Sales of electric and plug-in hybrid cars in the European Union surged in 2020 to more than 1 million vehicles. That accounts for more than 10% of overall sales, data quoted by Reuters showed.

Social media related stock trading may be gaining pace after GameStop shares slumped by 28% in the beginning of the way after a nearly 300% rally since the start of 2021, Reuters reported. In the GameStop affair amateur investors clashed with mutual funds over the stocks of troubled retail firms. However the social media driven demand prevailed and prices surged. Similar demand has been seen in regards of silver, AP reported.

Britain will apply to join a massive 11-nation free-trade bloc of Asia-Pacific countries, it announced on Saturday, weeks after leaving the European single market, news wires reported. International Trade Secretary Liz Truss will formally request Monday for Britain to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a market representing half a billion people and roughly 13.5% of the global economy.

UK industry and trade showed evidence of serious distress as consequences from country’s exit from the EU mounted on top of slowdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Official data quoted by Reuters showed alarming sighs related to the UK economy.

UK retailers signaled they may dump massive volumes of goods with EU origin after the Brexit deal came into effect. The retailers reckon that under new customs regulation the price of destroying the goods stuck in Europe would be cheaper than paying all outstanding fees and costs, BBC reported.

The sales of new cars in Europe tumbled to their worst ever crisis, AP reported, quoting data provided by manufacturers.

China has reported one of the biggest trade surpluses in 2020 despite political pressure linked to the confrontation with US over customs tariffs war and global slowdown driven by Coved-19 pandemic. The trade surplus reached to $535bn, AP reported.

The shares of the based in France European retail giant Carrefour surged by some 13 percent on Wednesday, as the company was approached for merger by Canada’s convenience-store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard, Reuters reported. The bid was unexpected and lead to a sharp rise in demand for the stocks.

Venture capital firm Index Ventures has rated three Baltic nations as the most “startup-friendly” in Europe after new policies on stock options made it easier for startups to attract and retain employees.

The trade deficit of US last November surged to $68.1 billion which is the highest for a month period in 14 years, as a dramatic increase in imports overshadowed a modest growth in exports, AP reported.