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UK economy has a growth spurt before tax and tariff challenges

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain's economy grew more strongly than expected in the first three months of 2025, giving a boost to finance minister Rachel Reeves, but she faces a stiffer test ahead due to her tax hike on businesses and Donald Trump's trade wars. Between January and March, gross domestic product grew by 0.7%, accelerating sharply from an increase of 0.1% in the last three months of 2024, the Office for National Statistics said. That was above the 0.6% growth forecast in a Reuters poll of economists and which was also expected by the Bank of England.

Japanese investors extend foreign stock buying to eighth week on trade optimism

Japanese investors snapped up foreign stocks for an eighth straight week, as progress in U.S. trade negotiations and easing concerns over the global economic impact of a trade war lifted investor sentiment. Japanese investors bought a net 250.8 billion yen ($1.72 billion) worth of foreign stocks during the week ended May 10, although it was sharply lower compared to about 2.55 trillion yen worth of net accumulations in the prior week, data from Japan's Ministry of Finance showed. Including the week's purchases, Japanese investors have now acquired a net 8.2 trillion yen in foreign equities so far this year, the largest total for the same period since at least 2005.

Gold Falls as Fed Rate-Cut Bets Soften, Haven Demand Ebbs

(Bloomberg) -- Gold extended its decline after falling more than 2% Wednesday on signs there will be fewer Federal Reserve rate cuts than previously anticipated, and as easing trade tensions between the US and China sapped haven demand.Most Read from BloombergAs Coastline Erodes, One California City Considers ‘Retreat Now’How a Highway Became San Francisco’s Newest ParkPower-Hungry Data Centers Are Warming Homes in the NordicsA New Central Park Amenity, Tailored to Its East Harlem NeighborsMaryl