"discriminatory and protectionist" also on the programme: from deepseek to byd. the future of global technology dominance? and is the party over? bars and clubs closing down. if you just us you are in for the top ifs ii tihic fes' eh: ese stories 55 ii tihi5 f5r 5h5 2555 stories with 5f5 iii tiiii5 f5r e'ii5 2555 stories with business most economists predict the cost of borrowing will be reduced by a quarter of a percent today to 4.5%. this would be the third cut in interest rates

since the peak of 5.25% — that was in august 2023. which is facing stagflation — a stagnant economy, challenge for monetary policy makers. in the chancellor's budget are forecast to push inflation up when a rise in the minimum wage and in employers�* national cuts this year from just 2 to around 3. hetal mehta is head of economic

research at st james�*s place. good morning to you. i'm assuming a cut? 7 cut today? 77 cut today? i 77 rate cut today? is, it would be a very everyone is, it would be a very big if they didn't. big surprise if they didn't. they did the meeting, the 5 voted 77 5 voted for 77 5 voted for a 77 5 voted for a cutéso the members voted for a cut so the bar is not very high to get that to vote for a cut bar is not very high to get - that _ vote for a cut bar is not very high to get - that _for a cut bar is not very high to get that , ., , cut bar is not very high to get that , ., , , fl g m. m. at 4.5%. which for many is still quite tough, for those 5till smite, t55gh. f5r'th555rrrr , , have debt whohavehigh debt like businesses whohevehigh debt like businesses with whohevehigb debt tike businesses with big 77 77 could 77 77 77 could nexté 77 77 could next as debt. what could happen next as we have explained the uk economy is a difficult economy is in a difficult spot? as you said, we have this growth profile which has been very flat over the few very flat over the last few months. economy is have months. economy is likely have gone sideways and at the same time inflation is above target. more importantly inflation

more importantly core inflation when you strip out things like food and much higher food and energy is much higher and that is well away from the —: of england 's and bank of england 's target and so for the bank of england 7 is so for the bank of england . is dilemma, do there is this dilemma, do they support or do keep rates hiher? because interest rates higher? because of inflation still being efihjletii�*h “1155“? hia'i " recently they more recently they have signalled willingness to signalled that willingness to support growth despite the but is far inflation risks but it is far from clear. beyond this meeting is lot of uncertainty there is a lot of uncertainty exactly how things such as tariffs for example may play out, i think it will be a big ”flashy”??? 7 and a big learning 77 7 and a big learning by factor and a big learning by doing �*a lot of doing for a lot of central including the bank of banks including the bank of england. the government is to do all england. the government is - to do all it _ england. the government is -to do allit.to- trying to do all it can to boost growth. the chancellor reeves is not on rachel reeves is not moving on her, what was in the budget and will come effect april lotof despite a lot of pressure from industry bodies and many industry bodies and business groups. what is your businessrgreeps; �*es'het is yeur beyond april

businessrgrsspss �*s’hst is yes-r beyond april for outlook beyond april for our and therefore what will bank of england do in terms future rate cuts? ~ of future rate cuts? i think the economy _ of future rate cuts? i think the economy is _ of future rate cuts? i think the economy is likely - of future rate cuts? i think the economy is likely to i the economyisiikely to e — a. ., relatively slow experience relatively slow growth, we don't think a recession is our base case, we attach a 25% to a attach a 25% probability to a session in the next year or so. chancellor does have an session in the next year or so. (where or does have an session in the next year or so. (where the oes have an session in the next year or so. (where the oes ha had1 session in the next year or so. (where the oes ha had room has announced at the time she has announced at the time the last is to of the last budget is likely to be interest rates, which feed inte government berrewihg are the economy into government borrolvihg are the economy is slow higher. the economy is slow so will be under pressure to she will be under pressure to at least articulate how much she intends to close the gap. she is very she she is very clear that she wants only one physical a —:e= but is along but 5 is along time

z= -: j �*and the budget in between now and the budget in the autumn. think it is meant iq'go'ihgio" " h ig’g’oi'ngio’s; ” w ——it is going to be quite difficult, may be contingent on iii things don’t plan promises if things don't plan in terms of growth and out in terms of growth and there may be spending restraints. forthe there may be spending restraints. for the economy as gestraints. forthe economy as whole to have the is a whole to have the headwind is going to be quite are some 7 7 are some bright spots. i there are some bright spots. i don't want to set all and e with interest rate edging worm. with interest rate edging conditions well, credit conditions have availability by banks have been j 5 that 7 7 ' 1l5£;i{$u[d”" improving and that should cushion the economy. y = -i for your verso we will be across the bank england 's when it england 's decision when it takes place midday in the will 7 will update 7 will update fwant 7 will update 5 want bbc we will update you want bbc news. now lets bring you the latest on the trade row that's erupted this week between the us and china.

calls a violation of trade rules. this a day after president trump imposed io% tariffs against china. our north america business correspondent, ritika gupta has more. on chinese products. in the filing, china said the measures were world trade rules. on 10 february.

$293 billion as businesses responded to the threat that are purchased. the wto procedures give the us and china 60 days to resolve the dispute through consultations at which point it ofjudges. the appointment of newjudges to the body, making it unlikely has told the bbc that china's formal complaint over additional us tariffs has very little chance of progressing. tom graham said it would probably take a year before

developments. hello to terry. you and talked for a little haven't talked for a little it's been a while, it's been quite a week with dominating the with tariffs dominating the agenda. and china now putting its complaint to the wto. in its complaint to the wto. your thoughts on what may next? your thoughts on w. ~. next? ,., ., your thoughts on w. ~. next? ., your thoughts on a . a-. next? ., �* happen next? a bit surprised happennext? a bit surprised about china not a bit surprised about china wto filing and i concur broadly w—tqfiling ahdlsshsur broadly complaint doesn't go that complaint doesn't go anywhere. washington anywhere. bipartisan washington has the wto has accused the wto is broken some time. the for some time. the united states has �*accepted states has never accepted ~ ~ that it develo - in . nation deserves developing nation

status. i mean never going back —§e the early 77 77 the early to 77 77 the early to 77 {you to the early to thousands. you a situation to the early to thousands. yoc.i a situation with to the early to thousands. you a situation with the wto have a situation with the wto were something like two—thirds have a situation with the wto w: members |ing like two—thirds have a situation with the wto w: members are like two—thirds have a situation with the wto w: members are considered irds have a situation with the wto w: members are considered to s have a situation with the wto w: members are considered to be of members are considered to be nations and that developing nations and that includes seven of the top includes seven out of the top ten economies. aside ten wealthiest economies. aside from technical difficulties from the technical difficulties which essentially the which essentially mean the wto can't adjudicate a complaint 7 this, can't adjudicate a complaint , this, trump was can't adjudicate a complaint , this, tr this was can't adjudicate a complaint , this, tr this i ias can't adjudicate a complaint , this, tr this i think in continue to try and order to continue to try and price united states advantage but china from the way trumps =ze look at it, china or to people look at it, china or to �*up and take people look at it, china or to �* up and take trade on grow up and take trade on regular terms instead of trying to milk every advantage it to milkseve'll advantage it can. talk about what may happen but talk about what may happen nextin but talk about what may happen next in terms of the nest in terms ofithe'spat'i ' '5 . '5' week between the emerging this week between the . , and china. donald trump said us and china. donald trump said he is in no now to speak he is in no rush now to speak to xijinping stop thinking to xi jinping stop the thinking was would have a phone

was they would have a phone this he did conversation this week. he did justin trudeau and mexican leader which put a the mexican leader whichput a on tariffs in mexico and holdronrta—riffs i-n ”eves and could happen with canada. what could happen with china next? i canada. what could happen with china next?— china next? i think what will ha en china next? i think what will happen is — china next? i think what will happen is . tariffs - china next? i think what will happen is . tariffs are - china next? i think what will happen is . tariffs are in l happen is the tariffs are in place and they will stay in for quite a while. a place for quite a while. a couple of points. one is that remember that the 10% on couple of points. one is that remem finalist the 10% on couple of points. one is that remem finalist talking k: on couple of points. one is that remem finalist talking about election. is in the election. there is a signal there. trump more broadly trying to a broadly trying to employ a carrot and stick approach to and, i: i: part try and, the tariffs are part of the stick and as well as in artificial investments in artificial there are a intelligence. there are a of carrots as well. variety of carrots as well. they have favoured treatment at the inauguration, trump z— zi—z 7 to speak more warmly continues to speak more warmly

china. they are trying to about china. they are trying to bdog along about china. they are trying to lining along little bring china along a little bit but it should understood this is far more that this is far more about geopolitics than it is about that this is far more about geopo trump an it is about that this is far more about geopo trump is it is about that this is far more about geopo trump is seeking ut that this is far more about geopo trump is seeking an that this is far more about geopo t that is seeking an that this is far more about geopo t that tries eking an that this is far more about geopo t that tries to ing an that this is far more about geopo t that tries to advance opening that tries to advance if. .. . agenda here the geopolitical agenda hereaaa a aa a a aa aaa aa a united states has. in that the united states has. in the meantime that is ongoing the meantime that is hhohho aa aa a aaa as you say if these tariffs and as you say if these tariffs remain for time remain in place for some time it is on both sides china is it is on both sides as china is saying are going to limit saying they are going to limit their tariffs on american goods ffiéif féflfis ed. afiéflféfi if"??? on e55if $555 55 85'55555 55555 on next e55if $5575 55 35�*55'555 55555 on next week. starting on monday nextweek. will be the impact on the -b|gge;t . ......... .. . . biggest economies? i are ' ' faifemariginallyr 7 7 7a; marginallynegative they are-marginally negative from the washington but from the washingt