Business and Economy



Spotify says active users up 11 percent in fourth quarter to 751 mn

AFP - 21m ago

Music streaming giant Spotify said Tuesday that its number of monthly active users reached 751 million at the end of its …

AstraZeneca profit jumps as cancer drug sales grow

AFP - 55m ago

British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca said Tuesday that its net profit jumped 45 percent last year on strong sales of …

Stocks mostly rise tracking tech, earnings

AFP - 59m ago

Stock markets mostly rose Tuesday as traders assessed company earnings and the outlook for the tech sector, ahead of key …

BP profits slide awaiting new CEO

AFP - 1h ago

British oil giant BP announced Tuesday an 86 percent slide in annual net profit, hit by lower crude prices and a huge …

Trump tariffs hurt French wine and spirits exports

AFP - 1h ago

US tariffs hit French wine and spirits shipments hard last year, playing a major role in the overall drop of eight …

Gucci owner Kering sees profit plunge but sales stabilise

AFP - 2h ago

French luxury group Kering reported Tuesday a steep fall in net profit but forecast a return to growth as sales declines …

Asian markets extend gains as Tokyo enjoys another record day

AFP - 2h ago

Asian shares extended gains Tuesday following a Wall Street rally, with Tokyo's Nikkei jumping more than two percent to …

Solar, wind capacity growth slowed last year, analysis shows

AFP - 4h ago

Planned or under-construction solar and wind projects slowed last year, analysis showed Tuesday, casting doubts on …

Back to black: Philips posts first annual profit since 2021

AFP - 4h ago

Dutch electronics and medical device manufacturer Philips said Tuesday that it had bounced back into the black in 2025, …

New York seeks rights for beloved but illegal 'bodega cats'

AFP - 8h ago

Simba, a large cat with thick ginger and white fur, is one of thousands of felines that live in New York's corner shops …

Unions rip American Airlines CEO on performance

AFP - 9h ago

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom faced pressure Monday from labor unions frustrated with the carrier's financial …

Emergency measures hobble Cuba as fuel supplies dwindle under US pressure

AFP - 11h ago

Havana's streets were eerily quiet Monday as emergency measures kicked in to conserve Cuba's fast-dwindling fuel stocks …

Five employees of Canadian mining company confirmed dead in Mexico

Feb 09 2026

Mexican prosecutors on Monday confirmed the deaths of five of 10 employees of a Canadian mining company who were …

YouTube star MrBeast buys youth-focused banking app

Feb 09 2026

MrBeast, the world's most popular YouTuber, has purchased a Gen Z-focused banking app, he said Monday, marking another …

Tokyo stocks strike record high after Japanese premier wins vote

Feb 09 2026

Japanese stocks surged to a record high Monday as investors cheered Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's victory in a snap …

Three missing employees of Canadian miner found dead in Mexico

Feb 09 2026

Three of the 10 employees of a Canadian mining company who were kidnapped two weeks ago in Mexico's violence-plagued …

Discord adopts facial recognition in child safety crackdown

Feb 09 2026

Messaging platform Discord announced Monday it will implement enhanced safety features for teenage users globally, …

EU chief backs Made-in-Europe push for 'strategic' sectors

Feb 09 2026

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Monday backed a push to favour European firms over foreign rivals in "strategic" …

EU warns Meta it must open up WhatsApp to rival AI chatbots

Feb 09 2026

The EU executive told Meta on Monday that it must let rival AI chatbots use its WhatsApp platform, after an antitrust …

Macron backs ripping up vines as French wine sales dive

Feb 09 2026

French President Emmanuel Macron insisted Monday that ripping up unprofitable grape vines was a necessary part of …

Bank of France governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau to step down in June

Feb 09 2026

Bank of France governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau, who is also a member of the European Central Bank's rate-setting …

Tokyo stocks hit record high after Japanese premier wins vote

Feb 09 2026

Japanese stocks surged to a record high Monday as investors cheered Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's victory in a snap …

Stocks track Wall St rally as Tokyo hits record on Takaichi win

Feb 09 2026

Japanese stocks surged to a record high Monday following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's election win, while healthy …

Asian stocks track Wall St rally as Tokyo hits record on Takaichi win

Feb 09 2026

Japanese stocks surged to a record high Monday following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's election win, while healthy …

Japan's Takaichi may struggle to soothe voters and markets

Feb 09 2026

Japanese stocks soared to record highs Monday after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's election triumph, but experts warned …

French police arrest six over crypto-linked magistrate kidnapping

Feb 08 2026

French authorities have arrested six suspects, including a minor, after a magistrate and her mother were held captive …

French police arrest five over crypto-linked magistrate kidnapping

Feb 08 2026

French authorities have arrested five suspects after a magistrate and her mother were held captive last week for around …

De Beers sale drags in diamond doldrums

Feb 08 2026

Even with its legendary image of glitz and glamour, diamond icon De Beers has struggled to attract a buyer after nearly …

What's at stake for Indian agriculture in Trump's trade deal?

Feb 08 2026

Indian farmers have expressed concern that New Delhi has made too many concessions to Washington after the two countries …

Washington Post CEO out after sweeping job cuts

Feb 08 2026

The Washington Post said Saturday its CEO and publisher Will Lewis was leaving effective immediately, just days after …

Chile's climate summit chief to lead plastic pollution treaty talks

Feb 07 2026

Countries on Saturday elected Chile's COP climate summit chief negotiator to revive stalled talks on striking a landmark …

Opinions of Zuckerberg hang over social media addiction trial jury selection

Feb 07 2026

A jury has been confirmed in a landmark social media addiction trial in the US state of California, a process dominated …

Crypto firm accidentally sends $40 bn in bitcoin to users

Feb 07 2026

A South Korean cryptocurrency exchange apologised on Saturday after mistakenly transferring more than $40 billion worth …

Trump reinstates commercial fishing in protected Atlantic waters

Feb 07 2026

US President Donald Trump on Friday issued a proclamation reopening commercial fishing in protected waters off the …

Stars, Clydesdales and an AI beef jostle for Super Bowl ad glory

Feb 06 2026

From dueling AI giants to Budweiser's Clydesdale horse mascots bonding with a bald eagle, the commercials vying for …

Dow surges above 50,000 for first time as US stocks regain mojo

Feb 06 2026

The Dow surged above 50,000 points for the first time Friday, shrugging off worries connected to artificial intelligence …

EU nations back chemical recycling for plastic bottles

Feb 06 2026

European nations voted Friday to allow for chemical recycling to play a larger role in the production of plastic …

EU tells TikTok to change 'addictive' design

Feb 06 2026

The EU said Friday that TikTok needs to change its "addictive design" or risk heavy fines under the bloc's digital …

Danone expands recall of infant formula batches in Europe

Feb 06 2026

French food giant Danone recalled batches of infant formula in Britain, Spain, Croatia and Slovenia over the possible …

Stocks rebound though tech stocks still suffer

Feb 06 2026

US and European stock markets recovered Friday following a tech stocks rout triggered by growing unease about the …

Why bitcoin is losing its luster after stratospheric rise

Feb 06 2026

Bitcoin, the world's biggest cryptocurrency, sank this week, wiping out gains sparked by Donald Trump's presidential …

Stellantis takes massive hit on 'overestimation' of EV demand

Feb 06 2026

Jeep maker Stellantis warned Friday that it would take a 22 billion euro hit after a slower take up of electric vehicles …

Digital euro delay could leave Europe vulnerable, ECB warns

Feb 06 2026

The European Central Bank urged the European Union on Friday to swiftly press ahead with adopting a digital euro, …

German exports to US plunge as tariffs exact heavy cost

Feb 06 2026

German exports to the United States plunged in 2025 amid President Donald Trump's tariff blitz, driving down the trade …

Stocks waver as tech worries build

Feb 06 2026

European stock markets mostly recovered Friday after a mixed performance in Asia following a rout among technology …

Stellantis takes massive hit for 'overestimation' of EV shift

Feb 06 2026

Jeep maker Stellantis warned Friday that it would take a 22 billion euro hit after a slower takeup of electric vehicles …

Toyota names new CEO, hikes profit forecasts

Feb 06 2026

Toyota has named a new CEO to "accelerate" decision-making, the Japanese auto giant said Friday as it hiked its profit …

Asian markets extend global retreat as tech worries build

Feb 06 2026

Asian equities sank again on Friday as a tech rout that battered Wall Street for the third day in a row showed no sign …

Undercover probe finds Australian pubs short-pouring beer

Feb 06 2026

Australian undercover inspectors have found pubs fail to pour enough beer and other alcohol into customers' glasses for …

Amazon shares plunge as AI costs climb

Feb 06 2026

Amazon shares dove more than 11 percent on Thursday as the computing and retail titan reported strong sales but …

Stocks fall as tech valuation fears stoke volatility

Feb 05 2026

Stocks fell broadly on Thursday, pulled down again by growing worries that hefty AI investments by tech heavyweights may …

Carney scraps Canada EV sales mandate, affirms auto sector's future is electric

Feb 05 2026

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday cancelled a mandate for all vehicles sold in the country to be electric …

EU defends Spain after Telegram founder criticism

Feb 05 2026

The EU executive on Thursday expressed support for Spain after Telegram founder Pavel Durov slammed Spanish Prime …

Novo Nordisk vows legal action to protect Wegovy pill

Feb 05 2026

Novo Nordisk said Thursday it would take legal action against a US chain offering a copycat of the new pill version of …

ECB warns of stronger euro impact, holds rates

Feb 05 2026

The European Central Bank warned Thursday a stronger euro could push inflation down too far after recent gains in the …

Mining giant Rio Tinto abandons Glencore merger bid

Feb 05 2026

British-Australian miner Rio Tinto said Thursday that it was ending talks to merge with smaller Swiss resources giant …

Carney scraps Canada EV sales mandate

Feb 05 2026

Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday cancelled a mandate for all vehicles sold in Canada to be electric by 2035, while …

Davos forum opens probe into CEO Brende's Epstein links

Feb 05 2026

The World Economic Forum, which organises the Davos summit, said Thursday that it would conduct an independent review …

Greenpeace slams fossil fuel sponsors for Winter Olympics

Feb 05 2026

Greenpeace activists staged a protest in Milan on Thursday against the sponsorship of the Milan-Cortina Olympics by …

ECB holds interest rates as strong euro causes jitters

Feb 05 2026

The European Central Bank held interest rates steady for its fifth straight meeting Thursday, saying the eurozone …

EU close to sealing trade deal with Australia

Feb 05 2026

The European Union is close to concluding a long-sought trade agreement with Australia, as US President Donald Trump's …

Wind turbine maker Vestas sees record revenue in 2025

Feb 05 2026

Denmark's Vestas, Europe’s leading wind turbine manufacturer, on Thursday posted an all-time high revenue, but noted …

Bitcoin under $70,000 for first time since Trump's election

Feb 05 2026

Bitcoin, the world's biggest cryptocurrency, extended its price slump Thursday to trade under $70,000 for the first time …

Germany claws back 59 mn euros from Amazon over price controls

Feb 05 2026

Germany's competition watchdog ordered Amazon on Thursday to stop implementing price controls for retailers on its …

Germany claws back 70 mn euros from Amazon over price controls

Feb 05 2026

Germany's competition watchdog ordered Amazon on Thursday to stop implementing price controls for retailers on its …

VW and Stellantis urge help to keep carmaking in Europe

Feb 05 2026

Europe's largest carmakers Volkswagen and Stellantis have called for subsidies to keep carmaking in the EU as they …

Stock markets drop amid tech concerns before rate calls

Feb 05 2026

Major European and Asian stock markets mostly fell Thursday after more losses on Wall Street's Nasdaq, where technology …

BBVA posts record profit after failed Sabadell takeover

Feb 05 2026

Spanish banking giant BBVA on Thursday reported a record annual profit, shrugging off the rollercoaster ride of its …

Greenpeace slams fossel fuel sponsors for Winter Olympics

Feb 05 2026

Greenpeace activists staged a protest in Milan on Thursday against the sponsorship of the Milan-Cortina Olympics by …

Heathrow still Europe's busiest airport, but Istanbul gaining fast

Feb 05 2026

London Heathrow remained the busiest aviation hub in Europe last year but Istanbul Airport was nearly neck-and-neck and …

Shell profits climb despite falling oil prices

Feb 05 2026

British energy giant Shell said Thursday that its net profit rose 11 percent last year as higher volumes and lower costs …

German factory orders rise at fastest rate in 2 years in December

Feb 05 2026

German factory orders unexpectedly posted their biggest rise in two years in December, official data showed Thursday, …

Stocks in retreat as traders reconsider tech investment

Feb 05 2026

Stocks mostly fell Thursday to track more losses on Wall Street, where tech firms were again under pressure as fears …

Sony hikes forecasts even as PlayStation falters

Feb 05 2026

Japanese giant Sony hiked its full-year forecasts on Thursday, as a weaker yen compensates for its ageing PlayStation …

US households become increasingly strained in diverging economy

Feb 05 2026

Around the crack of dawn, a line begins forming at a strip mall in Hyattsville, Maryland, as residents ranging from …

Rising euro, falling inflation in focus at ECB meeting

Feb 05 2026

A rising euro and falling inflation will present fresh challenges for the European Central Bank at its meeting Thursday, …

Google's annual revenue tops $400 bn for first time, AI investments rise

Feb 05 2026

Google parent Alphabet on Wednesday reported blockbuster earnings, its revenue climbing as it invests massively in cloud …

'Bad Boy,' 'Little Pablo' and Mordisco: the men on a US-Colombia hitlist

Feb 04 2026

Following an unexpected meeting of minds between presidents Donald Trump and Gustavo Petro, three Colombian drug …

BHP damages trial over Brazil mine disaster to open in 2027

Feb 04 2026

Australian mining giant BHP will face trial before a British court from April next year to determine how much it must …

Bezos-led Washington Post announces 'painful' job cuts

Feb 04 2026

The Washington Post, owned by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, announced major job cuts Wednesday, saying that …

Brazil mine disaster victims in London to 'demand what is owed'

Feb 04 2026

Victims of a 2015 dam collapse in Brazil, for which Australian mining giant BHP has been found liable, attended a London …

Telegram founder slams Spain PM over under-16s social media ban

Feb 04 2026

Telegram founder Pavel Durov on Wednesday joined fellow tech tycoon Elon Musk in slamming Spanish Prime Minister Pedro …

US seeks minerals trade zone in rare Trump move with allies

Feb 04 2026

US President Donald Trump's administration called Wednesday for a preferential trade zone among allies on critical …

Washington Post announces 'painful' job cuts

Feb 04 2026

The Washington Post, owned by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, announced major job cuts Wednesday, saying that …

Merz heads to Gulf as Germany looks to diversify trade ties

Feb 04 2026

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz headed to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to kick off a Gulf tour as the biggest EU economy …

AI-fuelled tech stock selloff rolls on

Feb 04 2026

Global stock markets largely stabilised Wednesday even though a tech-led selloff on Wall Street spurred by AI disruption …

US calls for minerals trade zone in rare move with allies

Feb 04 2026

US President Donald Trump's administration called Wednesday for a preferential trade zone among allies on critical …

Stocks stabilise after Wall St AI-fuelled sell-off

Feb 04 2026

Stock markets stabilised Wednesday following a tech-led selloff spurred by AI disruption fears, while precious metals …

China calls EU 'discriminatory' over probe into energy giant Goldwind

Feb 04 2026

Beijing accused the European Union on Wednesday of taking "discriminatory" measures after the bloc opened an …

Sales warning slams Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk's stock

Feb 04 2026

Shares in Danish pharmaceuticals group Novo Nordisk plunged Wednesday after the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy anti-obesity …

Serbian minister on trial over Trump-linked hotel plan

Feb 04 2026

Serbia's culture minister and other senior officials appeared in a Belgrade court Wednesday to face corruption charges …

US-Africa trade deal renewal only 'temporary breather'

Feb 04 2026

African manufacturers warned on Wednesday that a one-year extension to the long-standing duty-free deal with the United …

GSK boosted by specialty drugs, end to Zantac fallout

Feb 04 2026

British pharmaceutical group GSK reported Wednesday a sharp rise in annual net profit, boosted by strong sales of HIV, …

Stocks fluctuate after Wall St AI-fuelled sell-off

Feb 04 2026

European and Asian stock markets struggled for direction Wednesday following a tech-fuelled sell-off on Wall Street, …

AGOA: New lease of life for US-Africa trade accord

Feb 04 2026

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which has been renewed until the end of 2026, has provided duty-free …

CK Hutchison launches arbitration over Panama Canal port ruling

Feb 04 2026

Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison said in a statement Tuesday it has initiated international arbitration against …

Stocks mostly rise as traders ignore AI-fuelled sell-off on Wall St

Feb 04 2026

Stocks mostly rose Wednesday as investors brushed off another tech-fuelled sell-off on Wall Street, while precious …

What are 'rare earths' for?

Feb 04 2026

President Donald Trump's administration is set Wednesday to host ministers from the European Union and other countries …

On rare earth supply, Trump for once seeks allies

Feb 04 2026

In his year since returning to office, President Donald Trump has shown disdain for longstanding alliances, vowing …

WTO must 'reform or die': talks facilitator

Feb 04 2026

Successfully reforming the WTO is a matter of life and death for the organisation, warns the facilitator of talks on …

CK Hutchison begins arbitration against Panama over annulled canal contract

Feb 04 2026

Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison said in a statement Tuesday it has initiated international arbitration against …

Stocks swing following latest AI-fuelled sell-off on Wall St

Feb 04 2026

Stocks fluctuated Wednesday following another tech-fuelled sell-off on Wall Street, while precious metals continued …