No wonder global car giants "are getting serious about electric cars", says Robin Pagnamenta in The Times. Sales of electric vehicles jumped by 70% last year to a global total of around 1.15 million still a small fraction of the total global car fleet of more than one billion, but sales have rocketed in recent years.
Meanwhile, sales of hybrid vehicles, which combine a battery with an internal combustion engine, have climbed to around 900,000. China is a key growth driver, aiming for 12% of new cars to be electric by 2020, compared with 1% now.
Viewpoint
"This is not just about economics, and voting to make our country poorer while Brexiters fantasise about the freedom to trade with non-EU nations with whom we already trade. The EU was set up primarily to unite a continent that had been tearing itself apart for centuries. And there are now uncomfortable echoes of the 1930s in the rise of extremist parties in mainland Europe. The last thing that the Europeans we are supposed to be negotiating with' are prepared to do is let Britain off lightly: they are rightly terrified about a domino effect Yet Brexiters are kidding themselves into believing that the others do not mean what they say."
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William Keegan, The Observer
The bottom line
£1.1bn The value of gin sales in Britain's pubs, restaurants, supermarkets and off-licences over the past year, according to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association. More than 1.1 billion gin and tonics were drunk, thanks in part to the popularity of new craft gins.
€15 The fine handed down to priest Norbert Appel, who, dressed as St Nicholas, was pulled over by police for speeding in Dortmund, Germany. Appel said he was running late for an appearance at a local school.
300,000 The number of Nintendo's Famicon Minis that were sold during its first two weeks on sale in Japan. The product is based on its hugely popular 1983 video games console.
1,500 The number of jobs that online fashion retailer Asos is to create at its Camden headquarters in London over a three-year period. The company will expand its current offices by 40,000 square feet to house the extra staff.
€1.1m How much a mostly complete skeleton of a carnivorous allosaurus dinosaur, which went extinct 135 million years ago, sold for at an auction in Lyon, France.
£160,000 The amount raised on a crowdfunding website in two weeks by More United, a group led by television historian Dan Snow (pictured), which campaigns for a more tolerant Britain. More United has raised its target to £250,000.
£22.39 The extra tax payable on an average Band D property if council tax rose by the maximum 2% set by then-chancellor George Osborne last year. The government warned this week that council tax will rise further to cover the costs of social care.
£274m The amount Britain donated to the Strategic Climate Fund for developing countries without knowing exactly where the money was going, according to The Times. The US has threatened to halt its donations citing similar concerns.
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UK inflation slowed again in March – but a rate cut could be some months awayThe latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data came in at 3.2% for March. This was slightly higher than some economists expected, but takes us closer to the Bank of England’s 2% inflation target.
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Pension vs property: which option provides the best income for your retirement?News With the cost of a comfortable retirement on the rise, future retirees need to weigh up which strategy offers the best returns. But is a pension a better bet than property?
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The charts that matter: bond yields and US dollar continue to climbCharts The US dollar and government bond yields around the world continued to climb. Here’s what happened to the charts that matter most to the global economy.
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The charts that matter: markets start the year with a crashCharts As markets start 2022 with a big selloff, here’s what happened to the charts that matter most to the global economy.
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The charts that matter: Fed becomes more hawkishCharts Gold rose meanwhile the US dollar fell after a key Fed meeting. Here’s what else happened to the charts that matter most to the global economy.
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The charts that matter: a tough week for bitcoinCharts Cryptocurrency bitcoin slid by some 20% this week. Here’s what else happened to the charts that matter most to the global economy.
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The charts that matter: omicron rattles marketsCharts Markets were rattled by the emergence of a new strain of Covid-19. Here’s how it has affected the charts that matter most to the global economy.
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The charts that matter: the US dollar keeps on strengtheningCharts The US dollar saw further rises this week as gold and cryptocurrencies sold off. Here’s how that has affected the charts that matter most to the global economy.
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The charts that matter: gold hangs on to gains while the dollar continues higherCharts The gold price continued to hang on to last week’s gains, even as the US dollar powered higher this week. Here’s how that has affected the charts that matter most to the global economy.
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The charts that matter: inflation fears give gold a much needed boostCharts US inflation hit its highest in 30 years this week, driving gold and bitcoin to new highs. Here’s how that has affected the charts that matter most to the global economy.
