Business and Economy



Stock markets gain before US inflation data

AFP - 2h ago

Asian stock markets rose and there were fresh record highs for leading European indices Wednesday as attention turned to …

Heineken shares pop on bubbly beer sales

AFP - 4h ago

Shares in Dutch brewer Heineken fizzed at the market open on Wednesday, as traders cheered better-than-expected beer …

Asian, European stocks rise as Powell rate warning taken in stride

AFP - 2h ago

Asian equities rose while London and Frankfurt hit fresh highs Wednesday as traders took in their stride a warning from …

Musk aide given payment system access by mistake: US official

AFP - 5h ago

An Elon Musk aide was mistakenly given clearance to make changes to the US Treasury Department's highly sensitive …

Ford CEO says Trump policy uncertainty creating chaos

AFP - 5h ago

The Trump administration's tariff threats and animosity towards electric vehicles are producing a "lot of cost and a lot …

Asian stocks mostly rise as Powell rate warning taken in stride

AFP - 1h ago

Most equities rose in Asia on Wednesday as traders took in their stride a warning from Federal Reserve boss Jerome …

Musk aide given payment system access by mistake

AFP - 56m ago

An Elon Musk aide was mistakenly given clearance to make changes to the US Treasury Department's highly sensitive …

India's Hindu mega-festival supercharges economy

AFP - 10h ago

The unfathomable scale of the world's largest religious festival in India overshadows many nations in size -- and for …

Asian stocks rise as Powell rate warning taken in stride

AFP - 4h ago

Equities rose in Asia on Wednesday as traders took in their stride a warning from Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell …

What are reciprocal tariffs and who might be affected?

AFP - 11h ago

US President Donald Trump has threatened to open new fronts in his tariffs war by announcing reciprocal levies on other …

Global stocks wobble, gold shines as tariff uncertainty looms

Feb 11 2025

US stock markets wobbled and gold hit fresh highs Tuesday as traders kept a nervous eye on US President Donald Trump's …

AI feud: How Musk and Altman's partnership turned toxic

Feb 11 2025

The feud between Elon Musk and Sam Altman has become one of the bitterest rivalries in business history, with the Tesla …

US inflation fight to take time in 'highly uncertain' environment: Fed official

Feb 11 2025

The US Federal Reserve is in a strong position to weather the "highly uncertain" economic outlook, but its inflation …

Canada, Mexico, EU slam 'unjustified' Trump steel tariffs

Feb 11 2025

Canada, Mexico and the EU on Tuesday slammed US President Donald Trump's "unjustified" decision to impose tariffs on …

Vance puts Europe, China on notice over AI regulation

Feb 11 2025

US Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday warned European allies against over-regulating the US-dominated artificial …

US Fed chair says in no rush to tweak interest rate policy

Feb 11 2025

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that the US central bank was in no hurry to adjust its interest …

US farmers say Trump let them down with spending freeze

Feb 11 2025

US farmers caught up in President Donald Trump's short-lived attempt to freeze all federal funding descended on Congress …

Altman says OpenAI 'not for sale' after Musk's $97 bn bid

Feb 11 2025

Artificial intelligence developer OpenAI is "not for sale", chief executive Sam Altman said in Paris Tuesday in response …

Gucci owner Kering's annual profit plunges

Feb 11 2025

Gucci owner Kering reported a sharp drop in 2024 earnings on Tuesday, days after parting with its flagship brand's …

Canada, EU vow firm response to Trump steel tariffs

Feb 11 2025

Canada and the EU vowed Tuesday to stand firm against US President Donald Trump's move to impose tariffs on steel and …

Galeries Lafayette owner Ginette Moulin dies aged 98

Feb 11 2025

The majority owner of the emblematic Parisian department store Galeries Lafayette, Ginette Moulin, has died aged 98, the …

JD Vance puts Europe, China on notice at AI summit

Feb 11 2025

US Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday warned European allies against over-regulating the US-dominated artificial …

Global stocks mixed as tariff uncertainty looms

Feb 11 2025

European and Asian markets struggled for direction and gold hit a fresh high Tuesday as traders kept a nervous eye on …

BP pledges strategic 'reset' as profit tumbles

Feb 11 2025

Britain's BP on Tuesday said its annual net profit slumped 97 percent last year, as the struggling oil and gas giant …

Trump signs orders for steel, aluminum tariffs to start March 12

Feb 11 2025

US President Donald Trump signed executive orders to impose 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from March …

World leaders seek elusive AI common ground at Paris summit

Feb 11 2025

World leaders were set to hold formal talks in Paris on Tuesday on artificial intelligence (AI), seeking elusive common …

EU leaders vow 'firm' response to US tariffs

Feb 11 2025

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen vowed on Tuesday to retaliate firmly against US President Donald Trump's decision to …

New Zealand rethinks opposition to deep-sea mining

Feb 11 2025

New Zealand is considering withdrawing its support for an international ban on deep-sea mining, the country's resources …

Asian markets mixed as tariff uncertainty looms large

Feb 11 2025

Asian markets struggled on Tuesday as traders keep a nervous eye on Donald Trump's next moves after he signed off on …

Trump signs executive orders for steel, aluminum tariffs to start March 12

Feb 11 2025

US President Donald Trump signed executive orders to impose 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from March …

Asian markets swing as tariff uncertainty looms large

Feb 11 2025

Asian markets were mixed Tuesday following the previous day's global rally as traders keep a nervous eye on Donald …

YouTube, the online video powerhouse, turns 20

Feb 11 2025

YouTube has evolved from a dinner party lark 20 years ago into a modern lifestyle staple poised to overtake US cable …

Trump's tariff tactics may reshape global trade: analysts

Feb 11 2025

US President Donald Trump's use of tariffs as a blunt weapon to extract concessions on everything from commerce to …

US judges challenge Trump cuts as legal battles mount

Feb 11 2025

The Trump administration was on a collision course with the US courts Monday, with federal judges questioning the …

Trump signs executive orders on steel, aluminum tariffs

Feb 10 2025

US President Donald Trump on Monday made good on a promise to slap 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, …

Elon Musk heads group trying to buy control of OpenAI: report

Feb 10 2025

Elon Musk is leading an investment group offering $97.4 billion for the nonprofit that controls OpenAI, marking a new …

Global stock markets brush off latest Trump tariffs

Feb 10 2025

Global stock markets rose on Monday, as traders largely shrugged off US President Donald Trump's latest tariffs …

Union sues over US consumer protection agency work pause

Feb 10 2025

The union representing staff at the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued the acting head of the agency, as the …

Trump team orders work pause at US consumer protection agency

Feb 10 2025

US President Donald Trump's administration has informed staff at the country's consumer protection agency that it is …

Trump to impose new 25% tariffs on steel, aluminum

Feb 10 2025

US President Donald Trump plans to slap 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports Monday, stepping up his …

Macron vows at summit France to 'deliver' on AI acceleration

Feb 10 2025

President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said France would slash through red tape to build artificial intelligence (AI) …

Steel at heart of new Trump trade war

Feb 10 2025

US President Donald Trump's new tariffs on steel promise to further complicate a strategic industry already destabilised …

US federal workers weigh Trump buyout as court to step in

Feb 10 2025

US federal workers face another deadline Monday to accept a mass buyout from their government jobs as a judge holds a …

Global stocks markets brush off Trump tariffs

Feb 10 2025

Global stock markets rose on Monday, as traders appeared to shrug off US President Donald Trump's latest tariffs …

McDonald's profits dented by food poisoning outbreak

Feb 10 2025

McDonald's reported a dip in profits Monday as it contended with lingering effects from a US food poisoning outbreak …

Labour impact and trade windfall on agenda at Paris AI summit

Feb 10 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) presents vast opportunities if correctly chanelled but is already sharpening gender pay …

Did cuts to shipping emissions spur more global warming?

Feb 10 2025

Could a sudden drop in pollution from cargo vessels criss-crossing global shipping lanes be inadvertently making the …

Global stocks markets push higher despite more Trump tariffs

Feb 10 2025

Global stock markets rose Monday, as traders appeared to shrug off US President Donald Trump's latest tariffs …

Nestle share slump adds pressure on new boss

Feb 10 2025

Nestle's slumping share price is rattling shareholders and pension funds that have invested in the food giant, piling …

Trump to impose new 25% tariff on US steel, aluminum imports

Feb 10 2025

US President Donald Trump plans to impose 25-percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Monday, prompting the …

Global stocks rise despite more Trump tariffs

Feb 10 2025

European and Asian stock markets rose Monday, as traders appeared to shrug off US President Donald Trump's latest …

Paris summit grapples with real-world impact of AI

Feb 10 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) risks reinforcing gender disparities rather than immediate widespread job destruction, the …

Nokia names Intel's AI head to replace CEO

Feb 10 2025

Finnish telecommunications equipment giant Nokia announced on Monday it would replace chief executive Pekka Lundmark …

World and tech leaders grapple with AI challenges at Paris summit

Feb 10 2025

Political and tech industry leaders descended on Paris Monday for a two-day summit on artificial intelligence, hoping to …

Nokia CEO Lundmark to be replaced by Intel AI chief Hotard

Feb 10 2025

Finnish telecommunications equipment giant Nokia announced on Monday that chief executive Pekka Lundmark would step down …

Most Asian markets drop as traders weigh Trump's latest tariff salvo

Feb 10 2025

Equities were mostly down in Asia on Monday after Donald Trump ramped up his trade war by announcing huge tariffs on …

Trump says will impose 25% tariffs on US steel, aluminum imports

Feb 10 2025

The United States will move to impose 25-percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports this week, President Donald Trump …

Asian markets mixed as traders weigh Trump's latest tariff salvo

Feb 10 2025

Equities were mixed in Asia on Monday after Donald Trump ramped up his trade war by announcing huge tariffs on steel and …

Government chiefs and tech leaders gather in Paris for AI summit

Feb 10 2025

Political and tech industry leaders were set to descend on Paris Monday for a two-day summit on artificial intelligence, …

Trump says Musk will help uncover 'hundreds of billions' in US govt fraud

Feb 09 2025

US President Donald Trump said in remarks aired Sunday that Elon Musk, who is presiding over a purge of government jobs, …

Baltic nations 'successfully' link with European power grid

Feb 09 2025

Three Baltic states connected to the European power grid Sunday after severing Soviet-era links with Russia's network, a …

Baltic states 'successfully' link with European power grid

Feb 09 2025

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Sunday announced that the three Baltic states had "successfully" joined the …

China inflation picks up after Lunar New Year spending boost

Feb 09 2025

Inflation picked up in China last month, official figures showed Sunday, as the Lunar New Year holiday boosted January …

Record gold prices both boon and burden for London jewellers

Feb 09 2025

In London's Hatton Garden jewellery quarter, stores have raised their iron shutters to welcome a motley crew of buyers …

Musk risks putting EU buyers off Tesla: analysts

Feb 09 2025

Elon Musk's rapprochement with US President Donald Trump, his backing of European far-right parties and attacks on …

Baltic nations to sync with European power grid

Feb 09 2025

The three Baltic states will on Sunday connect to the European Union's power grid after they seamlessly severed …

Soaring egg prices have US consumers squawking

Feb 09 2025

A resurgence of avian flu, which first struck the United States in 2022, is hitting chicken farms hard, sending egg …

Elon Musk says has no plans to acquire TikTok's US operations

Feb 08 2025

Elon Musk, the world's richest person and a top advisor to US President Donald Trump, said he has no interest in …

Baltics disconnect from Russian power grid without incident

Feb 08 2025

The three Baltic states on Saturday seamlessly cut ties with Russia's power grid to integrate with the European Union's …

PlayStation outages frustrate users around the world

Feb 08 2025

From the United States to Thailand, users of the popular Sony PlayStation consoles might encounter "difficulties," the …

Lula pushes mega-oil project as Brazil prepares to host COP30

Feb 08 2025

Brazil's president this week amped up pressure for a major oil project to go ahead at the mouth of the Amazon River, …

Baltic nations disconnect from Russian power grid

Feb 08 2025

The three Baltic states on Saturday cut ties with Russia's power grid to join the European Union's network, the …

Baltic nations switch off Russian power grid

Feb 08 2025

Three Baltic states on Saturday cut ties with Russia's power grid to join the European Union's network, the culmination …

Baltics begin decoupling from Russian power grid

Feb 08 2025

The Baltic states on Saturday began cutting ties with Russia's power grid in order to integrate with Europe's system, a …

Demi Moore wins at Critics Choice with disgraced rival Gascon absent

Feb 08 2025

Demi Moore won best actress at the Critics Choice Awards on Friday, confirming her status as favorite for the Oscars in …

Airbus and Boeing eye India's 'soaring skies'

Feb 08 2025

Air traffic is booming in India, even though only a tiny fraction of its people fly each year, and manufacturers are …

Trump says Nippon Steel to 'invest' in US Steel, not buy it

Feb 07 2025

US President Donald Trump said Friday that Japan's Nippon Steel will make a major investment in US Steel, but will no …

US stocks slide on tariff fears, inflation expectations

Feb 07 2025

US and European shares fell Friday, with a cooler US jobs report and higher inflation expectations capping the end of a …

Japan PM, Trump play nice despite tariff threat

Feb 07 2025

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and US President Donald Trump struck a warm tone at their first meeting on …

Third Al-Fayed brother accused of sexual abuse: BBC

Feb 07 2025

Three former employees at London's Harrods store have accused another brother of its late boss Mohamed Al-Fayed of …

US Postal Service halts China suspension after stoking trade fear

Feb 07 2025

The US Postal Service (USPS) said Wednesday it would continue accepting packages from China and Hong Kong, hours after …

Despite Trump, Mexico avocado farmers see no end of Super Bowl demand

Feb 07 2025

Despite Donald Trump's tariff threats, Mexican farmers working flat out to meet Super Bowl fans' appetite for guacamole …

Airbus acknowledges slow progress on hydrogen plane

Feb 07 2025

Airbus acknowledged on Friday that progress on developing an aeroplane operating on hydrogen was slower than expected, …

Macron says AI should not be 'Wild West'

Feb 07 2025

Development of artificial intelligence (AI) should not be an unregulated "Wild West", French President Emmanuel Macron …

US sees slower January job growth, below expectations

Feb 07 2025

The United States added fewer jobs than expected in January although hiring remained healthy, government data showed …

US stocks slide as inflation expectations jump

Feb 07 2025

US and European shares fell Friday, with a cooler US jobs report and higher inflation expectations capping the end of a …

OpenAI's Altman warns EU regulation may hold Europe back

Feb 07 2025

OpenAI chief Sam Altman on Friday suggested European regulation could hold back the development of artificial …

NBA in touch with Decathlon over China forced labour accusations

Feb 07 2025

The NBA Friday said it "took very seriously its code of conduct" for companies marketing its licensed products and was …

US stocks rise as investors digest US jobs report

Feb 07 2025

US stock markets rose but European shares fell Friday as investors digested a cooler US jobs report at the end of a …

Trump's trade tempest: Week one

Feb 07 2025

In just one week, US President Donald Trump's turbulent trade tussle with rivals and allies triggered tit-for-tat moves, …

US job growth misses expectations in January

Feb 07 2025

The United States added fewer jobs than expected in January while unemployment ticked down, government data showed …

Putin hails Russia's strong 2024 economic growth

Feb 07 2025

Russia reported strong economic growth for 2024 on Friday as record spending on the military offensive against Ukraine …

Stock markets, dollar mixed before key US jobs data

Feb 07 2025

Global stock markets and the dollar diverged Friday as investors awaited US jobs data for signs of possible cuts to …

Germany logs record US surplus amid Trump tariff fears

Feb 07 2025

Germany logged a record trade surplus with the United States last year, data showed Friday, news that could stoke …

Emigration and war hit once-booming Belarus tech sector

Feb 07 2025

A project manager in Belarus's once-flourishing tech industry, Andrei Dorin admits his sector is in "crisis".

Hong Kong to file complaint with WTO over US tariffs

Feb 07 2025

Hong Kong will file a complaint with the World Trade Organization in response to heightened US tariffs on its goods, a …

Asian markets mixed ahead of key US jobs data

Feb 07 2025

Asian equities were mixed on Friday as investors headed into the weekend awaiting the release of US jobs data, while …

'Lottery ticket': Crypto investors brace for bumpy ride under Trump

Feb 07 2025

Nick was enjoying his Saturday off work in Pennsylvania when he received an unexpected and alarming message: …

Most Asian markets rise ahead of key US jobs data

Feb 07 2025

Most Asian equities advanced Friday as investors head into the weekend awaiting the release of US jobs data, while …

Big Tech's AI spending rattles markets

Feb 07 2025

E-commerce giant Amazon reported strong earnings Thursday but, like its big tech peers Microsoft and Google, saw its …

Trump trade nominee says universal tariffs worth considering

Feb 06 2025

US President Donald Trump's trade envoy nominee Jamieson Greer told his confirmation hearing Thursday that universal …

Global stocks mostly climb as trade fears ease

Feb 06 2025

Global stocks mostly rose Thursday on easing trade tensions, with London and Frankfurt hitting record highs ahead of key …