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The final piece of the puzzle for the UK’s critical mineral supply chains is finally here. But is it enough to meet the needs of the industry? Released late November, the Critical Minerals Strategy was long awaited, being the last remaining strategy after the publication of papers on industry, small business and exports. It was also one promised at the start of 2025 by Labour ministers. Previous versions of a plan were released under the Sunak and Johnson ministries several years ago.

The Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade is once again getting into the festive spirit by opening a treat every day in its advent calendar.

The year has wrought seismic shifts in US trade policy, as president Donald Trump returned to the White House and unleashed a wave of import duties on most imports into the US. The Daily Update looked back on 2025’s tariffs changes, highlighting key milestones and the current state of play.

It’s been a turbulent year in export controls and sanctions, as some nations have faced heavier sanctions, others have seen them removed and China has flexed its muscle on controls around the export of critical minerals. The Daily Update recaps some of the major stories in this area of ever-increasing importance in trade from throughout 2025.

It has been one of the most significant years for global trade in decades, with an overhaul of US trade policy and a range of downstream debates, deals and tariff spats. But which stories most caught the eye of the Daily Update readership in 2025?

Historians will undoubtedly look back on 2025 as a tumultuous year for global trade, with US President Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ just one of many era defining moments.

It’s been among the most significant years for global trade in recent memory, and as we deliver our last Daily Update newsletter of the year, we’re taking a look back at the major moments and developments from 2025.

After 2025 saw a dramatic retooling of trade flows following the return of Donald Trump to the US presidency, as well as the continuation of Russia’s war in Ukraine and other major events, Global Trade Today is today looking ahead to what 2026 could hold for trade and geopolitics.

A raft of statistics released today shed light on the UK’s economic performance in 2025. While its goods trade deficit rose steeply to record levels, the inverse was true for services, which saw its surplus peak.

Firms need to be especially vigilant to comply with Russian sanctions. That export control warning was sounded loudly this week, amid a growing number of breaches and circumvention attempts. Elsewhere, new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed a sharp rise in the UK’s goods trade deficit in 2025, while the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade announced the opening of its flagship trade awards programme for 2026.

The picture for global supply chains in the Middle East remains unclear, despite the recent US-Iran truce. However, traders received some good news when UN trade data found that global trade momentum from 2025 has carried into 2026.