Nervous stock markets watch countdown toward Friday escalation in US trade dispute with China

Irish and UK shares were mixed as the trade war between the US and China threatened to flare by the end of the week, barring a last-minute intervention by one of the combatants.
The US has threatened to impose swingeing tariffs of 25% up from 10% on $200bn (€179bn) of Chinese imports from Friday after the collapse of the talks which, as recently as last week, appeared to be heading for a peaceful outcome.