The Trump administration is considering a plan to curb a dizzying array of software-powered exports to China, from laptops to jet engines, to retaliate against Beijing's latest round of rare earth export restrictions, according to a U.S. official and three people briefed by U.S. authorities.

While the plan is not the only option on the table, it would make good on President Donald Trump's threat earlier this month to bar "critical software" exports to China by restricting global shipments of items that contain U.S. software or were produced using U.S. software.

On October 10, Trump said in a social media post that he would impose additional tariffs of 100% on China's U.S.-bound shipments, along with new export controls on "any and all critical software" by November 1 without further details. (Reuters – Continue Reading)

The European Union is working on trade options to counter China’s planned export controls on critical raw materials should the bloc fail to reach a diplomatic solution with Beijing.

The European Commission is preparing a list of trade measures by the end of the month that can later be deployed against China to boost its negotiating leverage, according to people familiar with the matter. The commission is also developing a plan to protect critical supplies in the short-term and secure other sources. (Bloomberg – Continue Reading)

Another interest rate cut from the Bank of England this year looks uncertain after the latest U.K. inflation data came in cooler expected.

The annual inflation rate was unchanged in September, coming in at 3.8% for the third month in a row.

The data, released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Wednesday, shows that the financial squeeze on consumers and businesses remains high, but there are hopes this could be the peak.

The Bank of England forecast earlier this year that the consumer price index would top out at 4% — double the central bank’s target — in September, before gradually cooling into next year. Economists polled by Reuters had also expected the rate to rise to 4% in the twelve months to September. (CNBC – Continue Reading)

A record $19 billion crypto market liquidation has triggered sharp volatility, but Standard Chartered says the sell-off may set the stage for a major Bitcoin rally. Despite Bitcoin dropping to a four-month low of $104,000, the bank’s digital assets research head, Geoff Kendrick, maintains a $200,000 price target by year-end, pointing to continued ETF inflows and supportive macroeconomic conditions.

Standard Chartered’s Geoff Kendrick has reaffirmed his forecast that Bitcoin could reach $200,000 by the end of 2025. Speaking at the 2025 European Blockchain Convention in Barcelona, Kendrick said the $19 billion liquidation event could turn into a new buying phase for investors.

He noted that even in a more cautious scenario, Bitcoin’s price could still end the year “well north of $150,000,” depending on whether the Federal Reserve continues to lower interest rates. Kendrick added that his official base case remains $200,000, despite current market conditions and geopolitical concerns. (Coin Central – Continue Reading)