Business and Economy



Greek govt seeks to tackle farmer protests after Crete clashes

AFP - 13m ago

Greece's government was on Tuesday scrambling to keep angry farmers from blocking key infrastructure after airports were …

EU launches antitrust probe into Google's data use for AI

AFP - 1h ago

The EU announced Tuesday it had opened a probe to assess whether Google breached antitrust rules by using content put …

Most markets track Wall St losses as jitters set in ahead of Fed

AFP - 1h ago

Most stocks fell in Asia on Tuesday as investors grew nervous about the Federal Reserve's plans for interest rates next …

Trump says US will allow sale of Nvidia AI chips to China

AFP - 1h ago

President Donald Trump said Monday he had reached an agreement with President Xi Jinping to allow US chip giant Nvidia …

German exports tread water as US, China shipments fall

AFP - 2h ago

German exports almost stagnated in October, official data showed Tuesday, as heavy declines in shipments to the United …

Rising living costs dim holiday sparkle for US households

AFP - 8h ago

At a Christmas market outside the US capital, festive cheer alone hasn't been enough to drive affordability worries out …

Data centers: a view from the inside

AFP - 8h ago

The expansion of data centers to power the AI boom has more people wondering: what exactly is in a data center?

World stocks mostly lower as markets await Fed decision

Dec 08 2025

Global stock markets were mostly soft on Monday as investors avoided risks ahead of this week's Federal Reserve meeting, …

Paramount counters Netflix with hostile bid for Warner Bros

Dec 08 2025

Paramount on Monday launched an all-cash tender offer to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, the Hollywood giant that also …

EU pushes back 2035 combustion-engine ban review to Dec. 16

Dec 08 2025

A highly-anticipated review of the EU's 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales has been pushed back to next week, …

World stocks tread water with eyes on Fed

Dec 08 2025

Global stock markets were mostly soft on Monday as investors avoided risks ahead of this week's Federal Reserve meeting, …

Boeing closes takeover of aviation supplier Spirit

Dec 08 2025

Boeing announced Monday that it completed an acquisition of aerospace supplier Spirit AeroSystems, saying the move will …

Deal agreed to save Frankfurt's euro sculpture

Dec 08 2025

A landmark blue and yellow euro sculpture in the German financial capital Frankfurt, created to mark the single …

Trump says to sign order blocking AI regulation by states

Dec 08 2025

President Donald Trump said Monday he will attempt to strip states of the right to regulate the surging AI industry, …

Meta to allow European users to share less data: EU

Dec 08 2025

Meta will allow European users of Facebook and Instagram to share less data and see fewer personalised ads after it was …

Stocks mostly rise as Fed set to cut US rates

Dec 08 2025

Major stock markets mostly rose Monday as investors geared up for an expected cut to US interest rates and clues over …

Louvre trade unions call for rolling strike next week

Dec 08 2025

Trade unions at the Louvre Museum in Paris on Monday called for a rolling strike next week over working conditions, …

Markets mostly up as traders prepare for expected US rate cut

Dec 08 2025

Most markets rose Monday as investors gear up for an expected US interest rate cut this week, with debate centring on …

Asian stocks drift as traders prepare for expected US rate cut

Dec 08 2025

Asian equities drifted Monday as investors gear up for an expected US interest rate cut this week, with debate centring …

China's trade surplus tops $1 trillion despite plunge in US-bound exports

Dec 08 2025

China's towering annual trade surplus surpassed $1 trillion for the first time last month, data showed Monday, as a …

Asian stocks stagger as traders prepare for expected US rate cut

Dec 08 2025

Asian equities drifted Monday as investors gear up for an expected US interest rate cut this week, with debate centring …

Trump airs doubt about Netflix acquisition of Warner Bros.

Dec 08 2025

US President Donald Trump commented Sunday on Netflix's effort to acquire storied Hollywood studio Warner Bros., saying …

Macron threatens China with tariffs over trade surplus

Dec 07 2025

French President Emmanuel Macron said he has threatened China with tariffs if Beijing fails to take steps to reduce its …

Number's up: Calculators hold out against AI

Dec 07 2025

The humble pocket calculator may not be able to keep up with the mathematical capabilities of new technology, but it …

Divided US Fed set for contentious interest rate meeting

Dec 07 2025

While the US Federal Reserve's final interest rate meeting this year could see an unusual amount of division, financial …

Will EU give ground on 2035 combustion-engine ban?

Dec 06 2025

Europe's embattled auto industry and its backers are ramping up pressure on the EU to relax its planned 2035 ban on new …

Netflix to buy Warner Bros. in deal of the decade

Dec 06 2025

Streaming giant Netflix said Friday it will buy film and television studio Warner Bros. Discovery for nearly $83 …

Netflix's Warner Bros. acquisition sparks backlash

Dec 06 2025

Netflix faced fierce criticism on Friday over its blockbuster deal to acquire Warner Bros., the storied Hollywood …

Mixed day for global stocks as market digest huge Netflix deal

Dec 05 2025

World stock markets gave a mixed picture on Friday, with sentiment underpinned by hopes for sustained US central bank …

Fresh data show US consumers still strained by inflation

Dec 05 2025

US consumer pricing and sentiment reports released Friday pointed to lingering questions about affordability as the …

Netflix to buy Warner Bros. Discovery in deal of the decade

Dec 05 2025

Streaming giant Netflix said Friday it will buy film and television studio Warner Bros. Discovery for nearly $83 …

Stocks consolidate as US inflation worries undermine Fed rate hopes

Dec 05 2025

World stock markets gave a mixed picture Friday, with sentiment underpinned by hopes for sustained US central bank rate …

Meta partners with news outlets to expand AI content

Dec 05 2025

Meta announced Friday it will integrate content from major news organizations into its artificial intelligence assistant …

Stocks rise as investors look to more Fed rate cuts

Dec 05 2025

World stock markets mostly rose Friday as investors speculated that the US central bank will cut rates not just this …

Netflix to buy Warner Bros. Discovery for nearly $83 billion

Dec 05 2025

Streaming giant Netflix has agreed to acquire film and television studio Warner Bros. Discovery for nearly $83 billion, …

Stocks, dollar rise before key US inflation data

Dec 05 2025

Major stock markets mostly rose and the dollar gained slightly Friday as investors awaited the release of key US …

Markets rise ahead of US data, expected Fed rate cut

Dec 05 2025

Equity markets rose going into the weekend on Friday following a broadly positive lead from Wall Street as a mixed bag …

German factory orders rise more than expected

Dec 05 2025

German industrial orders rose far more than expected in October, official data showed Friday, raising hopes that a long …

Asian markets rise ahead of US data, expected Fed rate cut

Dec 05 2025

Most Asian markets rose going into the weekend Friday following a broadly positive lead from Wall Street as a mixed bag …

Tanzania tourism suffers after election killings

Dec 05 2025

Tanzania's white beaches and safari lodges are emptier than usual as the country counts the cost to its crucial tourism …

Softbank's Son says super AI could make humans like fish, win Nobel Prize

Dec 05 2025

SoftBank CEO and AI investor Masayoshi Son said Friday that advanced artificial intelligence could surpass humans to the …

OpenAI strikes deal on US$4.6 bn AI centre in Australia

Dec 05 2025

ChatGPT maker OpenAI and an Australian data centre operator have agreed to develop a multibillion-dollar AI centre in …

Asian markets mixed ahead of US data, expected Fed rate cut

Dec 05 2025

Asian markets struggled into the weekend on Friday following a bland lead from Wall Street as a mixed bag of US data did …

French almond makers revive traditions to counter US dominance

Dec 05 2025

The scent of marzipan wafts through the air as confectioners from a century-old company in southern France prepare …

Oil refinery shutdown could cost Serbia for years, experts warn

Dec 04 2025

The fallout from the shutdown of Serbia's only oil refinery could last years, experts told AFP, putting thousands of …

Mixed day for US equities as Japan's Nikkei rallies

Dec 04 2025

Wall Street stocks finished mixed at the end of a choppy session Thursday as markets digested varying labor market data …

Facebook 'supreme court' admits 'frustrations' in 5 years of work

Dec 04 2025

An oversight board created by Facebook to review content-moderation decisions trumpeted improved transparency and …

Global markets scent US rate cuts

Dec 04 2025

World stock markets mostly rose Thursday after the latest batch of US data reinforced expectations that the Federal …

South Africa says wants equal treatment, after US G20 exclusion

Dec 04 2025

South Africa responded Thursday to a US bar on its participation in G20 events under Washington's presidency by saying …

Assumed likelihood of US rate cuts lifts global markets

Dec 04 2025

World stock markets mostly rose Thursday after the latest batch of US data reinforced expectations that the Federal …

Microsoft faces complaint in EU over Israeli surveillance data

Dec 04 2025

Microsoft is facing a complaint in the European Union filed by a non-profit organisation alleging it illegally stored …

South Africa prepared to 'take a break' from G20 after US ban

Dec 04 2025

South Africa said Thursday it was prepared to wait out next year's G20 after being barred by the United States and did …

EU hits Meta with antitrust probe over WhatsApp AI features

Dec 04 2025

The EU said Thursday it had opened an antitrust probe to determine if the way Meta is rolling out AI features in …

Stocks rise eyeing series of US rate cuts

Dec 04 2025

European and Asian stock markets mostly rose Thursday after the latest batch of US data reinforced expectations that the …

Italy sweatshop probe snares more luxury brands

Dec 04 2025

Italian prosecutors on Thursday named Gucci, Prada, Versace and Yves Saint Laurent as among 13 luxury brands suspected …

Senegal baskets are hot, but women weavers ask where's the money?

Dec 04 2025

Under the shade of a large mango tree in her sandy courtyard in a village in northwest Senegal, Khady Sene rhythmically …

South Africa telecoms giant Vodacom to take control of Kenya's Safaricom

Dec 04 2025

South Africa's biggest mobile operator Vodacom said Thursday it had agreed to take control of East Africa's largest …

Keep energy infrastructure out of war, Turkey warns Moscow, Kyiv

Dec 04 2025

Turkey warned Russia and Ukraine against targeting energy infrastructure following several Black Sea drone attacks …

South Africa will 'take a break' from G20 after US ban

Dec 04 2025

South Africa said Thursday it was prepared to wait out next year's G20 after being barred by the United States and did …

Slew of top brands suspected in Italy sweatshop probe

Dec 04 2025

Gucci, Prada, Versace and Yves Saint Laurent are among 13 luxury brands suspected of using subcontractors who exploited …

Markets mixed as traders struggle to hold Fed cut rally

Dec 04 2025

Asian and European markets were mixed Thursday after the latest batch of US data reinforced expectations that the …

Asian markets mixed as traders struggle to hold Fed cut rally

Dec 04 2025

Asian markets struggled to maintain their early momentum Thursday, even after the latest batch of US data reinforced …

Egypt's Sinai mountain megaproject threatens the people of St Catherine

Dec 04 2025

Atop one of Egypt's Sinai mountains, near where the three Abrahamic faiths say God spoke with Moses, another …

Tree branches to fleece jackets: Chemicals plant in Germany bets on biomass

Dec 04 2025

Staring at a pile of freshly cut beechwood, forestry manager Johannes Brodowski wonders if he is looking at the future …

Asian markets stumble as traders struggle to hold Fed cut rally

Dec 04 2025

Asian markets struggled to maintain their early momentum Thursday, even after the latest batch of US data reinforced …

Nintendo launches long-awaited 'Metroid Prime 4' sci-fi blaster

Dec 04 2025

Fans of Nintendo's "Metroid" science-fiction saga have reason to celebrate Thursday as the latest instalment in the …

Meta starts removing under-16s from social media in Australia

Dec 04 2025

Tech giant Meta said Thursday it is starting to remove under-16s in Australia from Instagram, Threads and Facebook ahead …

Trump scraps Biden's fuel-economy standards, sparking climate outcry

Dec 03 2025

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday a reset of Joe Biden's fuel-economy standards, arguing it will lower US car …

US stocks rise as weak jobs data boosts rate cut odds

Dec 03 2025

Wall Street stocks shrugged off early weakness Wednesday and finished with solid gains after poor US hiring data boosted …

Trump to scrap Biden's fuel-economy standards, sparking climate outcry

Dec 03 2025

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday a rollback of Joe Biden's fuel-economy standards, arguing it will lower US …

EU agrees deal to ban Russian gas by end of 2027

Dec 03 2025

European Union lawmakers and member states reached a deal Wednesday to ban all imports of Russian gas before the end of …

Poor hiring data points to US economic weakness

Dec 03 2025

US private-sector hiring data released Wednesday painted a downcast picture of the job market in the world's biggest …

Trump to scrap Biden's fuel-economy standards

Dec 03 2025

President Donald Trump's administration is set to revoke tougher fuel-economy standards put in place by his predecessor …

US retail giant Costco challenges Trump tariffs in court

Dec 03 2025

Costco, the major members-only warehouse retailer, has sued US President Donald Trump's administration, demanding a …

Stocks struggle as data shows drop in US jobs

Dec 03 2025

Equities struggled on Wednesday as data showed US businesses unexpectedly shed jobs last month.

Retail giant Costco challenges US tariffs in court

Dec 03 2025

The US members-only warehouse retailer Costco has sued President Donald Trump's administration, demanding a refund for …

Greek govt warns farmers not to escalate subsidy protest

Dec 03 2025

The Greek government on Wednesday warned farmers against escalating a roadblock protest to demand funds delayed by the …

EU moves to break dependence on China for rare earths

Dec 03 2025

The EU on Wednesday presented a multi-billion-euro plan to help curb the 27-nation bloc's dependence on China for rare …

Stocks dip after US jobs fall

Dec 03 2025

Wall Street's main stock indices dipped on Wednesday after data showed US businesses unexpectedly shed jobs last month.

German lithium project moves ahead in boost for Europe's EV sector

Dec 03 2025

Australia's Vulcan Energy said Wednesday it will soon start building a German lithium production project that will …

Stock markets mostly rise awaiting US data

Dec 03 2025

European and Asian stock markets mostly rose Wednesday following a resumption of Wall Street's rally, but gains were …

EU agrees deal to ban Russian gas by autumn 2027

Dec 03 2025

European Union lawmakers and member states reached a deal Wednesday to ban all imports of Russian gas by autumn 2027, as …

Norway postpones deep-sea mining activities for four years

Dec 03 2025

Norway on Wednesday postponed the first licences to permit deep-sea mining in its Arctic waters for four years, a delay …

Zara owner Inditex posts higher profits

Dec 03 2025

Zara owner Inditex, the world's largest fashion retailer, posted Wednesday higher profits for the first nine months of …

YouTube attacks Australia's world-first social media ban

Dec 03 2025

YouTube on Wednesday attacked Australia's looming social media ban for under-16s as rushed, but the government called …

Most Asian markets rise as traders await key US data

Dec 03 2025

Asian markets mostly rose Wednesday following a resumption of Wall Street's rally, but gains were muted as investors …

Airbus cuts delivery target over fuselage quality issue

Dec 03 2025

Aircraft maker Airbus said Wednesday it had lowered its 2025 target for deliveries because of fuselage panel quality …

Indian rupee hits fresh record low past 90 per dollar

Dec 03 2025

India's rupee fell to a fresh record low of over 90 per dollar Wednesday, extending recent declines, with traders partly …

YouTube says Australia social media ban makes children 'less safe'

Dec 03 2025

YouTube on Wednesday attacked Australia's looming social media ban for under-16s, denouncing the world-first laws as …

Chinese smart glasses firms eye overseas conquest

Dec 03 2025

In China, AI glasses let the wearer pay in shops with just a glance at a QR code and a voice command, as a growing …

Italy's luxury brands shaken by sweatshop probes

Dec 03 2025

A series of investigations into exploitative work conditions within fashion subcontractors has roiled Italy's luxury …

Women don fake mustaches in LinkedIn 'gender bias' fight

Dec 03 2025

Flipping their gender setting to "male" and even posting photos with fake mustaches, a growing number of women on …

What are 'rare earths' for?

Dec 03 2025

Crucial for making smartphones, fighter jets and electric cars, "rare earth" metals have become a strategic bargaining …

San Francisco sues producers over ultra-processed food

Dec 03 2025

San Francisco is suing makers of the ultra-processed food that health experts say has led millions of Americans into …

Trump hints economic adviser Hassett may be Fed chair pick

Dec 02 2025

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday hinted that he wants to nominate his chief economic adviser Kevin Hassett to …

US stocks resume upward climb despite lingering valuation worries

Dec 02 2025

Wall Street stocks resumed their upward climb Tuesday after the previous day's stutter, as markets weighed expected …

German economy in 'deepest crisis' of post-war era: industry group

Dec 02 2025

Germany's economy is suffering its "deepest crisis" since the aftermath of World War II, an industry group warned …

Faberge's rare Winter Egg fetches record £22.9 mn at auction

Dec 02 2025

Faberge's The Winter Egg, considered one of his most beautiful creations, sold for nearly £23 million ($30 million) at …

Stocks firm as US rate cut outlook tempers Japan bond unease

Dec 02 2025

Stocks steadied Tuesday following the previous day's stutter, as weak data reinforced optimism for US interest rate cuts …

Amazon unveils new AI chip in battle against Nvidia

Dec 02 2025

Amazon Web Services launched its in-house-built Trainium3 AI chip on Tuesday, marking a significant push to compete with …

Prada completes acquisition of flashy rival Versace

Dec 02 2025

Italian fashion group Prada announced on Tuesday it had completed its acquisition of smaller rival Versace, announced …

OECD raises US, eurozone growth targets as world economy 'resilient'

Dec 02 2025

The world economy has been "surprisingly resilient" in the face of adversity this year, the OECD said Tuesday, raising …