Pound stalls despite data and Theresa May’s bullish trade talk

British prime minister Theresa May has said she wants Britain to become a global leader in free trade as it exits the EU.

Speaking after the two-day G20 summit in China, she said there would be no retreat towards protectionism and that there had been positive reactions from partners about securing new trade deals.

However, US president Barack Obama offered Britain little hope of a fast-track post-Brexit trade deal, despite saying he would work to ensure the economic relationship between the two nations does not unravel.