep tariffs of 145 per cent on China.…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. The UK government’s decision to seize control of British Steel from Chinese owner Jingye has led to demands for greater scrutiny of China’s investments in the country. But unpicking decades of spending by Beijing and Chinese businesses across the British economy would be difficult: more than $100bn of Chinese investment has flowed into the country since 2000, according to figures from the Rhodium Group, a research outfit. Around a third…