Business and Economy



Glencore still open to 'mega-miner' deal after Rio collapse

AFP - 8m ago

Swiss resources giant Glencore is still open to a transformative merger with another mining group, its CEO said …

New tech and AI set to take athlete data business to next level

AFP - 12m ago

From tracking the trajectory and speed of a footballer's strike to monitoring a Tour de France rider's real-time power …

Germany's Merz casts doubt on European fighter jet plan

AFP - 2h ago

Germany does not need the same new fighter jets as France, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Wednesday, signalling that …

US tech giants announce India deals at AI summit

AFP - 2h ago

Google said it would build new subsea cables from India and chip titan Nvidia unveiled tie-ups with computing firms on …

European stocks rise tracking company earnings, data

AFP - 3h ago

European stock markets rose Wednesday as traders assessed company earnings and economic data, while oil prices ticked …

Greek taxis kick off two-day strike against private operators

AFP - 4h ago

Taxi drivers in Greece on Wednesday kicked off a two-day nationwide strike over new rules which they say excessively …

'Climate cult' hurts Europe's economy, US energy secretary tells AFP

AFP - 4h ago

A "climate cult" has weighed on Europe's economy, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told AFP on Tuesday, adding that the …

US tech giant Nvidia announces India deals at AI summit

AFP - 2h ago

US artificial intelligence chip titan Nvidia unveiled tie-ups with Indian computing firms on Wednesday as tech companies …

Asian stocks up, oil market cautious

AFP - 4h ago

Asian stocks mostly rose Wednesday, while the oil market was cautious after prices dropped in the wake of Tehran's …

Uncut gems: Indian startups embrace AI despite job fears

AFP - 9h ago

Glinting under the exhibition centre lights, the gold brooch studded with gemstones on the startup founder's lapel was …

Zuckerberg to testify in landmark social media addiction trial

AFP - 10h ago

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to testify Wednesday at a groundbreaking social media addiction trial, summoned by …

How Latin American countries are responding to Cuba's oil crisis

AFP - 10h ago

The US oil embargo on Cuba has drawn varied responses across Latin America, ranging from offers of aid and political …

Struggling farmers find hope in India co-operative

AFP - 10h ago

Kiran Ramnath Waghchaure

UK manufacturers struggle under sky-high energy bills

AFP - 7h ago

Molten glass drops through chutes before being blown into bottles at manufacturer Encirc's northwest England plant, …

Oil prices fall back as 'hopeful' Tehran responds to Trump

Feb 17 2026

Shares vacillated and oil prices dropped back down Tuesday as Tehran gave an encouraging response during talks with US …

Bayer proposes class settlement for weedkiller cancer claims

Feb 17 2026

German agrichemical giant Bayer said Tuesday its subsidiary Monsanto had proposed a class settlement of up to $7.25 …

Greenland entrepreneur gambles on leafy greens

Feb 17 2026

Growing lettuce in the Arctic as a business venture? One Greenland entrepreneur believes in the idea, selling his house …

Warner Bros. gives Paramount one week to outbid Netflix

Feb 17 2026

Warner Bros. Discovery said Tuesday it will give Paramount Skydance a week to sweeten its buyout offer for the storied …

Warner Bros. says reopening talks with Paramount on its buyout offer

Feb 17 2026

Warner Bros. Discovery said Tuesday it has reopened talks with Paramount Skydance on its buyout offer, giving the …

AI 'arms race' risks human extinction, warns top computing expert

Feb 17 2026

Tech CEOs are locked in an artificial intelligence "arms race" that risks wiping out humanity, top computer science …

'Made in Europe' or 'Made with Europe'? Buy European push splits bloc

Feb 17 2026

Everyone in Europe agrees the EU needs to rescue its industry but the bloc is split over how far it should push a 'Buy …

Oil prices rise as Trump ramps up Iran threats

Feb 17 2026

Oil prices rose Tuesday after US President Donald Trump ramped up threats towards large crude producer Iran, as the two …

EU investigates Shein over sale of childlike sex dolls

Feb 17 2026

The EU on Tuesday opened an investigation into the online retail giant Shein over the sale of childlike sex dolls and …

Oil in spotlight as Trump's Iran warning rattles sleepy markets

Feb 17 2026

Oil prices were in focus Tuesday as US President Donald Trump ramped up threats towards Iran, shaking up markets subdued …

France's Macron eyes fighter jet deal in India

Feb 17 2026

French President Emmanuel Macron will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai on Tuesday, as he begins a …

Doctors, tourism, tobacco: Cuba buckling under US pressure

Feb 17 2026

Cuba's already shattered economy is being assailed on various fronts as US President Donald Trump has vowed to bring the …

Copper powers profit surge at Australia's BHP

Feb 16 2026

Australian resources giant BHP reported Tuesday a jump in half-year net profit boosted by demand for copper to meet the …

Stocks mixed, dollar up in subdued start to week

Feb 16 2026

European stock markets traded mixed and the dollar advanced in thin holiday trading Monday following a subdued showing …

Dutch inventor of hit game 'Kapla' dead at 80: family

Feb 16 2026

The Dutch inventor of hit wooden construction game Kapla, which has entertained children and inspired architects for …

Gold rush grips South African township

Feb 16 2026

The pockmarked earth on Johannesburg's eastern fringe, until last week a humble cattle kraal ringed with barbed wire, …

AI chatbots to face UK safety rules after outcry over Grok

Feb 16 2026

The UK government said Monday that it would include AI chatbots in online safety laws, closing a loophole exposed after …

Spain unveils public investment fund to tackle housing crisis

Feb 16 2026

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday presented a new public investment fund that he said would raise 120 …

European stocks, dollar up in subdued start to week

Feb 16 2026

European stock markets and the dollar advanced Monday following a subdued showing for Asian equities ahead of the Lunar …

India hosts AI summit as safety concerns grow

Feb 16 2026

A global artificial intelligence summit kicked off in New Delhi on Monday with big issues on the agenda, from job …

Nepal 'addicted' to the trade in its own people

Feb 16 2026

Rudra Bahadur Kami returned to Nepal through a back door of Kathmandu airport in a battered coffin after working for …

ByteDance vows to boost safeguards after AI model infringement claims

Feb 16 2026

Chinese tech giant ByteDance said it was taking steps to "strengthen current safeguards" after Hollywood heavyweights …

Asian markets sluggish as Lunar New Year holiday looms

Feb 16 2026

Asian markets were subdued on Monday, as the extended Lunar New Year holiday approached and Japan reported lacklustre …

India forced to defend US trade deal as doubts mount

Feb 16 2026

India is scrambling to defend a new trade deal with the United States that critics have branded as a surrender to …

Art and the deal: market slump pushes galleries to the Gulf

Feb 16 2026

With global sales mired in a slump, art dealers have turned to buyers in the oil-rich Gulf, where culture sector …

New world for users and brands as ads hit AI chatbots

Feb 15 2026

The introduction of advertisements and sponsored content in chatbots has spawned privacy concerns for AI users as brands …

World copper rush promises new riches for Zambia

Feb 15 2026

Five years after becoming Africa's first Covid-era debt defaulter, Zambia is seeing a dramatic turnaround in fortunes as …

India plans AI 'data city' on staggering scale

Feb 15 2026

As India races to narrow the artificial intelligence gap with the United States and China, it is planning a vast new …

Crash course: Vietnam's crypto boom goes bust

Feb 15 2026

As a first-year computer science student in Hanoi, Hoang Le started trading crypto from his university dorm room, egged …

US cattle farmers caught between high costs and weary consumers

Feb 15 2026

In rural Virginia, dozens of young cows belonging to Chris Stem graze by a frozen pond. He is living his childhood dream …

New York creatives squeezed out by high cost of living

Feb 15 2026

After 20 years as a makeup artist for TV and cinema, Noel Jacoboni sees few other options than to leave New York City, …

ECB to extend euro backstop to boost currency's global role

Feb 14 2026

The European Central Bank said Saturday it will expand access to its euro liquidity backstop to central banks worldwide, …

Cuba cancels cigar festival amid economic crisis

Feb 14 2026

Cuba on Saturday announced the cancellation of its iconic cigar festival, amid a major energy crisis sparked by US …

What does Greenland's mining industry look like?

Feb 14 2026

Greenland's natural resources, including potential vast rare earths deposits vital to the AI boom, have attracted …

Greenland prepares next generation for mining future

Feb 14 2026

At the Greenland School of Minerals and Petroleum, a dozen students in hi-viz vests and helmets are out for the day …

All-in on AI: what TikTok creator ByteDance did next

Feb 14 2026

After soaring to global attention with its hugely popular TikTok app, Chinese tech giant ByteDance is now positioning …

Stocks sluggish as AI disruption worries move to fore

Feb 13 2026

World stock indexes struggled for inspiration Friday as investors remained cautious after heavy selling of companies …

US consumer inflation eases more than expected to lowest since May

Feb 13 2026

Consumer inflation in the United States cooled slightly more than expected in January, government data showed Friday, as …

WTO chief urges China to shift on trade surplus

Feb 13 2026

The head of the World Trade Organization on Friday urged China to change its growth model, arguing that its soaring …

Ubisoft targets new decade of 'Rainbow 6' with China expansion

Feb 13 2026

Troubled French games giant Ubisoft will strive to project confidence this weekend with a massive esports event for its …

Stocks trend lower as AI disruption worries move to fore

Feb 13 2026

Stock indexes were mostly lower Friday as investors remained cautious after heavy selling of companies seen vulnerable …

Stocks mostly drop after Wall Street slide

Feb 13 2026

European and Asian stock markets mostly fell Friday following another tech-led plunge on Wall Street as investors …

China's fireworks heartland faces fizzling Lunar New Year sales

Feb 13 2026

A fiery crack of red and gold explodes above a village in China's pyrotechnics hub of Liuyang, where residents are …

L'Oreal shares sink as sales miss forecasts

Feb 13 2026

L'Oreal shares fell heavily on the Paris stock market on Friday after the cosmetics giant posted sales that fell short …

Asian stocks track Wall St down as traders rethink tech bets

Feb 13 2026

Asian stock markets fell on Friday following another tech-led plunge on Wall Street as investors reassess their vast AI …

Tourists empty out of Cuba as US fuel blockade bites

Feb 13 2026

With rolling power cuts, hotel closures, and flight routes suspended for lack of fuel, tourists are gradually emptying …

Asian stocks track Wall St down but AI shift tempers losses

Feb 13 2026

Most Asian stock markets fell Friday following another tech-led plunge on Wall Street as investors reassess their vast …

Tech shares pull back ahead of US inflation data

Feb 12 2026

Wall Street stocks tumbled Thursday following another pullback in tech shares as markets look ahead to a key inflation …

US lawmaker moves to shield oil companies from climate cases

Feb 12 2026

A US lawmaker is drafting legislation to block a wave of state and local climate-damage lawsuits against fossil fuel …

'Avatar' and 'Assassin's Creed' shore up troubled Ubisoft

Feb 12 2026

Strong performances from major franchises including an "Avatar" tie-in game and juggernaut "Assassin's Creed" buttressed …

Stocks diverge as all eyes on corporate earnings

Feb 12 2026

Stock markets diverged Thursday as traders digested a string of company earnings that mostly suggested economic …

Judge sets Feb 2027 date for Trump's $10bn lawsuit against BBC

Feb 12 2026

A federal judge in Florida on Thursday set a February 2027 trial date for US President Donald Trump's $10 billion …

Russia is cracking down on WhatsApp and Telegram. Here's what we know

Feb 12 2026

Russia announced Thursday it had blocked WhatsApp over its alleged failure to comply with Russian legislation, days …

Stocks rise as all eyes on corporate earnings

Feb 12 2026

Stock markets advanced Thursday as traders digested a string of company earnings that mostly suggested economic …

Turkey's central bank lifts 2026 inflation forecasts

Feb 12 2026

Turkey's central bank on Thursday increased its estimates for inflation as officials try to rein in soaring price …

Belgian police raid EU commission in real estate probe

Feb 12 2026

Police raided the premises of the European Commission in Brussels Thursday in a probe into a 2024 real estate deal done …

UK economy struggles for growth in fresh blow to government

Feb 12 2026

Britain's economy grew less than expected in the final quarter of 2025, according to official data Thursday, dealing a …

EU vows swift reforms to confront challenge from China, US

Feb 12 2026

EU leaders Thursday vowed to act boldly to bolster Europe's economy faced with twin threats from China and the United …

Mercedes-Benz net profit nearly halves amid China, US woes

Feb 12 2026

German carmaker Mercedes-Benz reported Thursday its lowest annual profit since the Covid pandemic, as it counted the …

European stocks rise tracking earnings, US jobs

Feb 12 2026

European stock markets rose Thursday as traders digested a string of company earnings and a stronger-than-expected US …

Hermes sales rise despite US tariffs, currency headwinds

Feb 12 2026

French luxury house Hermes reported Thursday an increase in 2025 sales even though it faced steep US tariffs and a weak …

Russia confirms ban on WhatsApp, says it failed to abide by law

Feb 12 2026

Russia has blocked the popular messaging service WhatsApp over its failure to comply with local legislation, the Kremlin …

Sanofi says board has removed CEO Paul Hudson

Feb 12 2026

French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi has removed Paul Hudson as chief executive, thanking him Thursday for "valuable …

Struggling Nissan forecasts $4.2 bn full-year net loss

Feb 12 2026

Japanese automaker Nissan said on Thursday it expected to suffer a net loss of 650 billion yen ($4.2 billion) in its …

Samsung starts mass production of next-gen AI memory chip

Feb 12 2026

Samsung Electronics announced Thursday it had started mass production of next-generation memory chips to power …

Taiwan leader wants greater defence cooperation with Europe: AFP interview 

Feb 12 2026

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te called for greater defence and AI cooperation between Taiwan and Europe, as the …

Markets mostly rise as stong US jobs data ease economy worries

Feb 12 2026

Equities mostly rose on Thursday as investors cheered a bumper US jobs report that eased concerns about the state of the …

Asia markets mixed as stong US jobs data temper rate expectations

Feb 12 2026

Stocks were mixed on Thursday as investors weighed a bumper US jobs report that eased concerns about the state of the …

Non-alcoholic wine: a booming business searching for quality

Feb 12 2026

Bertrand Degat, vineyard manager for French zero-alcohol wine producer French Bloom, winces visibly when recalling some …

Greece's Cycladic islands swept up in concrete fever

Feb 12 2026

On the sloping shoreline of the Greek Aegean island of Milos, a vast construction site has left a gaping wound into the …

EU leaders push to rescue European economy challenged by China, US

Feb 12 2026

EU leaders will converge on a Belgian castle on Thursday as the bloc seeks ways to punch its economic weight on the …

China carbon emissions 'flat or falling' in 2025: analysis

Feb 12 2026

China's emissions of planet-warming carbon dioxide were "flat or falling" in 2025, analysis showed Thursday, but …

'China shock': Germany struggles as key market turns business rival

Feb 12 2026

China was long a lucrative market for Germany Inc, but the Asian giant's rise in high-tech fields has put the heat on …

Most Asia markets rise as traders welcome US jobs

Feb 12 2026

Most equities rose Thursday as investors cheered a bumper US jobs report that eased concerns about the state of the …

US pushes for 'dramatic increase' in Venezuela oil output

Feb 11 2026

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright vowed Wednesday to power a "dramatic increase" in Venezuelan oil output as part of a …

Milei labor law reforms spark clashes in Buenos Aires

Feb 11 2026

Argentine protesters angry over a labor reform bill clashed with police Wednesday outside Congress, as lawmakers debated …

US stocks move sideways after January job growth tops estimates

Feb 11 2026

Wall Street stocks moved sideways Wednesday following solid US jobs data that boosted sentiment about the economy but …

US top official in Venezuela for oil talks after leader's ouster

Feb 11 2026

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright was in Venezuela on Wednesday for talks with acting president Delcy Rodriguez and oil …

TotalEnergies can do without Russian gas: CEO

Feb 11 2026

French fossil fuels giant TotalEnergies said Wednesday it will abide by a European ban on imports of Russian liquefied …

EU leaders push rival fixes to reverse bloc's 'decline'

Feb 11 2026

EU leaders told industry executives on Wednesday they were committed to transforming the bloc's lagging economy into a …

BMW recalls hundreds of thousands of cars over fire risk

Feb 11 2026

German carmaker BMW is to recall hundreds of thousands of cars worldwide over a potential risk of engine starters …

Stocks spin wheels despite upbeat US jobs data

Feb 11 2026

Optimism over better-than-expected jobs data in the United States proved short lived with stocks failing to hold onto …

xAI sees key staff exits, Musk promises moon factories

Feb 11 2026

Half of the original founding team at Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI has now departed after two …

US hiring soars past expectations as unemployment edges down

Feb 11 2026

US job growth beat expectations in January while unemployment crept down, official data showed Wednesday, defying …

Stock markets rise as US jobs data beats expectations

Feb 11 2026

World stock markets mostly rose on Wednesday as data showed US job growth beat expectations in January, reassuring …

WTO must reform, 'status quo is not an option': chief

Feb 11 2026

At a time of growing geopolitical tensions, the World Trade Organization must urgently reform itself, its chief said …

Tractors hit Madrid to protest EU's trade deal with South America

Feb 11 2026

Hundreds of honking tractors rolled into Madrid on Wednesday as Spanish farmers staged a protest against the European …

Dutch court orders investigation into China-owned Nexperia

Feb 11 2026

A Dutch court on Wednesday ordered a formal investigation into alleged mismanagement at Nexperia, a Chinese-owned chip …