The UK Trade Report for September 2025
brexit
A Douglas Adams-inspired tour of UK trade in September 2025: a precious-metals boom, resilient aerospace and defence exports, a struggling car industry, and no seat at the AI hardware table.
A Douglas Adams-inspired look at Britain’s September 2025 trade figures identifies four key trends: a precious-metals trading boom driven by uncertainty over American policy, strong aerospace and defence exports helped by US tariff exemptions, declining automotive exports reflecting deeper structural problems, and Britain’s near-total absence from the AI hardware trade currently driving growth elsewhere. The overall picture is of an economy that excels at financial services and a few niche sectors while steadily losing ground in manufacturing and emerging technology.
Originally published on Substack, November 21, 2025.