Business and Economy



Brazil open to EU-Mercosur deal delay as farmers protest in Brussels

AFP - 24m ago

Police fired teargas at farmers protesting the EU's planned trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur in Brussels …

Stocks rise as US inflation cools, tech stocks bounce

AFP - 2h ago

Equity markets climbed on Thursday as investors welcomed cool US inflation data and tech stocks bounced.

Russian court orders Austrian bank Raiffeisen to pay compensation

AFP - 2h ago

The largest Western bank still operating in Russia was on Thursday ordered to pay nearly $400 million in compensation …

Brussels farmer protest turns ugly as EU-Mercosur deal teeters

AFP - 2h ago

Protesters lit fires and hurled potatoes at riot police who responded with teargas and water cannon in Brussels …

Zelensky presses EU to tap Russian assets at crunch summit

AFP - 2h ago

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told EU leaders Thursday they had the "moral" and legal right to use frozen …

US consumer inflation cools unexpectedly in November

AFP - 2h ago

US consumer inflation slowed unexpectedly in November, delayed government data showed Thursday, although levels remained …

ECB holds rates as Lagarde stresses heightened uncertainty

AFP - 3h ago

The European Central Bank held interest rates steady Thursday for its fourth meeting in a row but was tight-lipped on …

Trump Media announces merger with fusion power company

AFP - 3h ago

Trump Media & Technology Group, the struggling company that owns the US president's Truth Social platform, announced …

ECB holds rates but debate swirls over future

AFP - 1h ago

The European Central Bank held interest rates steady Thursday for its fourth meeting in a row and raised growth …

Bank of England cuts interest rate after UK inflation slides

AFP - 6h ago

The Bank of England cut its key interest rate to 3.75 percent on Thursday after UK inflation eased faster than expected …

Spain to buy 100 military helicopters from Airbus

AFP - 6h ago

Spain's defence ministry has ordered 100 helicopters from Airbus destined for deployment in various parts of its armed …

Tractors clog Brussels in anger at EU-Mercosur trade deal

AFP - 17m ago

Hundreds of tractors converged on Brussels on Thursday in a show of farmers' anger at the EU's planned trade deal with …

European stocks rise before central bank decisions on rates

AFP - 3h ago

Europe's main stock markets rose Thursday ahead of interest-rate decisions from the Bank of England and European Central …

British energy giant BP extends shakeup with new CEO pick

AFP - 6h ago

British energy giant BP, which this year shelved targets on reducing carbon emissions, has appointed industry veteran …

EU kicks off crunch summit on Russian asset plan for Ukraine

AFP - 5h ago

EU leaders kicked off a make-or-break summit Thursday on using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine, with key player …

Most Asian markets track Wall St lower as AI fears mount

AFP - 2h ago

Most Asian markets sank Thursday after another sell-off on Wall Street as worries over the tech sector's colossal …

EU holds crunch summit on Russian asset plan for Ukraine

AFP - 3h ago

EU leaders gather in Brussels Thursday for a make-or-break summit on using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine -- with key …

Trump vows economic boom, blames Biden in address to nation

AFP - 15h ago

President Donald Trump promised Americans an economic boom in an address to the nation on Wednesday, while blaming …

What to know about the EU-Mercosur deal

AFP - 15h ago

Squabbles over the EU-Mercosur trade deal are likely to punctuate a European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday.

ECB set to hold rates but debate swirls over future

AFP - 10h ago

The European Central Bank is expected to hold interest rates steady Thursday for its fourth meeting in a row as …

Asian markets track Wall St lower as AI fears mount

AFP - 4h ago

Asian markets sank Thursday after another sell-off on Wall Street as worries over the tech sector's colossal spending on …

What's next for Venezuela under the US oil blockade?

AFP - 12h ago

A US blockade of Venezuelan oil shipments could slash production and halve exports of the country's most valuable …

Nasdaq tumbles on renewed angst over AI building boom

Dec 17 2025

Tech shares suffered another bout of weakness Wednesday on worries about an AI bubble, hitting US stocks as oil prices …

Brazil threatens to walk if EU delays Mercosur deal

Dec 17 2025

EU plans to seal a vast trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur this week were thrown into disarray Wednesday after …

Oscars to stream exclusively on YouTube from 2029

Dec 17 2025

The Oscars will be shown only on YouTube from 2029, the Academy said Wednesday, in a radical gambit for a movie industry …

Oscars to stream exclusively on YouTube from 2029: Academy

Dec 17 2025

The Oscars will be available to watch exclusively on YouTube from 2029, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences …

CNN's future unclear as Trump applies pressure

Dec 17 2025

CNN is heading into an uncertain future with its parent company Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) destined for a takeover -- …

Crude prices surge after Trump orders Venezuela oil blockade

Dec 17 2025

Oil prices surged on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of "sanctioned" oil tankers heading to …

Netflix to launch FIFA World Cup video game

Dec 17 2025

Netflix is set to release a FIFA football simulation game exclusively on its gaming platform in summer 2026, timed to …

German MPs approve 50 bn euros in military purchases

Dec 17 2025

German lawmakers Wednesday approved about 50 billion euros ($59 billion) in military purchases, as Berlin accelerates …

EU's Mercosur trade deal hits French, Italian roadblock

Dec 17 2025

EU plans to seal a vast trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur this week were thrown into disarray Wednesday as …

Warner Bros rejects Paramount bid, sticks with Netflix 

Dec 17 2025

Warner Bros. Discovery on Wednesday rejected a hostile takeover bid by Paramount launched last week to trump plans by …

Balkan nations offer lessons on handling cow virus sowing turmoil

Dec 17 2025

An outbreak of a highly contagious cattle disease has left France, the world's top exporter of live animals, struggling …

Warner Bros. Discovery rejects Paramount bid 

Dec 17 2025

Warner Bros. Discovery on Wednesday rejected a hostile takeover bid by Paramount launched last week to trump plans by …

Stocks gain as traders bet on interest rate moves

Dec 17 2025

London's stock market rallied Wednesday as the pound faltered on expectations of cuts to Bank of England interest rates, …

Bleak end to the year as German business morale drops

Dec 17 2025

German business sentiment fell to its lowest level in seven months in December, a survey showed Wednesday, with Europe's …

Markets rise even as US jobs data fail to boost rate cut bets

Dec 17 2025

Equities mostly rose Wednesday even as US jobs data did little to boost expectations for another interest rate cut next …

Asian markets mixed as US jobs data fails to boost rate cut hopes

Dec 17 2025

Asian equities were mixed on Wednesday as US jobs data did little to boost expectations for another interest rate cut …

Trump orders blockade of 'sanctioned' Venezuela oil tankers

Dec 17 2025

US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday a blockade of "sanctioned oil vessels" heading to and leaving Venezuela, …

Asian markets drift as US jobs data fails to boost rate cut hopes

Dec 17 2025

Asian equities fluctuated on Wednesday as mixed US jobs data did little to boost expectations for another interest rate …

Trump says orders blockade of 'sanctioned' Venezuela oil tankers

Dec 17 2025

US President Donald Trump announced Tuesday a blockade of "sanctioned oil vessels" heading to and leaving Venezuela, …

Netflix boss promises Warner Bros films would still be seen in cinemas

Dec 16 2025

Netflix will continue to distribute Warner Bros. films in cinemas if its takeover bid for the storied studio is …

Stocks mostly retreat on US jobs, oil drops on Ukraine hopes

Dec 16 2025

Stock markets mostly fell Tuesday as the US jobless rate hit its highest level since 2021, while oil prices slumped on …

Tepid 2026 outlook dents Pfizer shares

Dec 16 2025

Pfizer signaled Tuesday it expects a challenging 2026 as it invests in new products to offset declines in Covid-19 …

EU weakens 2035 combustion-engine ban to boost car industry

Dec 16 2025

The EU on Tuesday walked back a 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars seen as a milestone in the fight against climate …

China to impose anti-dumping duties on EU pork for five years

Dec 16 2025

China will impose anti-dumping duties on European Union pork imports for five years, but at lower rates than temporary …

Stocks retreat on US jobs, oil drops on Ukraine hopes

Dec 16 2025

Stock markets fell Tuesday as the US jobless rate hit its highest level since 2021, while oil prices slumped on renewed …

VW stops production at German site for first time

Dec 16 2025

The last car rolled off the production line at a Volkswagen site in Dresden on Tuesday, marking the first time in …

EU eases 2035 combustion-engine ban to boost car industry

Dec 16 2025

The EU on Tuesday walked back a 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars seen as a milestone in the fight against climate …

US unemployment rises further, hovering at highest since 2021

Dec 16 2025

The US jobless rate picked up again in November, hovering at its highest level in four years, official data showed …

Serbian President blames 'witch hunt' for ditched Kushner hotel plan

Dec 16 2025

Plans to build a hotel on the site of Belgrade's bombed-out Yugoslav army headquarters have been dumped, the country's …

BBC says will fight Trump's $10 bn defamation lawsuit

Dec 16 2025

The BBC said Tuesday it would fight a $10-billion lawsuit brought by US President Donald Trump against the British …

Stocks retreat ahead of US jobs, oil drops on Ukraine hopes

Dec 16 2025

Stock markets mostly fell Tuesday as investors prepared for key US jobs and inflation data, while oil prices slumped on …

EU set to drop 2035 combustion-engine ban to boost car industry

Dec 16 2025

The European Union looks set to scrap a landmark 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars on Tuesday, as part of a package …

Economic losses from natural disasters down by a third in 2025: Swiss Re

Dec 16 2025

Global economic losses from natural disasters are projected to have dropped by 33 percent to $220 billion in 2025, …

Asian markets retreat ahead of US jobs as tech worries weigh

Dec 16 2025

Asian markets extended losses with Wall Street on Tuesday as investors prepared for key US jobs and inflation data, …

Canada plow-maker can't clear path through Trump tariffs

Dec 16 2025

For decades, Arctic Snowplows has sold its Canadian-made galvanized steel products to "anywhere there is snow" across …

Bank of Japan expected to hike rates to 30-year high

Dec 16 2025

The Bank of Japan is expected to hike interest rates Friday for the first time since January, pushing them to their …

EU set to scrap 2035 combustion-engine ban in car industry boost

Dec 16 2025

The EU looks set to scrap a landmark 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars on Tuesday, as part of a package of reforms …

'Waiting to die': the dirty business of recycling in Vietnam

Dec 16 2025

Crouched between mountains of discarded plastic, Lanh strips the labels off bottles of Coke, Evian and local Vietnamese …

Famed Jerusalem stone still sells despite West Bank economic woes

Dec 16 2025

Despite the catastrophic state of the Palestinian economy, Faraj al-Atrash, operator of a quarry in the occupied West …

Trump sues BBC for $10 billion over documentary speech edit

Dec 16 2025

US President Donald Trump on Monday filed a lawsuit seeking at least $10 billion from the BBC over a documentary that …

Will OpenAI be the next tech giant or next Netscape?

Dec 16 2025

Three years after ChatGPT made OpenAI the leader in artificial intelligence and a household name, rivals have closed the …

Stock market optimism returns after tech selloff but Wall Street wobbles

Dec 15 2025

European stock markets recovered upward momentum on the back of interest rate optimism Monday following a brief …

French minister urges angry farmers to trust cow culls, vaccines

Dec 15 2025

France's agriculture minister Monday defended planned mass cattle culls and vaccines to control an infectious bovine …

Stock market optimism returns after tech sell-off

Dec 15 2025

Stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic recovered upward momentum on the back of interest rate optimism Monday, …

EU faces key summit on using Russian assets for Ukraine

Dec 15 2025

EU leaders are under pressure to hammer out how to keep financing Ukraine at a summit starting Thursday -- with key …

Spain fines Airbnb 64 mn euros for posting banned properties

Dec 15 2025

Spain's leftist government said Monday it had fined Airbnb more than 64 million euros ($75 million), notably for …

Showdown looms as EU-Mercosur deal nears finish line

Dec 15 2025

Brussels and Berlin insisted Monday the EU's vast proposed trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur must get over …

Small firms join charge to boost Europe's weapon supplies

Dec 15 2025

European nations have committed themselves to huge hikes in spending on weapons, with giant defence firms reaping the …

German shipyard, rescued by the state, gets mega deal

Dec 15 2025

German shipyard Meyer Werft has received a mega order worth up to 10 billion euros ($11.7 billion), officials said …

'We are angry': Louvre Museum closed as workers strike

Dec 15 2025

The Louvre closed its doors to thousands of disappointed visitors on Monday as staff launched a rolling strike to …

Stocks diverge ahead of central bank calls, US data

Dec 15 2025

Stock markets diverged Monday at the start of a week filled with economic data and central bank decisions, following a …

EU-Mercosur trade deal faces bumpy ride to finish line

Dec 15 2025

Brussels is headed for a showdown this week over the European Union's free-trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur, …

Louvre Museum closed as workers strike

Dec 15 2025

The Louvre Museum closed its doors to thousands of disappointed visitors on Monday as staff launched a strike to protest …

Asian markets drop with Wall St as tech fears revive

Dec 15 2025

Asian markets dropped Monday as concerns about the AI-fuelled tech rally returned to the spotlight after weak earnings …

Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong media 'troublemaker' in Beijing's crosshairs

Dec 15 2025

A rags-to-riches tycoon, Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai is a self-styled "troublemaker" who has long been a thorn in …

Louvre trade unions to launch rolling strike

Dec 15 2025

Workers at the Louvre Museum are set to begin a rolling strike on Monday to demand extra staff and measures to tackle …

What we know ahead of Jimmy Lai's national security verdicts

Dec 14 2025

A Hong Kong court will decide on Monday whether pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai is guilty of national security …

French PM urged to intervene over cow slaughter protests

Dec 14 2025

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu was urged on Sunday by local officials to intervene to avoid an escalation as French …

Tokyo-bound United plane returns to Washington after engine fails

Dec 14 2025

A United Airlines Boeing 777 bound for Tokyo had to turn back to Washington's Dulles International Airport on Saturday …

China's smaller manufacturers look to catch the automation wave

Dec 14 2025

In a light-filled workshop in eastern China, a robotic arm moved a partially assembled autonomous vehicle as workers …

Hungary winemakers fear disease may 'wipe out' industry

Dec 14 2025

Hungarian winemaker Viktor Keszler had to rip out young vines after only three harvests -- when they should last at …

German defence giants battle over military spending ramp-up

Dec 14 2025

Defence giants are drawing battle lines as Germany rearms, with the old guard arguing for traditional heavy weaponry …

Tokyo-bound United flight returns to Dulles airport after engine fails

Dec 13 2025

A United Airlines Boeing 777 bound for Tokyo had to turn back to Washington's Dulles International Airport on Saturday …

'Stop the slaughter': French farmers block roads over cow disease cull

Dec 13 2025

Thousands of farmers in southwestern France blocked roads and set fire to bales of hay Saturday to protest the culling …

Women sommeliers are cracking male-dominated wine world open

Dec 13 2025

Women who have fought their way to the top of the male-dominated wine sommelier world say their profession is becoming …

Why SpaceX IPO plan is generating so much buzz

Dec 13 2025

More than 20 years after founding SpaceX, the record-breaking company that transformed the global space industry, Elon …

World stocks mostly slide, consolidating Fed-fuelled gains

Dec 12 2025

Stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic pulled back Friday as profit-taking trimmed some of the gains seen after the …

Crypto firm Tether bids for Juventus, is quickly rebuffed

Dec 12 2025

Cryptocurrency firm Tether said Friday it had submitted a bid to Juventus's main shareholder, Exor, to acquire its …

Can Venezuela survive US targeting its oil tankers?

Dec 12 2025

Venezuela has been sidestepping a US oil export embargo for years, selling crude at a discounted price mainly to China. …

World stocks retrench, consolidating Fed-fuelled gains

Dec 12 2025

Stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic pulled back Friday as pre-weekend profit-taking pared some, but not all, of …

EU agrees three-euro small parcel tax to tackle China flood

Dec 12 2025

EU finance ministers agreed Friday to impose a three-euro duty on low-value imports into the bloc from July 2026 to help …

World stocks consolidate Fed-fuelled gains

Dec 12 2025

Global stocks on Friday held on to gains seen after the Federal Reserve bank delivered a much-anticipated rate easing …

EU 2035 combustion-engine ban review: what's at stake

Dec 12 2025

The European Commission is expected to announce on Tuesday measures relaxing a 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel car …

Stocks rally in wake of Fed rate cut

Dec 12 2025

European and Asian stock markets rose Friday as investors tracked a record session on Wall Street in the wake of the …

EU agrees recycled plastic targets for cars

Dec 12 2025

Car manufacturers in Europe will have to include more recycled plastics in new vehicles under new EU rules agreed on by …

Russian central bank says suing Euroclear over frozen assets

Dec 12 2025

Russia's central bank on Friday said it was suing the Belgium-based Euroclear financial group, which holds Moscow's …

Asian markets track Wall St record after Fed cut

Dec 12 2025

Asian equities rose Friday as investors tracked a record day on Wall Street in the wake of the Federal Reserve's latest …

Make your own Mickey Mouse clip - Disney embraces AI

Dec 12 2025

Walt Disney and OpenAI announced a three-year licensing deal Thursday that will allow users to create short videos …

Crypto mogul Do Kwon sentenced to 15 years for fraud

Dec 12 2025

A US court sentenced cryptocurrency tycoon Do Kwon to 15 years in prison Thursday over fraud linked to his company's …