Business and Economy



Stocks waver, oil up as US-Iran peace talks stall

AFP - 37m ago

Stock prices were broadly lower Thursday, retreating after recent gains as investors tempered their enthusiasm for a …

Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders back sale to Paramount Skydance

AFP - 1h ago

Warner Bros. Discovery on Thursday said shareholders approved its sale to Paramount Skydance, giving a green light to a …

Portugal picks Air France-KLM and Lufthansa to make offers for TAP

AFP - 1h ago

Portugal on Thursday asked Air France-KLM and Germany's Lufthansa to make binding offers to buy a controlling stake in …

Africa faces 86 mn tonne fuel shortfall by 2040: report

AFP - 2h ago

The Iran war has exposed Africa's vulnerability to fuel chokepoints and is heading for an 86 million tonne fuel …

Stocks retreat as US-Iran peace talks stall

AFP - 1h ago

Stock prices fell across the board Thursday from their recent highs as investors tempered enthusiasm for a quick end to …

Amsterdam airport offers airline discounts over fuel costs

AFP - 2h ago

Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport said Thursday it would offer airlines a 10-percent discount on airport charges due to the …

LVMH's Arnault says to talk of retirement in '7-8 years'

AFP - 3h ago

Bernard Arnault, chief executive of the world's biggest luxury conglomerate LVMH, brushed off speculation of his …

Nestle sales slump under strong franc but volumes recover

AFP - 4h ago

Nestle, the food giant whose brands include Nespresso coffee and Perrier water, saw first-quarter sales figures slump …

Oil prices jump, stocks retreat as US-Iran peace talks stall

AFP - 1h ago

Oil prices and the dollar jumped Thursday while most equity markets slid as the United States and Iran appeared no …

Lufthansa loses fight over bailout at EU top court

AFP - 5h ago

German airline giant Lufthansa Thursday lost a legal battle over a six-billion-euro ($7-billion) pandemic-era government …

Africa faces 86 mn tonne fuel shortfall by 2040: AFC

AFP - 3h ago

The Iran war has exposed Africa's vulnerability to fuel chokepoints and is heading for a 86 million tonne fuel shortfall …

Iran economy looks set to withstand US naval blockade

AFP - 4h ago

A US naval blockade of Iranian ports is likely to squeeze Iran's oil output in the coming weeks but claims it will throw …

EssilorLuxottica sales slide as investors turn wary of AI glasses

AFP - 7h ago

Shares in EssilorLuxottica, the world's top maker of eyeglasses, slid on Thursday as analysts said investors have turned …

Eurozone business activity falls on Mideast war

AFP - 7h ago

Business activity in the eurozone contracted for the first time in 16 months in April, as the war in the Middle East …

Electric vehicles supercharge EU car sales

AFP - 8h ago

Sales of new cars jumped last month in the European Union as consumers turned to electric vehicles as petrol prices …

Stocks sink and oil rises with Iran, US no closer to peace talks

AFP - 3h ago

Equities fell and oil prices rose Thursday as the United States and Iran appeared no closer to holding fresh peace talks …

South Korea e-commerce probe opens rift in US ties

AFP - 7h ago

South Korea pushed back on Thursday against criticism of its business environment by US lawmakers, as a rare spat …

South Korea's Samsung workers rally in thousands as strike looms

AFP - 6h ago

Tens of thousands of Samsung Electronics workers rallied in South Korea on Thursday to demand higher pay and bonuses, as …

France must avoid becoming 'hostage' on critical minerals: trade minister

AFP - 5h ago

France and "like-minded countries" must work together to avoid becoming "hostages" on critical minerals used in …

Chip giant SK hynix posts record quarterly profit on AI boom

AFP - 7h ago

Chip giant SK hynix said Thursday that net profit soared almost 400 percent to a record high in the first quarter thanks …

Sellers in China trade hub seek tariff reprieve from Trump visit

AFP - 6h ago

Labourers sweated as they wheeled bags of clothes, shoes and accessories to a sprawling wholesale market in southern …

Top Peru ministers quit in protest over stalled US fighter jet deal

AFP - 9h ago

Peru's foreign and defense ministers resigned on Wednesday in protest over the interim president's decision to stall a …

Tesla reports higher profits, confirms hefty spending ahead

Apr 22 2026

Tesla reported higher first-quarter profits Wednesday, topping expectations as it confirmed plans for massive additional …

War in the Middle East: latest developments

Apr 22 2026

The latest developments in the Middle East war:

Tesla reports higher profits, topping estimates 

Apr 22 2026

Tesla reported higher first-quarter profits Wednesday, pointing to recovering demand in North America as it pursues …

US stocks rise, shrugging off uncertain ceasefire prospects while oil prices jump

Apr 22 2026

Oil prices climbed Wednesday while stocks were mixed as Iranian officials refused to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after …

US doesn't dictate terms of trade talks: Carney

Apr 22 2026

The United States does not get to dictate the terms of upcoming trade talks, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said …

Three ships targeted in Hormuz, Iran seizes two: monitors, Guards

Apr 22 2026

Iranian forces targeted three container ships on Wednesday, seizing two, global security monitors and the country's …

Mideast war weighs on parent of Durex condoms

Apr 22 2026

Reckitt Benckiser, the British supplier of health and hygiene products including Durex condoms, said Wednesday that …

Shifting goals blur picture of US blockade on Iran

Apr 22 2026

The United States has vowed to blockade Iran's ships until the country makes a deal to end their war. But is the …

Just a little late: Frankfurt celebrates new airport terminal

Apr 22 2026

Frankfurt airport opened a new terminal on Wednesday, just a few years late and a billion euros over budget, with …

US Treasury chief defends pivot to extend Russia oil sanctions relief

Apr 22 2026

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday defended the Trump administration's recent about-face to temporarily …

Germany halves 2026 growth forecast on Iran war fallout

Apr 22 2026

The German government Wednesday halved its 2026 growth forecast due to the Middle East war energy shock, while vowing to …

South Africa coal delay could cause 32,000 deaths, report says

Apr 22 2026

South Africa risks thousands of premature deaths if the phase-out of coal plants is delayed due to the government's …

Russia says will halt flow of Kazakh oil to Germany

Apr 22 2026

Russia confirmed Wednesday it will halt the pipeline flow of Kazakh oil to Germany next month, citing technical reasons, …

Thousands of London commuters walk to work in underground strike

Apr 22 2026

Workers streamed into the British capital by foot, bike and bus Wednesday as strike action on the London Underground …

Boeing reports narrowing loss, points to progress on turnaround

Apr 22 2026

Boeing reported a small quarterly loss Wednesday following an uptick in commercial plane deliveries as the aerospace …

Oil up, stocks mixed on uncertain prospects for US-Iran ceasefire

Apr 22 2026

Oil prices edged higher Wednesday while stocks were mixed after US President Donald Trump announced the extension of a …

Vietnam, South Korea sign deals on tech, nuclear power

Apr 22 2026

Vietnam's top leader To Lam hosted South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Hanoi on Wednesday, announcing a dozen …

Chinese EVs look to sideline foreign brands at Beijing auto show

Apr 22 2026

The world's biggest auto show opens in Beijing on Friday, as Chinese manufacturers solidify their status as industry …

Russia to block flow of Kazakh oil to German refinery, Berlin says

Apr 22 2026

Germany has learned that Russia plans to halt the flow of Kazakh oil through the Druzhba pipeline to a refinery in …

Iran says seized two ships seeking to cross Strait of Hormuz

Apr 22 2026

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Wednesday their naval forces had seized two container ships seeking to cross the …

Oil prices rise despite US-Iran ceasefire extension

Apr 22 2026

Oil prices edged higher Wednesday while Europe's main stock markets eased on uncertainty surrounding the prospect of …

Ships attacked in Gulf as Trump extends Iran ceasefire

Apr 22 2026

Iranian gunboats attacked at least one container ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, maritime agencies said, …

Germany set to slash growth forecast due to Mideast war

Apr 22 2026

The German government on Wednesday is expected to cut its growth forecast for this year as the energy shock triggered by …

Oil falls, stocks mixed as traders weigh outlook after Trump extends truce

Apr 22 2026

Oil prices fell and stocks were mixed Wednesday as investors assess the chances of US-Iran peace talks after Donald …

UK inflation jumps as Mideast war propels energy prices

Apr 22 2026

Britain's annual inflation rate jumped to 3.3 percent in March as the Middle East war sent oil and gas prices surging, …

Oil, stocks mixed as traders weigh outlook after Trump extends truce

Apr 22 2026

Oil prices fell and stocks were mixed Wednesday as investors assess the chances of US-Iran peace talks after Donald …

Anthropic probes unauthorized access to Mythos AI model

Apr 22 2026

American AI developer Anthropic said Tuesday it was investigating unauthorized access to Mythos, its powerful model …

Chinese carmakers aim to build up presence in Europe

Apr 22 2026

Chinese carmakers have quickly built up their presence in the lucrative European auto market, buoyed by technological …

Young Chinese use AI to launch one-person firms over job anxiety

Apr 22 2026

Young Chinese, many who fear age discrimination in their workplace after turning 35, are increasingly starting …

Delicate extraction: Malaysia offers rare earths alternative to China

Apr 22 2026

Workers load tonnes of rare earth minerals into bags ready for shipping at a refinery in eastern Malaysia, fuelling the …

Oil, stocks fall as traders weigh outlook after Trump extends truce

Apr 22 2026

Oil prices fell along with stocks Wednesday as investors assess the chances of US-Iran peace talks after Donald Trump …

AI-powered robots offer new hope to German factories

Apr 22 2026

A blue-eyed humanoid robot carefully opens a box and places a tool inside as a crowd of visitors watch the demonstration …

Indonesia orangutan forest cleared for 'carbon-neutral' packaging firm

Apr 22 2026

Vast tracts of Indonesian rainforest home to endangered orangutans have been cleared for plantations supplying a maker …

Questions about Tesla spending binge ahead of earnings

Apr 22 2026

Questions about Tesla's progress towards achieving fully autonomous driving at scale are expected to figure prominently …

SpaceX partners with AI startup Cursor, may buy it for $60 bn

Apr 22 2026

SpaceX on Tuesday announced a partnership with AI coding company Cursor and said the alliance comes with an option to …

John Ternus to lead Apple in the age of AI

Apr 21 2026

The future of Apple is being entrusted to a company veteran said to combine hardware brilliance with "the soul of an …

Kevin Warsh, a former Fed 'hawk' now in tune with Trump

Apr 21 2026

Kevin Warsh, Donald Trump's choice to lead the US central bank, was once an inflation foe but has since made the case …

Strait of Hormuz blockade drives up costs at Panama Canal

Apr 21 2026

The war in the Middle East has boosted demand to move vital cargo through the Panama Canal to such an extent that one …

Stocks fall, oil climbs amid uncertainty over US-Iran talks

Apr 21 2026

Oil prices climbed and stocks slid Tuesday as uncertainty reigned over US-Iranian peace talks resuming, and the …

US Fed chair nominee says will not be controlled by Trump

Apr 21 2026

Donald Trump's choice to lead the US Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh, stressed Tuesday that he would not be controlled by …

Chery wants to make small electric car in Europe

Apr 21 2026

Chinese carmaker Chery said Tuesday it wants to manufacture a small electric vehicle in Europe for the European market.

Singapore's Tang gets second term at UN's patent agency

Apr 21 2026

Singapore's Daren Tang was reappointed Tuesday for a second six-year term in charge of the United Nations' patent and …

US Fed chair nominee says he will not be controlled by Trump

Apr 21 2026

Donald Trump's choice to lead the US Federal Reserve, Kevin Warsh, stressed Tuesday that he would not be controlled by …

Stocks slip, oil climbs as US-Iran truce expiry looms

Apr 21 2026

Oil prices climbed and stocks slid Tuesday as uncertainty reigned over US-Iranian peace talks resuming and the …

In Portugal, Lula urges return to multilateralism

Apr 21 2026

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday championed trade multilateralism, saying Brazil seeks …

US official says gas prices have peaked despite Iran war

Apr 21 2026

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Tuesday that gasoline prices appeared to have peaked after a surge linked to the …

Trump's Fed chair pick vows to safeguard independence at confirmation hearing

Apr 21 2026

Kevin Warsh, Donald Trump's choice to lead the US Federal Reserve, vowed Tuesday to protect central bank independence at …

Trump says Iran violated truce as doubt surrounds peace talks

Apr 21 2026

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused Iran of having repeatedly violated a temporary truce due to expire soon, …

Oil and stocks steady as US-Iran truce expiry looms

Apr 21 2026

Oil prices dipped and stocks mostly edged higher Tuesday as investors held out hope that despite conflictual rhetoric …

Apple's Tim Cook to step down as CEO after 15-year run

Apr 21 2026

Apple's Tim Cook will step down as the California tech giant's chief executive this year, handing the top job to a …

Bangladesh fuel crunch forces hours-long wait at the pump

Apr 21 2026

Day and night, drivers queue for hours for the chance to refill fuel tanks, as import-dependent Bangladesh grapples with …

German investor morale lowest in over 3 years on Iran war fallout

Apr 21 2026

German investor morale slid to its lowest level in over three years in April, a survey showed Tuesday, as the Middle …

FedEx faces French 'genocide' complaint over Israel cargoes

Apr 21 2026

American logistics giant FedEx has been targeted in France by a legal complaint alleging "complicity in the crime of …

No Iran delegation sent to US talks yet as truce expiry nears

Apr 21 2026

Iran said Tuesday it has not yet sent a delegation for new peace talks with the United States, as the temporary …

Russia, North Korea connect road bridge ahead of summer opening

Apr 21 2026

Russia and North Korea held a ceremony Tuesday to mark the joining of the first road bridge connecting the countries, …

'Strangled': Pakistan faces economic imperative in Iran war peace push

Apr 21 2026

Sheikh Nadeem sat on a plastic chair outside his bedding store in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, scrolling through his …

Oil prices dip, stocks rise on lingering Iran peace hopes

Apr 21 2026

Oil prices fell on Tuesday while stocks rose on lingering hopes for a deal to end the US-Iran war and reopen the Strait …

Turkey arrests 110 coal miners on hunger strike

Apr 21 2026

One hundred and ten Turkish coal miners who had marched 200 kilometres (125 miles) to stage a hunger strike for their …

Associated British Foods to spin off Primark clothes brand

Apr 21 2026

Associated British Foods announced Tuesday that it would spin off its budget fashion chain Primark, splitting up one of …

Hello Kitty's parent company to make own video games

Apr 21 2026

Seeking new fans for Hello Kitty, the company behind the enigmatic character on Tuesday launched a video games division …

Turkmenistan, the gas giant increasingly dependent on China

Apr 21 2026

In the desert expanse of Turkmenistan, Chinese engineers are hard at work at the vast Galkynysh gas field -- a mega …

Chinese AI circuit board maker soars on Hong Kong debut

Apr 21 2026

Shares in a Chinese tech firm that supplies US chip titan Nvidia soared almost 60 percent on its Hong Kong debut …

Oil prices dip, most stocks rise on lingering Iran peace hopes

Apr 21 2026

Oil prices fell on Tuesday while most stocks rose on lingering hopes for a deal to end the US-Iran war and reopen the …

Tim Cook's time as Apple chief marked by profit absent awe

Apr 21 2026

An Alabama-born engineer seen as a supply-chain savant, Tim Cook took on the daunting challenge of succeeding Apple's …

Trump's Fed chair pick to face lawmakers at key confirmation hearing

Apr 21 2026

Kevin Warsh, US President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Federal Reserve, will vow to protect central bank …

Amazon invests another $5 bn in Anthropic

Apr 21 2026

Amazon on Monday said it pumped another $5 billion into Anthropic as it ramps up its collaboration with the startup …

Apple's Tim Cook to step down as CEO in September

Apr 20 2026

Apple on Monday announced that Tim Cook will step down as the tech giant's chief executive officer in September, handing …

Oil jumps on Hormuz tensions, stocks mostly retreat

Apr 20 2026

US and European stocks reversed Monday as oil prices surged over fears hostilities could resume in the weeks-long Middle …

Colombian environmental activist honored amid threats and exile

Apr 20 2026

Afro-Colombian woman Yuvelis Morales, a 25-year-old who has spent most of her adult life working to block the world's …

Trump Fed chair pick to vow interest rate independence at key hearing

Apr 20 2026

Kevin Warsh, US President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Federal Reserve, will stress his dedication to central bank …

Blue Origin probing rocket's failure to deliver satellite

Apr 20 2026

The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it is requiring Blue Origin to conduct a "mishap investigation" after …

UniCredit woos Commerzbank shareholders in takeover battle

Apr 20 2026

Italian bank UniCredit wooed shareholders in Germany's Commerzbank with promises of higher returns on Monday in moves …

Tit-for-tat blockades once again cripple traffic in Hormuz

Apr 20 2026

Traffic once again seized up in the Strait of Hormuz as both Tehran and Washington imposed separate blockades, with …

Branded pop-up events take center stage at Coachella

Apr 20 2026

With a multitude of promotional events almost as long and diverse as its artist lineup, Coachella, one of the biggest …

Oil jumps on Hormuz tensions, stocks retreat

Apr 20 2026

US and European stocks reversed Monday as oil prices surged over fears hostilities could resume in the weeks-long Middle …

Elon Musk snubs Paris prosecutors' summons over X and Grok

Apr 20 2026

Elon Musk did not appear Monday for a voluntary interview with Paris prosecutors, who had summoned the American tech …

European stocks slide as oil jumps on Hormuz tensions

Apr 20 2026

European stocks fell Monday as oil prices surged over fears hostilities could resume in the weeks-long Middle East war, …

Elon Musk summoned over French X deepfake probe but presence unclear

Apr 20 2026

Billionaire Elon Musk has been summoned for a voluntary interview in Paris on Monday as part of a French probe into his …

Anthropic says will put AI risks 'on the table' with Mythos model

Apr 20 2026

American AI developer Anthropic plans to "lay the risks out on the table" even as it restricts deployment of a new model …

Iran says no plan for US peace talks

Apr 20 2026

Iran insisted it has no plan to attend a new round of negotiations with the United States on Monday, as uncertainty …