Business and Economy



Stocks consolidate after bumper week buoyed by resilient US economy

AFP - 2h ago

US and European stock markets stalled or trimmed gains on Friday after a bullish week buoyed by US data and upbeat …

G20 nations agree central bank independence 'crucial'

AFP - 5h ago

The G20 finance ministers stressed Friday that central banks must remain independent, after months of escalating attacks …

What's in the EU's two-trillion-euro budget bazooka?

AFP - 7h ago

EU members got their first chance on Friday to debate the bloc's two-trillion-euro budget bazooka, laying bare divisions …

EU, UK target Russian oil in tough new Ukraine war sanctions

AFP - 1h ago

The European Union and Britain on Friday sought to ramp up economic pressure on Russia to halt the war in Ukraine by …

Resilient US economy spurs on stock markets

AFP - 1h ago

Upbeat company earnings and healthy US data buoyed stock markets on Friday, pushing ongoing concerns about President …

EU targets Russian oil in tough new Ukraine war sanctions

AFP - 4h ago

The EU on Friday adopted a sweeping new package of sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war, looking to pile more …

Indie game studios battle for piece of Switch 2 success

AFP - 11h ago

Players line up inside Nintendo's booth at a Japanese game fair to try upcoming Switch 2 titles, but, for once, the …

Stocks up, dollar down tracking Trump moves and earnings

AFP - 3h ago

European and Asian stocks markets closed out the week broadly higher Friday following Wall Street's latest record highs …

Stocks head for positive end to week, Tokyo struggles ahead of vote

AFP - 2h ago

Markets headed into the weekend on a broadly positive note Friday, as investors took up New York's latest record highs …

North Korea bars foreign tourists from new seaside resort

AFP - 15h ago

North Korea has barred foreigners from a newly opened beach resort, the country's tourism administration said this week, …

China mulls economy-boosting measures to counter 'severe situation'

AFP - 16h ago

China has a "plentiful" toolbox to avoid an economic slump in the second half of the year, its commerce minister said …

Asian markets on course to end week on a positive note

AFP - 3h ago

Asian markets headed into the weekend on a broadly positive note Friday, as investors took up New York's latest record …

Japan rice prices double, raising pressure on PM

AFP - 12h ago

Rice prices in Japan soared 99.2 percent in June year-on-year, official data showed Friday, piling further pressure on …

Japan's SMEs ready to adapt to Trump tariffs

AFP - 20h ago

Small and medium-sized firms like Mitsuwa Electric that form the backbone of Japan's economy have weathered many storms …

California to sue Trump govt over axed high-speed rail funds

AFP - 20h ago

California will sue President Donald Trump's administration over its decision to cancel billions of dollars in federal …

Brazil's Lula calls Trump's tariff threat 'unacceptable blackmail'

AFP - 21h ago

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday slammed Donald Trump's threat to impose 50 percent tariffs on …

What to know about Trump's effort to oust Fed Chair Powell

AFP - 21h ago

US President Donald Trump this week escalated attacks on central bank chair Jerome Powell, suggesting he could be …

Gulf Air orders 12 Boeing 787 Dreamliners

AFP - 10h ago

US aviation giant Boeing on Thursday signed a contract valued at $7 billion to sell 12 787 Dreamliners, with options for …

US House passes landmark crypto measures in win for Trump

Jul 17 2025

The US House of Representatives on Thursday passed three landmark cryptocurrency bills, fulfilling the Trump …

Netflix profits surge off ads, higher subscription prices

Jul 17 2025

Netflix reported stronger than expected second-quarter results Thursday, with profit jumping 45 percent year-over-year …

US stocks end at fresh records as markets shrug off tariff worries

Jul 17 2025

A jump in US retail sales boosted world markets Thursday even as investors mulled the US rates outlook, US President …

Netflix profits surge 45% off higher subscription prices

Jul 17 2025

Netflix reported stronger than expected second-quarter results Thursday, with profit jumping 45 percent year-over-year …

US authorizes Juul to market vaping products

Jul 17 2025

Juul Labs said Thursday that the US Food and Drug Administration had officially authorized the e-cigarette maker to …

Zuckerberg settles lawsuit over Cambridge Analytica scandal

Jul 17 2025

Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg and other company board members settled a shareholder lawsuit on Thursday concerning …

Global markets rise as Trump weighs future of Fed boss

Jul 17 2025

A jump in US retail sales boosted world markets Thursday even as investors mulled the US rates outlook, US President …

TikTok Germany moderators raise alarm over layoff plans

Jul 17 2025

Content moderators at the German branch of social media giant TikTok sounded the alarm Thursday about what they say is a …

EU readies retaliatory list targeting US services

Jul 17 2025

The EU executive is preparing a list of proposed restrictions on US services companies -- including tech giants -- …

Swatch profits plunge on weak China sales

Jul 17 2025

Swatch Group said Thursday that weak sales in China wiped out growth elsewhere in the first half of the year for the …

South Africa warns global turmoil threaten development goals

Jul 17 2025

G20 chair South Africa warned Thursday that abandoning the rules-based global order and declining cooperation could …

Novartis first half net profits up 29 percent

Jul 17 2025

Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Novartis posted Thursday a 29 percent increase in first-half net income, at $7.6 billion -- …

Taiwan's TSMC says second quarter profit up 60%

Jul 17 2025

Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC reported Thursday a forecast-beating 60 percent rise in net profit for the second …

EasyJet boss hits out over French air traffic walkouts

Jul 17 2025

The boss of British no-frills airline EasyJet on Thursday bemoaned "unacceptable challenges" for staff and passengers …

Stocks extend Wall St gains, 7-Eleven owner plunges

Jul 17 2025

Most markets rose Thursday, tracking a record day on Wall Street where traders endured a rollercoaster fuelled by fears …

Asian stocks extend Wall St gains, 7-Eleven owner plunges

Jul 17 2025

Asian markets rose Thursday, tracking a record day on Wall Street where traders endured a rollercoaster fuelled by …

Volvo Cars swings into loss on electric vehicles, tariffs

Jul 17 2025

Volvo Cars announced on Thursday it had swung into loss in the second quarter, after it took an impairment charge for …

US senators approve $9 billion of Elon Musk's federal cuts

Jul 17 2025

The US Senate approved early Thursday a package of spending cuts proposed by President Donald Trump that would cancel …

Dairy giant New Zealand endures butter price shock

Jul 17 2025

Butter prices have soared in dairy export giant New Zealand, latest figures showed Thursday, with local supplies cut …

China moves to tame 'irrational competition' as EV price war persists

Jul 17 2025

Chinese officials are seeking to tame the country's swelling electric vehicle industry with policies to prevent …

'Shop local': Bad Bunny brings tourism surge to Puerto Rico

Jul 17 2025

The day before Bad Bunny kicked off his blockbuster residency that's expected to bring hundreds of millions of dollars …

Japan's Sega eyes return to 1990s gaming glory

Jul 17 2025

The big-screen success of 1990s video game speedster "Sonic the Hedgehog" has brought new fans to Japan's Sega, which …

Asian stocks struggle as traders eye Fed saga, trade war

Jul 17 2025

Asian markets fluctuated Thursday after a rollercoaster day on Wall Street punctuated by fears Donald Trump was …

EU mega budget hits immediate German opposition

Jul 17 2025

The European Union executive on Wednesday proposed a two-trillion-euro long-term budget focused on tackling overseas …

Trump says Coca-Cola to switch to cane sugar in US

Jul 16 2025

Beverage giant Coca-Cola has agreed to use real cane sugar in its US production, President Donald Trump announced …

US stocks finish higher as markets gyrate on Powell firing fears

Jul 16 2025

Wall Street stocks finished higher Wednesday, overcoming a mid-session swoon after US President Donald Trump denied …

United Airlines profits dip but says Newark has rebounded

Jul 16 2025

United Airlines reported a drop in second-quarter profits Wednesday on higher costs and predicted a rise in travel as …

Goldman Sachs profits jump as CEO eyes more merger activity

Jul 16 2025

Goldman Sachs reported a jump in second-quarter profits Wednesday behind significant increases in financial advisory …

EU unveils bigger long-term budget but risks fight with farmers

Jul 16 2025

The EU executive proposed on Wednesday a two-trillion-euro long-term budget bazooka focused on tackling overseas …

Trump says not firing Fed chair -- but not ruling out

Jul 16 2025

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he was not currently planning to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, …

Markets fall on reported Trump plan to fire Fed chief

Jul 16 2025

Major stock markets stumbled on Wednesday after reports that US President Donald Trump was close to firing the head of …

Argentina under Milei: a tale of two economies

Jul 16 2025

In Javier Milei's Argentina, falling inflation has stimulated a boom in car and real estate sales and foreign-bound …

EU unveils blueprint for boosted 2-trillion-euro budget

Jul 16 2025

The EU executive proposed on Wednesday a long-term budget boosted to two trillion euros ($2.3 trillion) as Europe …

Stocks steady as traders weigh inflation data, trade deal

Jul 16 2025

Major stock markets steadied on Wednesday as traders weighed a spike in US and UK inflation that raised concerns …

Indonesian shoemakers fear Trump tariffs despite lower levy

Jul 16 2025

At a leather boot shop in the Indonesian city of Bandung, workers handle an order from Texas but owner Etnawati Melani …

Indonesia hails 'new era' with US after Trump trade pact

Jul 16 2025

Indonesia's president on Wednesday hailed a "new era" of trade relations with the United States, after Donald Trump said …

Nvidia's Huang says 'doing our best' to serve Chinese market

Jul 16 2025

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on Wednesday his firm was "doing our best" to serve China's vast market for semiconductors …

EU sets stage for big battle over long-term budget

Jul 16 2025

The European Commission will kickstart two years of tense negotiations when it unveils its proposal Wednesday for the …

Stellantis pulls plug on hydrogen fuel cell vans

Jul 16 2025

Jeep-maker Stellantis said Wednesday it was pulling the plug on plans to build light vans using hydrogen fuel cells, …

Markets mixed as traders weigh trade deal, US inflation data

Jul 16 2025

Asian markets were mixed Wednesday as they weighed Indonesia's trade deal with Washington and a spike in US inflation …

Dutch tech giant ASML sees profits rise but warns on 2026

Jul 16 2025

Dutch tech giant ASML said Wednesday it booked higher net profits in the second quarter of 2025 compared with the same …

Pakistan's quiet solar rush puts pressure on national grid

Jul 16 2025

Pakistanis are increasingly ditching the national grid in favour of solar power, prompting a boom in rooftop panels and …

Trump says Indonesia to face 19% tariff under trade deal

Jul 16 2025

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he had struck a trade pact with Indonesia resulting in significant purchase …

Hong Kong stocks lifted by Nvidia rally on mixed day in Asia

Jul 16 2025

Tech firms led another rally in Hong Kong stocks Wednesday after US titan Nvidia said it would resume exports of key …

Cuban minister resigns after downplaying poverty

Jul 16 2025

The labor minister in economically depressed Cuba resigned Tuesday amid an uproar over her claim that people rummaging …

Cuban president addresses anger over 'there are no beggars' claim

Jul 16 2025

Cuba's president was forced to step in Tuesday after a minister's assertion that "there are no beggars" caused an uproar …

Trump unveils investments to power AI boom

Jul 15 2025

US President Donald Trump went to Pennsylvania on Tuesday to announce $92 billion in energy and infrastructure deals …

US banks see lower recession risk despite tariff fog

Jul 15 2025

Large US banks reported results that topped estimates Tuesday as executives pointed to American economic resilience and …

Trump says Ukraine should not target Moscow

Jul 15 2025

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Ukraine should not target Moscow, after the Kremlin charged that a new US …

French PM proposes cutting national holidays to cut debt

Jul 15 2025

Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said Tuesday he wanted to reduce the number of public holidays in France as part of a bid …

Nvidia says it will resume sales of 'H20' AI chips to China

Jul 15 2025

US tech giant Nvidia announced Tuesday it will resume sales of its H20 artificial intelligence chips to China after …

Tackling debt 'curse', France wants to slash holidays

Jul 15 2025

France's Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said Tuesday he wanted to reduce the number of public holidays as part of an …

EU threatens US planes and whiskey while pressing for deal

Jul 15 2025

Brussels plans to target US goods including planes, cars and whiskey if trade talks with Washington fail, according to a …

US consumer inflation accelerates as tariff effects creep in

Jul 15 2025

US consumer inflation picked up in line with analyst expectations in June, government data showed Tuesday, with vehicle …

Stocks diverge, as US inflation puts focus on Trump's tariffs

Jul 15 2025

Global stock markets went in different directions on Tuesday, as an uptick in US inflation suggested President Donald …

Fallen Austrian tycoon Benko charged with fraud

Jul 15 2025

Austrian tycoon Rene Benko has been charged with fraud as part of a wide-ranging probe into the insolvency of his real …

Las Vegas Sands makes $8 bn Singapore bet with resort expansion

Jul 15 2025

Casino operator Las Vegas Sands broke ground Tuesday on a new $8 billion project to expand its iconic Marina Bay Sands …

US consumer inflation accelerates as tariff scrutiny grows

Jul 15 2025

US consumer inflation picked up in line with analyst expectations last month, government data showed Tuesday, as …

Russia suggests Trump is emboldening Ukraine, delaying peace

Jul 15 2025

The Kremlin warned Tuesday that US President Donald Trump's pledge of more weapons for Kyiv and threat of sanctions …

Stock markets gain, dollar dips before US inflation

Jul 15 2025

Stock markets mostly gained and the dollar eased Tuesday ahead of key US inflation data, and after Chinese economic …

Tesla marks India entry with first showroom 

Jul 15 2025

Tesla unveiled its first showroom in India on Tuesday, marking its entry into the world's most populous country, as Elon …

LVMH Italian fashion house Loro Piana put under court administration

Jul 15 2025

Italian fashion house Loro Piana, owned by French giant LVMH, has been placed under court administration for allegedly …

Markets rise as China's economy meets forecasts

Jul 15 2025

Markets rose Tuesday as data showed China's economic growth met expectations, while optimism that governments will …

'Dialogue' must be at heart of China, Australia ties, PM tells Xi

Jul 15 2025

"Dialogue" must be at the heart of ties between Canberra and Beijing, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on …

Markets mostly rise as China's economy meets forecasts

Jul 15 2025

Most markets rose Tuesday as data showed China's economic growth met expectations, while optimism that governments will …

Skidding Nissan to halt production at Japanese plant

Jul 15 2025

Struggling auto giant Nissan said Tuesday it will stop production at its plant at Oppama in Japan at the end of its 2027 …

China's economy grows 5.2% on trade war truce

Jul 15 2025

China's economy expanded more than five percent in the second quarter, official data showed Tuesday, buoyed by strong …

Ivory Coast farmers hope tech tempts jaded youth back to fields

Jul 15 2025

Stopwatch in hand, dozens of Ivory Coast students raced against the clock to design robots for the farms of the future …

Asian markets mixed as China's economy meets forecasts

Jul 15 2025

Markets were mixed Tuesday as positive Chinese economic data was offset by weak consumer spending, while optimism that …

Pentagon inks contracts for Musk's xAI, competitors

Jul 15 2025

The Pentagon announced contracts on Monday with multiple leading US artificial intelligence firms including Elon Musk's …

Tech giants scramble to meet AI's looming energy crisis

Jul 15 2025

The artificial intelligence industry is scrambling to reduce its massive energy consumption through better cooling …

US pro athletes reject antitrust exemptions for college sports

Jul 15 2025

Professional players unions for the five major US sports leagues -- baseball, soccer, basketball, football and hockey -- …

US House set to vote on landmark crypto bills this week

Jul 14 2025

US lawmakers are on the verge of passing landmark legislation that will give the much-maligned crypto world much-wanted …

Elon Musk's xAI inks Pentagon deal for contentious Grok chatbot

Jul 14 2025

Elon Musk's xAI, which features a large language model that has spewed Hitler-supporting rhetoric and antisemitic …

Markets shrug off Trump tariff threat against EU

Jul 14 2025

Major stock markets on Monday largely shrugged off US President Donald Trump's latest tariffs threat to hit the EU and …

Ukraine's Zelensky proposes new PM, defence minister in major reshuffle

Jul 14 2025

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday proposed a new prime minister and defence minister, part of a major …

Ukraine's Zelensky seeks shakeup with new prime minister

Jul 14 2025

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that he was recommending economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko become …

EU still seeks Trump trade deal -- but readies retaliation

Jul 14 2025

The EU on Monday moved to firm up possible retaliation if US President Donald Trump hits the bloc with 30-percent …

Stocks slide on Trump tariff threat against EU

Jul 14 2025

Major stock markets slipped but without panic on Monday as investors digested US President Donald Trump's latest tariffs …

EU climate VP seeks 'fair competition' with China on green energy

Jul 14 2025

The European Union is seeking "fair competition" with China and not a race to the bottom in wages and environmental …

Japan's World Barber Classic tries to bring back business

Jul 14 2025

Hundreds of rowdy spectators, many heavily tattooed, roared Monday at a Tokyo arena usually reserved for boxing -- …

Stocks diverge after Trump's latest tariff warning

Jul 14 2025

Major stock markets diverged and the dollar largely steadied Monday after President Donald Trump's latest trade war …

EU still seeks trade deal after new Trump tariff threat

Jul 14 2025

The EU still hopes to strike a deal with the United States despite President Donald Trump's ramped-up threat of …

European markets drop after Trump's latest tariff warning

Jul 14 2025

European markets mostly fell Monday while Asia was mixed as investors digested Donald Trump's latest trade war salvos …