Business and Economy



Stock markets climb, dollar dips as US votes

AFP - 3h ago

Major stock markets mostly rose and the dollar remained under pressure Tuesday as Americans cast votes in a knife-edge …

Boeing union approves contract, ending over 7-week strike

AFP - 4h ago

Striking workers at Boeing approved a new contract proposal late Monday, ending a more than seven-week stoppage that had …

Dutch, French authorities raid Netflix offices in tax probe

AFP - 5h ago

French and Dutch authorities raided streaming giant Netflix's offices in Paris and Amsterdam on Tuesday as part of a tax …

US writes off over $1 billion of Somalia debt

AFP - 8h ago

The United States and Somalia reached an agreement on Tuesday for Washington to cancel more than $1 billion debt owed by …

'Incalculable' bill awaits Spain after historic floods

AFP - 9h ago

Spain's deadliest floods in a generation ravaged one of the nation's key economic regions and will leave an enormous …

'Black day': French workers protest Michelin plans to close two plants

AFP - 9h ago

Michelin factory workers burnt tyres in western France on Tuesday and vowed to stage a strike after the tyre company …

US September trade deficit widest in over two years

AFP - 10h ago

The US trade deficit expanded in September to its widest since early 2022, government data showed Tuesday, as imports …

Stock markets rise, dollar falls as US votes

AFP - 2h ago

Major stock markets mostly rose and the dollar remained under pressure Tuesday as Americans cast votes in a knife-edge …

Saudi Aramco's quarterly profit drops 15% on low oil prices

AFP - 12h ago

Energy giant Saudi Aramco reported a 15 percent year-on-year drop in third quarter profit on Tuesday, citing prices …

Stock markets rise, dollar pressured as US votes

AFP - 4h ago

Major stock markets rose and the dollar remained under pressure Tuesday as the United States votes in a knife-edge …

Europe auto struggles lead to cuts at Michelin, Germany's Schaeffler

AFP - 3h ago

French tyre company Michelin said Tuesday it would close two French plants by early 2026 and German parts maker …

Norway speeds ahead of EU in race for fossil-free roads

AFP - 7h ago

On the quiet streets of an Oslo suburb, electric vehicles are parked in nearly every other driveway as Norway speeds …

China's premier 'fully confident' of hitting growth targets

AFP - 15h ago

Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Tuesday he was "fully confident" the country would hit its economic goals this year, …

Most Asian markets rise as US heads to polls in toss-up vote

AFP - 2h ago

Asian markets mostly rose Tuesday, a day before results from the US presidential election rolled in, with opinion polls …

Nintendo lowers sales forecast as first-half profits plunge

AFP - 18h ago

Nintendo downgraded its annual sales forecast on Tuesday as net profit plunged 60 percent year-on-year in the first …

Most Asian markets rise ahead of toss-up US election

AFP - 1h ago

Asian markets mostly rose Tuesday a day before results from the US presidential election rolled in, with opinion polls …

Greenland seeks to capitalise on 'last-chance tourism'

AFP - 18h ago

A frozen landscape with breathtaking views, Greenland wants to attract more tourists, but its remote location and …

Saudi Aramco says quarterly profit drops 15% on low oil prices

AFP - 39m ago

Energy giant Saudi Aramco reported a 15 percent year-on-year drop in third quarter profit on Tuesday, citing low oil …

Greenland eyes tourism takeoff with new airport runway

AFP - 20m ago

A new runway at Greenland's Nuuk airport that can accommodate international flights is expected to lift the tourism …

Boeing union says approves contract, ending over 7-week strike

AFP - 10h ago

Striking workers at Boeing approved a new contract proposal on Monday, ending a more than seven-week stoppage that had …

Asian markets swing ahead of toss-up US election

AFP - 4h ago

Asian markets fluctuated Tuesday as traders jockeyed for position a day before results from the US presidential election …

Quincy Jones, peerless music giant, dies at 91

AFP - 14h ago

Quincy Jones, the polymath hitmaker who ruled the American music industry with a magic touch for well over half a …

Striking workers weigh latest Boeing contract offer

Nov 04 2024

Striking workers at Boeing began voting Monday on the aerospace giant's latest contract proposal to end a bruising …

Stock markets hesitant before knife-edge US election

Nov 04 2024

European and US stock markets dipped while the dollar slid Monday as investors steel themselves for a coin-toss US …

Music mastermind Quincy Jones dies aged 91

Nov 04 2024

Quincy Jones, the impresario who dominated American music for decades and shaped the careers of stars including Michael …

Stock markets rise before knife-edge US election

Nov 04 2024

Global stock markets rose and the dollar slid Monday as investors steel themselves for a coin-toss US presidential …

Ryanair profit falls, growth hit by Boeing delays

Nov 04 2024

Irish budget airline Ryanair reported falling net profit for the second quarter on Monday and revised down its passenger …

Most markets rise ahead of US vote, China stimulus meeting

Nov 04 2024

Most markets rose Monday as investors steel themselves for a too-close-to-call US presidential election, while Chinese …

China to hash out stimulus plan with US elections in its sights

Nov 04 2024

China's top lawmakers gathered Monday to hash out a major stimulus package that analysts say could grow even bigger if …

Most Asian markets rise ahead of US vote, China stimulus meeting

Nov 04 2024

Most Asian markets rose Monday as investors steel themselves for a too-close-to-call US presidential election, while …

Climate finance billions at stake at COP29

Nov 04 2024

Rich nations will be under pressure at this month's UN COP29 conference to substantially increase the amount of money …

Asian markets rise ahead of US election, Chinese stimulus meeting

Nov 04 2024

Asian markets rose Monday as investors steel themselves for a too-close-to-call US presidential election, while Chinese …

US Fed to debate rate cut in shadow of presidential election

Nov 04 2024

The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to cut interest rates again this week, while votes are being counted in one of …

Striking Boeing workers set to vote on latest offer

Nov 04 2024

Striking workers at Boeing will vote Monday on the aerospace giant's latest contract proposal to end a bruising walkout …

Fading literature: Delhi's famed Urdu Bazaar on last legs

Nov 03 2024

In the bustling heart of Old Delhi, Indian bookseller Mohammed Mahfooz Alam sits forlorn in his quiet store, among the …

UN talks on saving nature stumble on finance hurdle

Nov 02 2024

The world's biggest nature conservation conference closed in Colombia on Saturday with no agreement on a roadmap to ramp …

Judge tosses New York plastic pollution lawsuit against PepsiCo

Nov 01 2024

A New York Supreme Court justice has thrown out an environmental pollution lawsuit against PepsiCo, in a blow to …

Nvidia to join Dow Jones Industrial Average, replacing Intel

Nov 01 2024

Chip giant Nvidia will join the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the iconic Wall Street index announced Friday, …

US stocks rebound on Amazon results ahead of Fed, election finale

Nov 01 2024

Wall Street stocks rebounded Friday from mixed tech earnings and investor jitters less than a week before a …

Famed Indian designer Rohit Bal dies: fashion group

Nov 01 2024

Rohit Bal, one of India's most acclaimed fashion designers, has died, his colleagues said Friday.

US hiring slowest since Biden took office, on strikes, hurricanes

Nov 01 2024

US job growth slowed drastically in October, hit temporarily by hurricanes and labor strikes, in a final major economic …

Wall Street bounces while oil prices climb on Middle East worries

Nov 01 2024

Wall Street stocks rebounded Friday from tame tech earnings and investor jitters less than a week before a neck-and-neck …

Kenya reintroduces tax reforms with new deputy president

Nov 01 2024

Kenya plans to reintroduce some of the tax hikes that sparked deadly protests earlier this year, the government …

Wall Street bounces while oil prices gain on geopolitical fears

Nov 01 2024

Wall Street stocks rebounded Friday from tame tech earnings and investor jitters less than a week before a neck-and-neck …

ExxonMobil profits dip as it gives back almost $10 bn to investors

Nov 01 2024

ExxonMobil reported a dip in third-quarter profits Friday on lower earnings from its refining business, but the results …

Global stocks diverge, oil prices gain on geopolitical fears

Nov 01 2024

Global stock markets diverged Friday after tame tech earnings and investor jitters less than a week before a …

Asian stocks mostly fall, tracking global slide

Nov 01 2024

Asian markets mostly fell Friday, tracking a global slide in stocks fuelled by tame tech earnings and investor jitters …

French brushmakers stage 'comeback' with pivot to luxury market

Nov 01 2024

French brushmakers are shifting to luxury and niche markets to survive rising costs and redundancy, as they see their …

Indonesia adds Google Pixel phones to ban list with iPhone 16

Nov 01 2024

Indonesia has banned the sale of Google Pixel phones over the tech giant's failure to meet investment regulations, its …

US election race awaits employment data

Nov 01 2024

The United States unveils its monthly employment figures Friday –- a final major economic snapshot at the end of a …

In US swing state Pennsylvania, inflation means 'rent or eating'

Nov 01 2024

In Pennsylvania, the biggest swing state prize in the US presidential election, renters -- whether still working or …

Boeing again raises offer to end strike, union to vote Monday

Nov 01 2024

US aviation giant Boeing has once again improved the conditions in its contract offer to thousands of striking workers, …

Apple narrowly beats estimates with boost from iPhone sales

Oct 31 2024

Apple reported revenues Thursday that narrowly surpassed analyst expectations, sending shares lower in after-hours …

Bolivia's breadbasket squeezed by pro-Morales blockades

Oct 31 2024

At a wholesale market in the central Bolivian city of Cochabamba, farmer Damaris Masias watches through tears as 10 …

US election, tech jitters rattle global stocks

Oct 31 2024

Global stocks slid Thursday as investors fretted over results from tech giants and remained risk-averse ahead of a …

Musk's millions: Five ways the world's richest man helps Trump

Oct 31 2024

In an extraordinary twist that has upended an already unpredictable election, the world's richest man has become Donald …

OpenAI releases ChatGPT search engine, taking on Google

Oct 31 2024

OpenAI on Thursday beefed up its ChatGPT generative AI chatbot with search engine capabilities, as the startup takes on …

Musk a no-show at $1 mn giveaway US court hearing

Oct 31 2024

Billionaire Elon Musk dodged a Philadelphia court hearing on Thursday after asking to move a lawsuit seeking to halt his …

US Fed's favored inflation gauge cools in September

Oct 31 2024

The US Federal Reserve's preferred inflation measure cooled further last month and now sits just above its long-term …

Global stocks slide on US election, tech worries

Oct 31 2024

Global stocks slid Thursday as investors digested disappointing tech results and remained risk-adverse ahead of a …

EU probes shopping app Temu over illegal products

Oct 31 2024

The EU on Thursday hit Chinese-founded shopping platform Temu with a probe over concerns the site is doing too little to …

Musk to appear in court as part of Trump campaign suit

Oct 31 2024

Billionaire Elon Musk was expected in court in Philadelphia on Thursday, after a judge ordered him to attend a hearing …

Sales slump 27% at carmaker Stellantis

Oct 31 2024

Stellantis, the carmaker which owns the Jeep, Peugeot and Fiat brands, said Thursday that its sales fell 27 percent in …

Global stocks decline after weak Wall Street lead

Oct 31 2024

European and Asian stocks were mostly down Thursday following a weak lead from Wall Street, as investors digested mixed …

Eurozone inflation rebounds more than expected in October

Oct 31 2024

The eurozone's annual inflation rate rebounded more than expected in October due to rising food costs, official data …

Hong Kong economic growth misses forecast in third quarter: data

Oct 31 2024

Hong Kong's economic growth in the third quarter missed analyst estimates as private consumption weakened, according to …

Samsung Q3 operating profits soar to $6.6 bn, miss forecast

Oct 31 2024

South Korea's Samsung Electronics said Thursday that its operating profits soared 277 percent on-year to $6.6 billion …

Asian stocks mostly down after weak Wall Street lead

Oct 31 2024

Asian stocks were mostly down on Thursday following a weak lead from Wall Street, though better-than-expected …

All eyes on US TV networks for 'high stakes' election night

Oct 31 2024

Facing a results vacuum that could grind on for weeks, US TV networks are preparing to fill the airwaves against a …

Bank of Japan warns of 'high uncertainties' after election

Oct 31 2024

The Bank of Japan warned Thursday of "high uncertainties" following the ruling party's worst election result in 15 …

China factory output expands for first time in six months

Oct 31 2024

China's manufacturing output expanded this month for the first time since April, official data showed Thursday, rare …

Asian stocks uneven after shaky Wall Street lead

Oct 31 2024

Asian stocks got off to an uneven start on Thursday following a weak lead from Wall Street, though better-than-expected …

Striking Boeing workers aim to restore old retirement program

Oct 31 2024

Some 33,000 Boeing workers have been on strike for seven weeks after twice voting down labor contracts, with the latest …

Meta shows strong growth as AI spending surges

Oct 30 2024

Facebook owner Meta saw net income and revenues top expectations on Wednesday as the company said it would expand …

Microsoft beats expectations, but AI concerns force shares down

Oct 30 2024

Microsoft delivered solid quarterly results on Wednesday, beating analyst expectations with revenue jumping 16 percent …

Argentina hit by massive transport strike

Oct 30 2024

Planes, trains, trucks and taxis ground to a halt in Argentina on Wednesday in a major one-day strike over President …

Stocks mostly retreat, bitcoin close to record high

Oct 30 2024

Stock markets largely fell Wednesday as investors digested a mixed bag of economic data and corporate reports, while …

Volkswagen sees 'painful' cost cuts ahead as profit plunges

Oct 30 2024

Ailing auto giant Volkswagen warned Wednesday that "painful" cost cuts were unavoidable as third-quarter profit …

UK's Labour govt hikes taxes in first budget

Oct 30 2024

Britain's new Labour government on Wednesday announced major tax hikes and higher borrowing to meet Prime Minister Keir …

Stocks diverge, bitcoin close to record high

Oct 30 2024

Stock markets diverged Wednesday as they digested a mixed bag of economic data and corporate reports, while bitcoin …

Eurozone economy grows more than expected

Oct 30 2024

The eurozone economy grew faster than expected between July and September, buoyed by Germany's surprise expansion, …

US economic growth solid despite slight slowdown as election nears

Oct 30 2024

The US economy saw resilient growth in the third quarter despite a modest slowdown according to government data …

Germany dodges recession but inflation rises sharply

Oct 30 2024

Germany dodged a technical recession after posting surprise growth in the third quarter, official data showed Wednesday, …

Riyadh Air orders 60 Airbus planes

Oct 30 2024

Saudi Arabia's new national airline, Riyadh Air, announced on Wednesday it has ordered 60 narrow-body aircraft from …

Stocks falter, bitcoin close to record high

Oct 30 2024

Major stock markets mostly dropped Wednesday after a mixed bag of economic data and corporate reports, while bitcoin …

UBS smashes forecasts with $1.4 bn net profit

Oct 30 2024

Swiss banking giant UBS said Wednesday it earned a net profit of $1.4 billion in the third quarter, beating analyst …

Chinese EV giant BYD beats Tesla in quarterly revenue for first time

Oct 30 2024

Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD reported surging sales on Wednesday, surpassing global rival Tesla in quarterly …

US economic growth solid but below expectations as election nears

Oct 30 2024

The US economy undershot expectations in the third quarter even as growth remained resilient, according to government …

Eurozone economy grows faster than expected

Oct 30 2024

The eurozone economy grew more than expected in the third quarter, official data showed Wednesday, thanks to Germany …

Worries for Japan economy after election shock

Oct 30 2024

Political uncertainty after Japan's election shock risks slowing economic reforms, pushing up government spending and …

Germany dodges recession, posts surprise growth on spending boost

Oct 30 2024

The German economy unexpectedly grew in the third quarter as domestic spending increased, official data showed …

Bitcoin close to record as cautious markets eye US election

Oct 30 2024

Bitcoin was close to $73,000 in Asian trade Wednesday, approaching a record high with investors keeping a cautious eye …

Volkswagen profit plunges on high costs, Chinese slump

Oct 30 2024

Europe's biggest carmaker Volkswagen reported a 64-percent drop in third-quarter net profit Wednesday, as it struggles …

Industrial slump leaves Germany on brink of recession

Oct 30 2024

German output likely contracted again in the third quarter as an industrial slump drags on, official data is expected to …

US economy's solid growth unlikely to register at ballot box

Oct 30 2024

The US economy is set to report another quarter of solid growth Wednesday, less than a week before the presidential …

UK's Labour govt prepares to deliver decisive first budget

Oct 30 2024

Britain's new Labour government unveils its first budget on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer warning of tax …

Beijing files WTO complaint over EU's new taxes on Chinese EVs

Oct 30 2024

Beijing said Wednesday it had lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organization over the European Union's decision to …

'New wave' as start-up sweeps up Thai ocean plastic

Oct 30 2024

As a long-tail boat arrives at a fishing village on the southern Thai island of Koh Chang, residents gather to sell …

EU's extra tariffs of up to 35.3% on Chinese EVs angers Beijing

Oct 30 2024

The EU's decision to impose hefty tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars prompted anger from Beijing on Wednesday, after …

Who should get paid for nature's sequenced genes?

Oct 30 2024

Much of the vanilla that flavors our ice cream today is artificial, derived from the genetic signature of a plant that …

EU slaps extra tariffs of up to 35.3% on Chinese EVs

Oct 30 2024

The EU on Tuesday decided to impose hefty tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars after an anti-subsidy probe concluded …

Google reports strong growth driven by AI, cloud

Oct 29 2024

Google's parent company Alphabet reported robust third-quarter results on Tuesday, with revenue climbing 15 percent …