Business and Economy
HSBC targets $1.5 bn in annual cost savings after revamp
AFP - 30m ago
Banking giant HSBC said Wednesday that CEO Georges Elhedery's plan since October to simplify the company's structure and …
Full Story »
Vietnam parliament approves $8 billion rail link to China
AFP - 57m ago
Vietnam's parliament on Wednesday approved plans for an $8 billion rail link from its largest northern port city to the …
Full Story »
Asian markets swing as traders assess latest tariffs volley
AFP - 1h ago
Asian markets were mixed Wednesday after President Donald Trump broadened his tariff threats, while traders were also …
Full Story »
US tariffs threat a 'shock' to Canadian businesses
AFP - 3h ago
Donald Trump's threats of import tariffs have sent shockwaves through Canada, forcing businesses to question their …
Full Story »
US lawmakers confirm Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary
AFP - 4h ago
The US Senate voted Tuesday to confirm Wall Street billionaire Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary, a key step towards …
Full Story »
China condemns US 'tariff shocks' at WTO
Feb 18 2025
The sweeping tariffs threatened or already imposed by US President Donald Trump risk triggering inflation, market …
Full Story »
Global stocks unfazed as US and Russia hold talks
Feb 18 2025
Global stock markets held largely steady on Tuesday as top US and Russian diplomats held their first high-level …
Full Story »
Meta plans undersea cable to link five continents
Feb 18 2025
Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta has said it will lay an undersea cable stretching across five continents to …
Full Story »
US lawmakers due to confirm Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary
Feb 18 2025
The US Senate is expected to confirm Wall Street billionaire Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary Tuesday, a key step …
Full Story »
Global stocks steady as US and Russia hold talks
Feb 18 2025
Global stock markets held largely steady on Tuesday as top US and Russian diplomats held their first since Russia's …
Full Story »
German auto supplier Continental to cut 3,000 more jobs
Feb 18 2025
German auto supplier Continental said Tuesday it will cut a further 3,000 jobs by the end of 2026, the latest sign of …
Full Story »
After Trump tariffs, EU must urgently revamp economy: Draghi
Feb 18 2025
Radically changing the European economy is more urgent than ever after US threats of a trade war with the EU, the author …
Full Story »
Global stocks mixed as US and Russia hold talks
Feb 18 2025
Global stock markets traded mixed Tuesday as investors awaited the outcome of the first meeting between top US and …
Full Story »
UK court backs £3 bn loan for indebted Thames Water
Feb 18 2025
A court on Tuesday approved a £3 billion ($3.8 billion) emergency loan for Britain's largest water supplier Thames …
Full Story »
German 'bureaucracy monster' on everyone's election hit list
Feb 18 2025
German politicians make a lot of laws and regulations but on the campaign trail many rage against the country's …
Full Story »
Asian markets mixed as traders pare Hong Kong tech rally
Feb 18 2025
Asian markets were mixed Tuesday with Hong Kong resuming its tech-led rally after a meeting between President Xi Jinping …
Full Story »
Tesla begins hiring in India after Musk and Modi meet
Feb 18 2025
Electric vehicle maker Tesla has begun hiring in India, with the company of tycoon Elon Musk issuing advertisements days …
Full Story »
Musk launches 'scary smart' AI chatbot
Feb 18 2025
Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company unveiled on Monday the latest version of its chatbot, Grok 3, which the …
Full Story »
Tech rally helps Hong Kong lead Asian markets higher
Feb 18 2025
Hong Kong resumed its tech-led rally on a healthy day for Asian markets Tuesday as a meeting between President Xi …
Full Story »
Argentina's Milei denies role in 'cryptogate' as prosecutors launch probe
Feb 18 2025
Argentine President Javier Milei on Monday denied promoting a cryptocurrency that crashed, losing investors billions of …
Full Story »
Argentine prosecutors to probe Milei over 'cryptogate'
Feb 17 2025
Argentine prosecutors will investigate President Javier Milei for promoting a cryptocurrency that crashed, losing …
Full Story »
European markets rise ahead of Ukraine war talks
Feb 17 2025
European markets rose on Monday as defence stocks surged ahead of a meeting between European leaders to address …
Full Story »
WHO chief urges pandemic accord action after US withdrawal
Feb 17 2025
The head of the World Health Organization insisted on Monday it was "now or never" to strike a landmark global accord on …
Full Story »
Italy probing Amazon over 1.2b euros in third-party seller VAT
Feb 17 2025
Italian prosecutors are examining whether online giant Amazon.com evaded 1.2 billion euros in value-added tax (VAT) it …
Full Story »
Starmer to meet Trump 'next week': UK govt
Feb 17 2025
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet US President Donald Trump in Washington next week to discuss a "wide range of …
Full Story »
China's Xi tells business leaders private sector challenges 'surmountable'
Feb 17 2025
Chinese President Xi Jinping said Monday that challenges facing the country's embattled private sector were …
Full Story »
'Now or never' for pandemic accord, says WHO chief after US pulls out
Feb 17 2025
The head of the World Health Organization insisted on Monday it was "now or never" to strike a landmark global accord on …
Full Story »
Sri Lanka budget banks on car taxes to boost coffers
Feb 17 2025
Sri Lanka is banking on vehicle import taxes to boost revenue and revive the island nation's battered economy, leftist …
Full Story »
Stock markets start week on mixed note
Feb 17 2025
Markets fluctuated on Monday as investors assessed the global economic outlook while US President Donald Trump pushes …
Full Story »
DeepSeek removed from South Korea app stores pending privacy review
Feb 17 2025
Chinese AI app DeepSeek will not be available to download in South Korea pending a review of its handling of user data, …
Full Story »
Most Asian markets start week on positive note
Feb 17 2025
Asian markets mostly rose on Monday as investors assessed the global economic outlook while US President Donald Trump …
Full Story »
Online shopping giants bet on AI to curb clothes returns
Feb 17 2025
From sizing advice via selfies to robot stock-takers, online shopping behemoths have increasingly turned to artificial …
Full Story »
China's Xi meets business leaders including Alibaba's Jack Ma
Feb 17 2025
Chinese President Xi Jinping held a meeting Monday with top private business leaders including Alibaba co-founder Jack …
Full Story »
End of the road for Kolkata's beloved yellow taxis
Feb 17 2025
Kolkata locals cherish their city's past, which is why many in the one-time Indian capital are mourning a vanishing …
Full Story »
S. Korea says DeepSeek removed from local app stores pending privacy review
Feb 17 2025
South Korean authorities said Monday that DeepSeek would not be available from local app stores pending a review of the …
Full Story »
Japan 2024 growth slows despite stronger fourth quarter
Feb 17 2025
Japan's economic growth slowed sharply last year, official data showed Monday, although the rate for the fourth quarter …
Full Story »
Musk says chatbot Grok 3 will be unveiled Monday
Feb 16 2025
Elon Musk said his startup xAI will release its Grok 3 chatbot on Monday and billed it as the "smartest AI on Earth" in …
Full Story »
Cryptocurrency promoted by Argentina's Milei crashes
Feb 16 2025
Argentina's President Javier Milei admitted making a mistake on Saturday after promoting a cryptocurrency whose value …
Full Story »
Trump tariffs fuel US auto anxiety
Feb 16 2025
A flood of presidential trade policy announcements has kept US automakers on edge since Donald Trump returned to the …
Full Story »
Late trains, old bridges, no signal: Germany's infrastructure woes
Feb 16 2025
Running late and vastly over budget, a mammoth rail project stands as a monument to what critics say is Germany's …
Full Story »
China winter sports sector zooms along despite climate risk ahead
Feb 16 2025
Packed slopes, plush turtle butt pads and 11-dollar passes: this is low-cost skiing in China, where winter sports are on …
Full Story »
Trump tariffs loom large in South Korea's 'steel city'
Feb 16 2025
Smoke billows from chimneys as factories churn in South Korea's steelmaking heartland, now under threat from …
Full Story »
Spanish tourist hotspot Malaga to ban horse-drawn carriages
Feb 15 2025
A pair of tourists admire the shimmering Mediterranean from their horse-drawn carriage on the seaside promenade in …
Full Story »
OpenAI board rejects Elon Musk-led buyout offer
Feb 15 2025
OpenAI's board chairman on Friday said it has unanimously rejected an Elon Musk-led offer to buy the hot artificial …
Full Story »
Global stocks buffeted by tariff threats and data
Feb 14 2025
Stock markets diverged and the dollar dipped on Friday as traders tracked US President Donald Trump's latest tariff …
Full Story »
Tunisian startup takes on e-waste challenge
Feb 14 2025
Engineer turned social entrepreneur Sabri Cheriha hunches over a washing machine at a small depot in a suburb of …
Full Story »
Brazil's Lula threatens 'reciprocity' in US steel tariff row
Feb 14 2025
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Friday vowed "reciprocity" in response to a 25-percent levy on steel …
Full Story »
US retail sales battered by severe weather in January
Feb 14 2025
US retail sales plunged by the most in almost two years in January -- a bigger drop than forecast and one that follows …
Full Story »
Russian central bank sharply raises inflation forecast
Feb 14 2025
Russia's central bank sharply raised its inflation forecast for 2025 on Friday, warning there was no sign rocketing …
Full Story »
US retail sales see biggest drop in nearly two years on harsh weather
Feb 14 2025
US retail sales plunged by the most in almost two years last month as cold weather hit the country alongside wildfires …
Full Story »
Bordeaux wine harvest drops to lowest level since 1991
Feb 14 2025
Cold weather, disease and capacity cuts pushed wine production in France's Bordeaux region last year to a low not seen …
Full Story »
Stocks diverge, dollar dips tracking Trump tariffs
Feb 14 2025
Stock markets diverged and the dollar dipped Friday as traders tracked US President Donald Trump's latest tariff …
Full Story »
Alibaba shares soar on reports of potential Xi meeting with Jack Ma
Feb 14 2025
Alibaba shares soared by more than six percent on Friday following reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping was poised …
Full Story »
Japan to release emergency rice reserves to fight runaway inflation
Feb 14 2025
The Japanese government said Friday it will release a fifth of its emergency rice stockpile after hot weather, poor …
Full Story »
Most Asian stocks rise as US tariff delays give breathing space
Feb 14 2025
Asian markets mostly rose Friday in line with a rally on Wall Street as traders were buoyed by news that US President …
Full Story »
Taiwan's Lai vows more investment in US as chip tariffs loom
Feb 14 2025
Taiwan will boost investment in the United States and on its own defences, President Lai Ching-te said Friday, as Taipei …
Full Story »
Most Asian stocks rise as US tariffs give breathing space
Feb 14 2025
Asian markets mostly rose Friday in line with a rally on Wall Street as traders were buoyed by news that Donald Trump's …
Full Story »
After the party, Mexican agave farmers face tequila hangover
Feb 14 2025
From George Clooney to LeBron James, American celebrities have cashed in on tequila's soaring popularity. But in Mexico, …
Full Story »
Outdated showers, inefficient toilets: Trump's nostalgia for retro ways
Feb 14 2025
Old-school gas stoves, generous showerheads, delicate light bulbs.
Full Story »
What are Trump's reciprocal tariffs and who may be hit?
Feb 14 2025
President Donald Trump's plan for "reciprocal tariffs" on US trading partners are set to spark a flurry of negotiations …
Full Story »
Trump unveils 'reciprocal tariffs' plan targeting friends and foes
Feb 13 2025
US President Donald Trump inked plans Thursday for sweeping "reciprocal tariffs" that could hit both allies and …
Full Story »
Stocks mostly up on Ukraine peace hopes, shrugging off latest US tariff talk
Feb 13 2025
Major stock markets mostly rose Thursday on hopes for an end to the war in Ukraine and as US President Trump announced a …
Full Story »
Argentina records lowest monthly inflation in 4.5 years
Feb 13 2025
Argentina recorded a monthly inflation rate of 2.2 percent in January, the lowest in 4.5 years, the INDEC national …
Full Story »
Trump launches 'reciprocal tariffs' targeting allies and adversaries
Feb 13 2025
US President Donald Trump inked plans Thursday for sweeping "reciprocal tariffs" hitting both allies and competitors, in …
Full Story »
Turkey fines Adidas $15,000 for pigskin shoes
Feb 13 2025
Turkey has hit German sporting equipment giant Adidas with a fine of more than $15,000 for failing to inform customers …
Full Story »
Ubisoft revenue drops after game flops, 'Assassin's Creed' delays
Feb 13 2025
A run of new-release flops and the delay of the latest “Assassin’s Creed” instalment sent revenue at French games giant …
Full Story »
Mexico threatens to sue Google over 'Gulf of America' name change
Feb 13 2025
Mexico on Thursday threatened to sue Google over its changing the Gulf of Mexico's name to "Gulf of America" for Maps …
Full Story »
Swedish video game maker wants industry to stop chasing money
Feb 13 2025
Swedish-Lebanese filmmaker-turned-game-developer Josef Fares is on a mission to put storytelling first in video games, …
Full Story »
Bezos's Blue Origin rocket firm to cut 10% of workforce
Feb 13 2025
Jeff Bezos's rocket company Blue Origin is laying off around 10 percent of its workforce following a period of rapid …
Full Story »
US State Dept walks back purported $400 mn Tesla contract
Feb 13 2025
The US State Department backtracked Thursday on a document saying it would award $400 million for electric armored cars …
Full Story »
Stocks mostly rise, oil falls as Trump fans Ukraine peace hopes
Feb 13 2025
Major stock markets mostly rallied and oil prices retreated Thursday on hopes for an end to the war in Ukraine and …
Full Story »
What next for Honda and Nissan?
Feb 13 2025
Honda and Nissan on Thursday announced the scrapping of merger talks that would have created the world's third-biggest …
Full Story »
President Trump says US 'reciprocal tariffs' to be announced Thursday
Feb 13 2025
US President Donald Trump said that he would announce "reciprocal tariffs" on trading partners Thursday, opening new …
Full Story »
Japan's Honda and Nissan scrap merger talks
Feb 13 2025
Japanese auto giants Honda and Nissan confirmed on Thursday they had scrapped merger talks that would have created the …
Full Story »
German sports carmaker Porsche to cut 1,900 jobs
Feb 13 2025
Sports car manufacturer Porsche said Thursday it will axe 1,900 jobs after sales slumped in China and amid a tricky …
Full Story »
French game developers mark first industry-wide strike
Feb 13 2025
French video game workers on Thursday hit the pause button in a first-ever sector-wide walkout over work conditions and …
Full Story »
Nestle sales beat forecast after price hikes
Feb 13 2025
Swiss food giant Nestle reported better-than-expected annual sales on Thursday, boosting its shares after the maker of …
Full Story »
What are reciprocal tariffs and who might be affected?
Feb 13 2025
US President Donald Trump has threatened to broaden his trade war by unveiling reciprocal tariffs Thursday, the latest …
Full Story »
UK economy picks up ahead of US tariff risks
Feb 13 2025
Britain's economy surprisingly picked up at the end of last year, official data showed Thursday, relieving some pressure …
Full Story »
Facebook, TikTok harden EU commitment to tackle disinformation -- but not X
Feb 13 2025
Digital titans including Facebook and TikTok formally pledged to ramp up the fight against disinformation in the EU, …
Full Story »
PSG president Al-Khelaifi charged in French corporate abuse of power probe: source
Feb 13 2025
French judicial authorities have charged the president of Paris Saint-Germain football club, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, with …
Full Story »
Pesticides causing widespread harm to animals and plants: study
Feb 13 2025
Pesticides are significantly harming wildlife across the planet, stunting growth, damaging reproduction and even causing …
Full Story »
Unilever announces profit slump on Russia exit
Feb 13 2025
British consumer goods giant Unilever on Thursday announced falling net profits for 2024, hit by exiting Russia and …
Full Story »
Sony hikes profit forecast on strong gaming business
Feb 13 2025
Japanese entertainment and electronics giant Sony upgraded its annual net profit forecast to $7.0 billion on Thursday …
Full Story »
UK economy picks up, boosting govt amid US tariffs
Feb 13 2025
Britain's economy picked up at the end of last year, official data showed Thursday, relieving some pressure on the …
Full Story »
Asian stocks rise, oil falls as Trump fans Ukraine peace hopes
Feb 13 2025
Asian markets mostly rose Thursday and oil prices extended losses as forecast-topping US inflation was overshadowed by …
Full Story »
Germany's Commerzbank to cut jobs to fight off UniCredit
Feb 13 2025
German lender Commerzbank said Thursday it plans to cut about 3,900 jobs, around 10 percent of its workforce, seeking to …
Full Story »
Trump threats to South Africa rattle automakers
Feb 13 2025
South Africa exports vehicles worth about $1.9 billion every year, many to the United States under a trade deal now in …
Full Story »
Tens of thousands go hungry in Sudan after Trump aid freeze
Feb 13 2025
For the first time in nearly two years of war, soup kitchens in famine-stricken Sudan are being forced to turn people …
Full Story »
Facing egg shortage, Americans bring chickens home to roost
Feb 13 2025
A Houston poultry supply company is selling chickens like there is no tomorrow, as sky-high prices for eggs prompt some …
Full Story »
China's 2024 coal projects threaten climate goals: report
Feb 13 2025
China last year began construction on projects with the greatest combined coal power capacity since 2015, jeopardising …
Full Story »
US stocks mostly lower on inflation, euro gains on Ukraine peace hopes
Feb 12 2025
Wall Street stocks mostly fell Wednesday after US inflation data exceeded expectations, while the euro strengthened on …
Full Story »
Trump says to sign order on reciprocal tariffs today or tomorrow
Feb 12 2025
US President Donald Trump committed Wednesday to announcing "reciprocal tariffs" on other countries, saying he could …
Full Story »
Trump blames Biden for unexpected uptick in US inflation
Feb 12 2025
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday blamed his predecessor Joe Biden for last month's unexpected acceleration in …
Full Story »
Chevron to cut 15-20% of workforce by end of 2026: company
Feb 12 2025
Chevron will cut 15 to 20 percent of its workforce as part of a reorganization to save money and to position the oil …
Full Story »
Trump's 25% steel, aluminum tariffs add on to Canada and Mexico duties: W.House
Feb 12 2025
US President Donald Trump's planned 25-percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports will stack on the hefty duties …
Full Story »
Canadian steel firms face turmoil after US 'stab in the back'
Feb 12 2025
When Shale Tobe heard President Donald Trump planned to impose tariffs on Canadian steel, a product that has supported …
Full Story »
US consumer inflation unexpectedly up, Trump blames Biden
Feb 12 2025
US consumer inflation unexpectedly accelerated last month, data showed Wednesday, in a moment of potential political …
Full Story »
US stocks fall as inflation unexpectedly heats up
Feb 12 2025
US stock markets tumbled on Wednesday as an inflation reading came in hotter than expected, fanning fears that the …
Full Story »
US trade deficits at core of Trump tariff moves
Feb 12 2025
Imposing punitive tariffs on countries with high trade surpluses with the United States has been at the heart of US …
Full Story »
Hit by Trump, Canada and EU seek comfort in numbers
Feb 12 2025
Buffeted by tariffs and threats from Washington, the European Union and Canada hailed their "friendship" and discussed …
Full Story »
Bankrupt ex-Turkey operator of KFC, Pizza Hut says wages to be paid
Feb 12 2025
The former operator of the KFC and Pizza Hut franchises in Turkey on Wednesday promised to pay the outstanding salaries …
Full Story »