Business and Economy



'Superman' Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong billionaire behind Panama ports deal

AFP - 10m ago

Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing and his conglomerate CK Hutchison have been tied up in global US-China rivalry since …

Dutch watchdog launches Roblox probe over 'risks to children'

AFP - 53m ago

The Dutch consumer watchdog Friday launched an investigation into Roblox to see if the popular gaming platform was doing …

French PM forces final budget through parliament 

AFP - 1h ago

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu forced his budget through parliament without a vote for the third and final time …

What are the key challenges awaiting the new US Fed chair?

AFP - 1h ago

US President Donald Trump is set to announce his pick to chair the Federal Reserve on Friday morning, setting up a key …

Panama court annuls Hong Kong firm's canal port concession

AFP - 1h ago

Panama's Supreme Court annulled on Thursday the concession allowing Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison to operate ports at the …

Asian stocks hit by fresh tech fears as gold retreats from peak

AFP - 2h ago

Asian stocks took a hit on Friday amid fresh worries over vast investments in artificial intelligence, gold and silver …

Trump threatens tariffs on nations selling oil to Cuba

AFP - 5h ago

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday threatening to impose additional tariffs on countries that …

Heavy metal: soaring gold price a crushing weight in Vietnam

AFP - 8h ago

From his newly built three-storey home outside Hanoi, Trinh Tat Thang has watched the surging global gold price with …

What's behind Trump's risky cheap dollar dalliance?

AFP - 8h ago

The US dollar sank to a four-and-a-half-year low against the euro this week after President Donald Trump said the …

US eases Venezuela sanctions after oil sector reforms

AFP - 37m ago

The United States on Thursday eased sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry after Venezuelan lawmakers passed reforms …

Apple earnings soar as China iPhone sales surge

AFP - 10h ago

Apple on Thursday said it saw record-high earnings in the final three months of last year, with iPhone sales surging in …

With Trump administration watching, Canada oil hub faces separatist bid

Jan 29 2026

On a frigid night in Canada's oil capital, Jordan Fritz joined a rally of thousands for a separatist movement once …

Oil jumps on Trump's Iran threat; gold retreats from highs

Jan 29 2026

Oil prices surged Thursday after US President Donald Trump ramped up geopolitical tensions with threats of a military …

Britain's Starmer hails 'good progress' after meeting China's Xi

Jan 29 2026

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed "really good progress" on issues including visa-free travel and tariffs …

Ex-OPEC president denies bribe-taking at London corruption trial

Jan 29 2026

Lawyers for Diezani Alison-Madueke, the first woman president of OPEC, denied in a London court Thursday that the former …

Waymo gears up to launch robotaxis in London this year

Jan 29 2026

US self-driving car company Waymo said Thursday it is working with UK partners to launch driverless robotaxis in London, …

French IT group Capgemini under fire over ICE links

Jan 29 2026

A contract with American Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has triggered a barrage of criticism of French IT …

Czechs wind up black coal mining in green energy switch

Jan 29 2026

The Czech Republic will stop mining black coal at the end of January, closing its last mine in a switch to greener …

Oil jumps, gold climbs further on Trump's Iran threat

Jan 29 2026

Oil prices surged Thursday after US President Donald Trump ramped up geopolitical tensions with threats of a military …

Giant Mozambique gas project resumes after 5-year security suspension

Jan 29 2026

French energy giant TotalEnergies relaunched construction Thursday on a massive gas project in northern Mozambique that …

Gold surges further, oil jumps on Trump's Iran threat

Jan 29 2026

Gold soared to a fresh record near $5,600 on Thursday and oil prices climbed after US President Donald Trump ramped up …

Northern Mozambique: massive gas potential in an insurgency zone

Jan 29 2026

Construction on a stalled $20-billion gas project by TotalEnergies in Mozambique officially resumed Thursday, nearly …

Gold demand hits record high on Trump policy doubts: industry

Jan 29 2026

Gold demand surged to a record high in 2025 as investors and central banks flocked to the safe-haven asset as protection …

UK drugs giant AstraZeneca announces $15 bn investment in China

Jan 29 2026

British pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca said Thursday that it would invest $15 billion in China through 2030 to expand …

US scrutiny of visitors' social media could hammer tourism: trade group

Jan 29 2026

A US plan to step up scrutiny of foreign visitors' social media use threatens to cut tourist spending by up to $15.7 …

Russia's sanctioned oil firm Lukoil to sell foreign assets to Carlyle

Jan 29 2026

Russia's oil giant Lukoil, sanctioned by Washington over the Ukraine war, said Thursday that it would sell its foreign …

Money laundering probe overshadows Deutsche Bank's record profits

Jan 29 2026

Deutsche Bank said Thursday it aimed to become a "European champion" after reporting record profits in 2025, even as the …

Huge Mozambique gas project restarts after five-year pause

Jan 29 2026

French energy giant TotalEnergies officially relaunched Thursday a massive gas project in northern Mozambique after a …

Mali's troubled tourism sector crosses fingers for comeback

Jan 29 2026

Oumar Cisse used to lead tours of Djenne, an ancient, fabled city in central Mali known for its towering mud-brick …

Gold soars towards $5,600 as Trump rattles sabre over Iran

Jan 29 2026

Gold prices soared to a fresh record near $5,600 on Thursday, while oil rallied after Donald Trump ramped up …

Ghana moves to rewrite mining laws for bigger share of gold revenues

Jan 29 2026

Ghana is preparing to overhaul its mining laws to increase its share of the revenues generated by the surge in the …

Trump-era trade stress leads Western powers to China

Jan 29 2026

Britain's Keir Starmer is the latest Western leader to thaw trade ties with China in a shift analysts say is driven by …

Vietnam, EU vow stronger ties as bloc's chief visits Hanoi

Jan 29 2026

Vietnam and the European Union pledged to deepen economic and security cooperation on Thursday, upgrading their …

Deutsche Bank logs record profits, as new probe casts shadow

Jan 29 2026

Deutsche Bank on Thursday reported record pre-tax profits of 9.7 billion euros ($11.6 billion) in 2025, with all …

Vietnam and EU upgrade ties as EU chief visits Hanoi

Jan 29 2026

Vietnam and the EU upgraded diplomatic ties on Thursday, committing to deeper cooperation on trade, technology and …

Phan Huy: the fashion prodigy putting Vietnam on the map

Jan 29 2026

Phan Huy has had a thrilling -- but quite stressful -- journey to making history at Paris Haute Couture Week on Thursday …

Hongkongers snap up silver as gold becomes 'too expensive'

Jan 29 2026

Hong Kong residents hoping to cash in on a precious metals rally are buying up bars of silver as an alternative to gold …

Gold soars past $5,500 as Trump sabre rattles over Iran

Jan 29 2026

Gold prices soared to another fresh record above $5,500 Thursday, while oil advanced and stocks fell after Donald Trump …

Samsung logs best-ever profit on AI chip demand

Jan 29 2026

South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics posted record quarterly profits Thursday, riding massive market demand for …

China's ambassador warns Australia on buyback of key port

Jan 29 2026

China will act to defend its companies' interests if Australia forcibly buys back control of the strategic northern port …

Venezuelans eye economic revival with hoped-for oil resurgence

Jan 29 2026

Ronald Herrera remembered the prosperity that Puerto Cabello enjoyed decades ago as home to the El Palito refinery -- …

Tesla profits tumble on lower EV sales, AI spending surge

Jan 29 2026

Tesla reported a 61-percent drop in fourth-quarter profits on Wednesday due to lower auto sales and increased expenses …

Samsung Electronics posts record profit on AI demand

Jan 29 2026

South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics posted record quarterly profits on Thursday, riding strong market demand for …

Meta shares jump on strong earnings report

Jan 28 2026

Meta on Wednesday reported quarterly earnings that topped market expectations, as revenue grew along with investments in …

US Fed holds interest rates steady, defying Trump pressure

Jan 28 2026

The US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady Wednesday at its first policy gathering this year, citing robust …

US stocks move sideways, shruggging off low-key Fed meeting

Jan 28 2026

Wall Street stocks finished little changed Wednesday after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged, while the …

SpaceX eyes IPO timed to planet alignment and Musk birthday: report

Jan 28 2026

SpaceX is targeting a mid-June initial public offering that would coincide with a rare planetary alignment and founder …

Rules-based trade with US is 'over': Canada central bank head

Jan 28 2026

The era of rules-based trade with the United States is "over," Canada's central bank governor said Wednesday, echoing a …

Amazon to cut 16,000 jobs worldwide

Jan 28 2026

US online retail and cloud computing giant Amazon said Wednesday it will cut 16,000 jobs worldwide as the company tries …

Dollar halts descent, gold keeps climbing before Fed update

Jan 28 2026

The dollar enjoyed a respite Wednesday after this week's steep drop as traders awaited the US Federal Reserve's take on …

UK proposes to let websites refuse Google AI search

Jan 28 2026

Britain's competition watchdog proposed Wednesday that websites be allowed to opt out of having content used by Google's …

Germany cuts growth forecast as recovery slower than hoped

Jan 28 2026

The German government on Wednesday lowered its 2026 growth forecast to one percent, conceding that efforts to kickstart …

Deutsche Bank offices searched in money laundering probe

Jan 28 2026

German prosecutors and police on Wednesday searched Deutsche Bank's headquarters in Frankfurt and its office in Berlin …

US Fed set to pause rate cuts as it defies Trump pressure

Jan 28 2026

The US Federal Reserve opened the second day of its key policy gathering Wednesday, with the central bank widely …

Spain eyes full service on train tragedy line in 10 days

Jan 28 2026

Spain aims to restart within 10 days full service on a key high-speed railway line where a collision between two trains …

Dollar rebounds while gold climbs again before Fed update

Jan 28 2026

The dollar recovered slightly on Wednesday as traders awaited the US Federal Reserve's outlook on interest rates, while …

Dutch tech giant ASML posts bumper profits, cuts jobs

Jan 28 2026

Dutch tech giant ASML, which sells cutting-edge machines to make semiconductor chips, reported a significant gain in …

SKorean chip giant SK hynix posts record operating profit for 2025

Jan 28 2026

South Korean chip giant SK hynix said on Wednesday its operating profit doubled last year to a record high after a surge …

Dollar struggles to recover from losses after Trump comments

Jan 28 2026

The dollar struggled to bounce back Wednesday following another selloff fuelled by Donald Trump's suggestion he was …

Dutch tech giant ASML posts bumper profits, eyes bright AI future

Jan 28 2026

Dutch tech giant ASML, which sells cutting-edge machines to make semiconductor chips, reported a significant gain in …

Japan PM's tax giveaway roils markets and worries voters

Jan 28 2026

Ahead of a snap election in Japan, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has pledged to scrap a tax on food, but a lack of clear …

Greenland blues to Delhi red carpet: EU finds solace in India

Jan 28 2026

Presiding over the signing of a major trade deal alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, EU chief …

Trump warns of 'bad things' if Republicans lose midterms

Jan 28 2026

Donald Trump warned Tuesday of "very bad things" if Republicans lose the US midterm elections, as the US president …

Amazon closing Fresh and Go stores in Whole Foods push

Jan 27 2026

Amazon on Tuesday said it is closing its Go and Fresh real-world stores to focus on its Whole Foods markets and online …

Trump's Iowa trip on economy overshadowed by immigration row

Jan 27 2026

US President Donald Trump headed to Iowa Tuesday eager to show voters he cares about affordability -- but his trip was …

GM reports quarterly loss but boosts shareholder returns

Jan 27 2026

General Motors announced Tuesday fresh actions to return funds to investors, lifting shares despite reporting a …

US banks fight crypto's push into Main Street

Jan 27 2026

The banking industry is pushing back against White House-aligned crypto companies seeking to expand their business to …

TikTok settles hours before landmark social media addiction trial

Jan 27 2026

Video sharing app TikTok has made an eleventh-hour deal to avoid a landmark US trial accusing it, along with Meta and …

LVMH 2025 net profit drops 13% to 10.9 bn euros

Jan 27 2026

The world's leading luxury group, LVMH, saw net profit slide 13 percent in 2025 to 10.9 billion euros ($13.1 billion) as …

Stocks gain tracking tech, Fed and trade

Jan 27 2026

Global stock markets mostly rose Tuesday as investors geared up for the US Federal Reserve's policy meeting outcome and …

China's Anta Sports to become top Puma shareholder

Jan 27 2026

Chinese athletic goods giant Anta Sports will buy a controlling stake in historic German sportswear brand Puma for $1.79 …

US consumer confidence drops to lowest level since 2014

Jan 27 2026

Consumer confidence in the United States plunged in January to its lowest level since 2014, survey data showed Tuesday, …

Mexico exports jump in 2025 despite US trade tensions

Jan 27 2026

Mexico's exports climbed 7.6 percent in 2025, despite its auto, steel and aluminum sectors being swept up in US …

Jury selection begins in landmark social media addiction trial

Jan 27 2026

Jury selection begins Tuesday for a landmark trial that could establish a legal precedent on whether social media …

Hybrid cars top choice for consumers in Europe in 2025: data

Jan 27 2026

Hybrid-electric vehicles dethroned purely petrol-powered cars as the top power option among consumers in Europe last …

Germany takes aim at 'bureaucratic jungle' with welfare reforms

Jan 27 2026

Germany's government unveiled major reforms Tuesday aimed at slashing the "bureaucratic jungle" of its welfare system …

Spain to regularise 500,000 undocumented migrants

Jan 27 2026

Spain's left-wing government approved Tuesday a plan to regularise around 500,000 undocumented migrants by decree, the …

EU, India agree 'mother of all' trade deals

Jan 27 2026

India and the European Union announced Tuesday the "mother of all deals", a huge trade pact to create a market of two …

What we know about the EU-India trade deal

Jan 27 2026

The European Union and India announced Tuesday that they had struck a "historic" trade deal that Brussels hopes will see …

Spain unemployment drops below 10% in first since 2008

Jan 27 2026

Spain's historically stubborn unemployment fell below 10 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, official data …

Stocks track Wall St gains, Seoul brushes off tariff threat

Jan 27 2026

Stock markets rallied Tuesday following Wall Street's healthy lead, with tech firms leading Seoul to another record as …

Asian stocks track Wall St gains, Seoul brushes off tariff threat

Jan 27 2026

Asian markets rallied Tuesday following Wall Street's healthy lead, with tech firms leading Seoul to another record as …

EU, India successfully conclude major trade deal: New Delhi

Jan 27 2026

The leaders of India and the European Union will announce the "mother of all deals" on Tuesday, when they meet in New …

Trump says hiking tariffs on South Korean goods to 25%

Jan 27 2026

South Korea's government on Tuesday held emergency talks after US President Donald Trump said he will raise tariffs on …

'Come more often!' Mexico leader urges K-pop stars BTS on sold-out tour

Jan 27 2026

Around the world, hundreds of thousands of fans of K-pop megastars BTS are nursing disappointment after failing to …

Gold hits records as US policy rattles investors

Jan 26 2026

Gold prices jumped to fresh records Monday on rising worries about geopolitics, tariff threats and another potential US …

Migration, China ties dominate as Trump ally prepares to lead Honduras

Jan 26 2026

Conservative businessman Nasry "Tito" Asfura will be sworn in Tuesday as president of Honduras, two months after being …

North Sea nations vow to boost wind power for energy independence

Jan 26 2026

A group of northern European nations vowed Monday to build up climate-friendly wind power in the North Sea to achieve …

Stricken games giant Ubisoft seeks rare French job cuts

Jan 26 2026

French video games giant Ubisoft said Monday it aims to shed up to 200 staff at its Paris headquarters, days after …

EU opens probe into Musk's Grok over sexual AI deepfakes

Jan 26 2026

The EU on Monday hit Elon Musk's X with an investigation over AI chatbot Grok's generation of sexualised deepfake images …

Ryanair's quarterly net profit slides on Italy fine

Jan 26 2026

Irish no-frills airline Ryanair on Monday announced an 80 percent drop in net profit for its third quarter, impacted by …

Truckers block Balkan borders over EU travel rules

Jan 26 2026

Hundreds of truck drivers began blockading freight border crossings across several Balkan countries on Monday, demanding …

UK PM Starmer heading to China aiming to reset ties

Jan 26 2026

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer travels to China late Tuesday for the first official visit by a British premier since …

Ex-OPEC president's corruption trial sees start delayed

Jan 26 2026

The corruption trial in London of Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former Nigerian oil minister and the first woman president …

North Sea nations look to wind to resist Russian energy 'blackmail'

Jan 26 2026

Nine European nations vowed Monday to build up North Sea offshore wind power with the aim of boosting climate-friendly …

Dollar sinks on yen intervention talk, gold breaks $5,100

Jan 26 2026

The dollar fell and gold hit fresh high on Monday amid uncertainty over domestic US policies and speculation of …

German business morale still muted in January

Jan 26 2026

German business sentiment held steady at a low level in January, a survey showed Monday, with firms still pessimistic …

Dollar sinks on yen intervention talk, gold breaks $5,000

Jan 26 2026

The dollar fell in Asian trade Monday amid speculation US officials could join their Japanese counterparts to help …

Financial trading master Rick Rieder emerges as possible Fed chief

Jan 26 2026

The emergence of BlackRock's Rick Rieder as a Federal Reserve frontrunner means the US central bank could be led by a …

What is Russia's 'shadow fleet' and how does it work?

Jan 26 2026

France's interception of an oil tanker suspected of being part of Russia's "shadow fleet" draws attention to how the …

Men's fashion goes low-risk in uncertain world

Jan 25 2026

Paris Men’s Fashion Week, which wrapped up Sunday, saw designers opt for often pragmatic and timeless styling, …

EU council president arrives in India to seal trade pact

Jan 25 2026

European Council president Antonio Costa arrived in India on Sunday as the EU and New Delhi seek to seal a free trade …