Donald Trump’s tariffs on UK steel and aluminum “couldn’t come at a worse time," according to the industry. <br />Last ditch attempts to make the US President change his mind on a 25% import tax failed, so the tariffs have come into effect.<br />The UK Government says it's disappointed isn't unlikely to immediately retaliate, but EU states are proposing major countermeasures start on April the 1st. <br />*<br />The White House has however halted the planned tariff increase from 25 to 50% on Canadian steel and other metals. <br />The threat initially caused markets to plummet. <br />But the Ontario provincial government suspended its planned surcharges on electricity sold to the US, so the tariff increases were paused too. <br />*<br />UK music streaming sales topped £1 billion last year for the first time. <br />However, the industry is facing a looming threat from AI copyright plans. <br />Demand for vinyl also continued to grow last year. <br />But paid subscriptions to platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube continued to make up the bulk of revenues.<br />*<br />Some interesting results today - The Gym Group has swung back to profit after its members increased by 4 per cent. <br />The company posted a pre-tax profit of £2.5 million, up from an £8.3 million loss the year before. <br />*<br />And Legal & General has announced a £500 million share buyback. <br />It's part of its aims to return over £5 billion to shareholders within three years.<br />The group posted a 6 per cent rise in core operating profits to £1.62 billion for 2024.<br />
