Business and Economy



Global stocks mixed as yen falls despite Bank of Japan rate hike

AFP - 1h ago

Global stocks were mixed Friday at the end of a week dominated by central bank moves to tame inflation as the yen …

Hushing and hedging: US companies retreat on climate

AFP - 1h ago

Some companies are talking less about their climate commitments, while others are shifting the goalposts or quietly …

Russia seizes assets of Nestle, French firms over West's Ukraine support

AFP - 2h ago

Russian authorities have seized the businesses and assets of Swiss food giant Nestle and three French groups, a move the …

California governor signs order to explore AI 'kill switch'

AFP - 2h ago

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Friday directing state officials to explore the feasibility …

Crisis-wracked Volkswagen warns of 10-bn-euro hit to profits

AFP - 5h ago

German auto giant Volkswagen warned Friday of a 10-billion-euro ($11.4 billion) hit to its annual earnings, citing tough …

Stock markets retreat after central bank rate hikes

AFP - 4h ago

European and US stock markets retreated while oil prices wobbled on Friday at the end of a week dominated by central …

Warren Buffett steps down as Berkshire Hathaway chairman

AFP - 6h ago

Influential US billionaire investor Warren Buffett stepped down as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate …

Stock markets diverge after central bank rate hikes

AFP - 1h ago

Global stock markets diverged and oil prices wobbled on Friday approaching the end of a week dominated by central bank …

Mbappe ends Nike partnership to join Swiss brand On

AFP - 8h ago

France captain Kylian Mbappe has signed with Swiss sportswear brand On, ending a long association with Nike that …

Russia seizes assets of Nestle, French firms

AFP - 1h ago

Russian authorities have seized the businesses and assets of Swiss food giant Nestle and three French groups, a move the …

Asian stocks boosted by falling oil, yen weakens after BoJ rate hike

AFP - 3h ago

Asian stocks mostly rose on Friday in line with a rally on Wall Street as a tumble in oil prices eased inflation …

Bank of Japan hikes rates to 31-year high to battle inflation

AFP - 13h ago

The Bank of Japan raised interest rates to a 31-year high on Friday and said it would lift them further as it looks to …

Most Asian stocks track Wall St rally, yen drops after BoJ rate hike

AFP - 28m ago

Asian stocks mostly rose on Friday in line with a rally on Wall Street as a drop in oil prices eased inflation concerns, …

AI doomsday warnings unlikely to slow IPOs but questions linger

AFP - 18h ago

Anthropic is expected to beat rival OpenAI to the public markets with a blockbuster IPO later this year despite recent …

Australia to detain tourists who overstay visa, minister says

AFP - 18h ago

Australia will detain tourists who overstay visas to send a message of deterrence under new rules aimed at reducing …

In Brazil's Amazon, the hunt for oil fuels hopes and fears

AFP - 18h ago

Indigenous chief Wagner Karipuna gazes worriedly at the tranquil river flowing past his village in the Brazilian Amazon …

Asian stocks track Wall St rally as oil prices drop

AFP - 5h ago

Asian stocks rose Friday in line with a rally on Wall Street as a drop in oil prices eased inflation concerns, while …

Oversight Board blasts 'inadequate' Meta safeguards for AI deepfakes

AFP - 19h ago

Meta on Thursday moved to remove AI-generated videos targeting two women, including a British politician, after the tech …

Stocks climb as oil retreats, Fed calms inflation fears

Sep 17 2026

Stock markets rose on Thursday a day after the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates as expected to cool inflation …

Hispanics feel 'betrayed' on immigration, Republican warns Trump

Sep 17 2026

US lawmakers from both parties attacked President Donald Trump's mass deportation drive Thursday, with a member of his …

'In our lane': Fed's Warsh defies Trump but still fighting for credibility

Sep 17 2026

US Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh delivered the interest rate hike this week that many economists think surging …

GM delivers first components for US interceptor missiles

Sep 17 2026

General Motors has delivered its first components for Lockheed Martin interceptor missiles as the defense contractor …

Canada's Carney pushes 'new alliance' with EU despite Trump threats

Sep 17 2026

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney shrugged off a threat of US retaliation Thursday as he pitched a "new alliance" with …

French fishermen block ports over petrol prices

Sep 17 2026

Fishermen on Thursday blocked the entrance to two ports and a petrol depot in southern France in protest at rising fuel …

Kids and social media: what would change under new EU law

Sep 17 2026

The EU laid out plans Thursday for strict age limits for children to access social media, games and AI assistants -- and …

Micron's Taiwan workers say 68 months' bonus not enough

Sep 17 2026

Hundreds of workers at memory chip giant Micron Technology rallied on Thursday, threatening a strike as they rejected …

'Another arrow to the quiver': World Bank posts record private capital mobilization

Sep 17 2026

The World Bank announced Thursday that it had mobilized a record $112 billion in private capital for developing …

Germany urges EU action against China to defend carmakers

Sep 17 2026

Germany's finance minister urged the European Union on Thursday to step up action against what he called China's "unfair …

From land to race laws: what's driving the US-South Africa rift?

Sep 17 2026

The Trump administration this week announced visa restrictions on South African officials over alleged discrimination …

Ireland to boycott Eurovision 2027 over Gaza

Sep 17 2026

Ireland will not participate in or broadcast next year's Eurovision Song Contest, public broadcaster RTE said Thursday, …

India's Tata Sons reappoints N. Chandrasekaran as chairman

Sep 17 2026

India's Tata Sons said Thursday its board had voted to reappoint N. Chandrasekaran as executive chairman for another …

Stocks mostly rise after US Fed rate hike, oil eases

Sep 17 2026

Stock markets mostly rose on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve delivered a widely expected interest rate hike, while …

Doubts as Italy eyes electric future for steel plant

Sep 17 2026

Italy's government says the country's largest steel works must be converted to electric after a court-ordered shutdown …

Modi pitches India as global chipmaking hub

Sep 17 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched India as a new global hub for semiconductor production on Thursday, urging …

Canada alliance plan 'not against anyone', EU says after Trump threat

Sep 17 2026

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen's proposal to make Canada an "associate member" of the bloc is not aimed against the …

Most stocks rise as Fed hikes and oil prices drop

Sep 17 2026

Most equities rose on Thursday after the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates for the first time in three years and boss …

Most stocks rise as Fed hikes and indicates drive to curb inflation

Sep 17 2026

Most equities rose Thursday after the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates for the first time in three years and boss …

Gambian businesses struggle under prolonged blackouts

Sep 17 2026

In the coastal Gambian town of Tanji, Sirah Darboe-Manneh cleans fish next to a row of ice boxes laying empty because of …

Trump to host Xi amid pomp, low expectations

Sep 17 2026

The US military honor guard has been rehearsing and the new White House helipad is ready. But will Xi Jinping and Donald …

Where the US-China tariff row stands ahead of White House summit

Sep 17 2026

Trade frictions between the world's top two economies are set to take centre stage next week when US President Donald …

AI looms large ahead of Xi, Trump summit

Sep 17 2026

Artificial intelligence is set to loom large when Chinese President Xi Jinping meets counterpart Donald Trump in …

US Congress passes sweeping Russia sanctions bill

Sep 17 2026

US lawmakers approved broad new sanctions designed to squeeze Russia over its war in Ukraine on Wednesday, sending the …

US Fed raises rates to tackle 'too high' inflation, irking Trump

Sep 17 2026

The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised interest rates for the first time since 2023, defying President Donald …

Trump threatens EU over 'hostile' Canada association plan

Sep 16 2026

US President Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday to cut trade with the European Union after the bloc proposed to make …

US House backs data center power cost bill amid midterm backlash

Sep 16 2026

The US House of Representatives approved legislation Wednesday aimed at making data centers shoulder more of their own …

Argentine judge orders suspension of Falklands oil project

Sep 16 2026

An Argentine judge on Wednesday ordered the suspension of a British-Israeli oil project near the Falkland Islands, a …

US stocks fall, dollar gains after Fed lifts interest rates

Sep 16 2026

Wall Street stocks fell while the dollar advanced Wednesday after the Federal Reserve lifted interest rates for the …

US Fed raises rates to tackle 'too high' inflation in move sure to rile Trump

Sep 16 2026

The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised interest rates for the first time since 2023, defying President Donald …

EU chief pitches 'associate member' status for Canada

Sep 16 2026

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen raised the prospect of Canada becoming the bloc's first "associate member" Wednesday, a …

US Fed raises rates to battle inflation in move likely to rile Trump

Sep 16 2026

The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday raised interest rates in the world's largest economy by 25 basis points to tackle …

'We're losing control,' AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio tells AFP

Sep 16 2026

The Canadian computer scientist considered one of the founders of AI, Yoshua Bengio, told AFP that humanity is "losing …

Stocks edge higher ahead of US Fed rate call

Sep 16 2026

Global stock markets mostly rose as oil prices fell on Wednesday ahead of the Federal Reserve's decision on US interest …

US House targets data centers as midterm backlash grows

Sep 16 2026

The US House of Representatives is set to vote Wednesday on whether data centers should shoulder more of their own …

British PM says to make 'difficult decisions' as inflation rises

Sep 16 2026

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Wednesday that he was ready to take "difficult decisions" as higher fuel prices from …

US Fed to deliver rate decision with markets betting on hike

Sep 16 2026

The US Federal Reserve will announce its decision on setting interest rates for the world's largest economy on …

TotalEnergies pumps up controversy in France with cut-price gas

Sep 16 2026

French motorists are clogging TotalEnergies service stations to fill up with discount gasoline but its rivals are crying …

Global fuel price demos: a round-up

Sep 16 2026

Social unrest and political squabbles have broken out around the world over soaring energy costs, with protests erupting …

Emporio Armani names Dario Vitale new creative director

Sep 16 2026

The Armani fashion house, whose founder and owner Giorgio Armani died last year, named Prada veteran Dario Vitale as the …

Saudi says Houthis target Mecca, warns of 'red line'

Sep 16 2026

The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen's Houthis accused them on Wednesday of targeting Islam's holy city Mecca, …

Stocks head higher as traders prepare for Fed decision

Sep 16 2026

Equity markets climbed on Wednesday as investors geared up for an expected interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve …

Pickle-flavoured tart? AI inspires Japan's convenience stores

Sep 16 2026

Fears that advanced artificial intelligence could wipe out humanity have dominated global headlines, but in Japan the …

China opens major canal linking landlocked regions to sea

Sep 16 2026

China opened a major canal on Wednesday that will provide landlocked areas with direct access to the sea, state media …

Hong Kong unveils plan to align economy with China's goals

Sep 16 2026

Hong Kong's government unveiled plans on Wednesday to significantly boost investment on innovation and technology as it …

Bank of Japan set to raise rates under pressure from inflation, US

Sep 16 2026

The Bank of Japan is poised to raise interest rates again on Friday to counter inflation fuelled by surging energy …

Meta chief pushes back on AI slowdown calls

Sep 16 2026

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg pushed back Tuesday against growing calls to pause or slow AI development, arguing that market …

EU chief hosts Canada's Carney in push to 'deepen' alliance

Sep 16 2026

From investments in AI to energy supplies, a drive to strengthen EU-Canada ties shifts into gear Wednesday, as the …

Dead animals, barren fields, and hunger - El Nino chokes Central America

Sep 16 2026

Animals are dropping dead amid the worst drought in living memory for many Central Americans, who are grappling with the …

Asian stocks stutter as traders prepare for Fed decision

Sep 16 2026

Asian stocks struggled Wednesday as investors prepare for an expected interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve later in …

US touts its power, avoids Iran war at G20 Energy meeting

Sep 16 2026

The United States hammered home a message touting its energy dominance at Tuesday's meeting of G20 energy ministers in …

Saudi, Egypt demand open Red Sea as Riyadh vows response to Houthi attacks

Sep 16 2026

Saudi Arabia and Egypt's leaders called on Tuesday for free navigation in the Red Sea, after Riyadh vowed a firm …

AI giants pursue self-regulation as safety fears mount

Sep 16 2026

The world's biggest AI companies are working on creating a standards body, ChatGPT-maker OpenAI said on Tuesday, as …

Carney sells Canada to global investors but says US ties still key

Sep 15 2026

Prime Minister Mark Carney pitched Canada as an investment haven Tuesday at a gathering of global financial elite, but …

Markets on edge as US Fed meets to tackle high inflation

Sep 15 2026

Oil prices jumped, US bond yields rallied and equities retreated Tuesday as the Federal Reserve looked set to raise …

US Senate crypto bill collapses amid partisan deadlock

Sep 15 2026

A push for landmark US cryptocurrency legislation collapsed on Tuesday after Republicans and Democrats in Congress …

OpenAI, Anthropic and Google are working to create an AI standards body

Sep 15 2026

The world's biggest AI companies are working on creating a standards body, ChatGPT-maker OpenAI said on Tuesday, as …

Protesting shepherds, farmers clash with Romanian police

Sep 15 2026

Protesting shepherds and farmers, joined by far-right groups, clashed with riot police in Romania Tuesday, leaving two …

US Treasury chief says to meet Chinese counterpart at weekend

Sep 15 2026

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday that he would meet his Chinese counterpart He Lifeng this weekend for …

Canada remains 'most important partner' for US in 'key areas': Carney

Sep 15 2026

Canada will remain a crucial partner for the United States in "key areas," Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday as he …

EU to propose curbing social media, online games for under 15s

Sep 15 2026

The European Union is set to propose curbing access to social media, video-sharing platforms, chatbots, and online games …

'I am the hoax buster': Trump rejects AI danger warnings

Sep 15 2026

US President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed fears that artificial intelligence could wipe out humanity, repeatedly …

Ukraine winemakers defy war to make a splash at home

Sep 15 2026

As this year's harvest season entered full swing, a winery in western Ukraine had an additional task to oversee: …

Stocks drop, oil climbs and Treasury yields hit 19-year high

Sep 15 2026

Asian stock markets sank on Tuesday, US Treasury yields hit a 19-year high and oil prices extended gains as rising …

China retail sales growth weakens further in August

Sep 15 2026

China's retail sales grew last month at their slowest pace since May, official data showed on Tuesday, as the country's …

Most markets drop as oil extends gains ahead of expected US rate hike

Sep 15 2026

Most Asian stock markets struggled again Tuesday as oil prices extended gains and investors bet on a Federal Reserve …

Doomers and boosters: who's who in the AI wars

Sep 15 2026

The furious debate over artificial intelligence has hardened into warring camps -- and a cautious middle.

EU extends Russia sanction deadline

Sep 15 2026

EU countries on Monday delayed a deadline for prolonging sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war after France pushed …

Canada makes pitch as safe place to invest in 'uncertain world'

Sep 14 2026

Canada is a safe place to invest "in a very uncertain world," Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne told AFP …

US stocks retreat on AI warnings as oil prices, bond yields rise

Sep 14 2026

Wall Street stocks fell Monday on weakness in tech shares after leading artificial intelligence executives said advances …

Trump rejects 'hoax' warnings that AI could destroy humanity

Sep 14 2026

US President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed fears that artificial intelligence could wipe out humanity, calling them a …

US invites Venezuela to G20 energy summit

Sep 14 2026

A Venezuelan delegation will participate in this week's G20 energy meetings in Texas, US officials said Monday, as the …

France, Iraq deepen energy, defence ties during Zaidi visit

Sep 14 2026

France and Iraq on Monday called for a "diversification of export routes" for oil and gas in the Middle East in response …

Germany seeks guarantees from Italy's UniCredit over Commerzbank takeover

Sep 14 2026

Germany's finance minister on Monday met the UniCredit CEO to seek guarantees over the future of Commerzbank, as the …

Nigeria's Dangote refinery launches continent's biggest IPO

Sep 14 2026

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote on Monday launched what is slated to be Africa's biggest initial public offering …

Trump blasts 'sick conspiracy' against AI as warnings mount

Sep 14 2026

US President Donald Trump on Monday attacked what he called a "sick conspiracy" against artificial intelligence, …

Oil gains on Mideast supply fears, AI warnings rattle tech firms

Sep 14 2026

Oil prices jumped Monday after Saudi Arabia closed a key pipeline amid the Middle East war, deepening worries about …

UN calls for 'urgent action' to rein in AI in face of 'unprecedented risks'

Sep 14 2026

The United Nations rights chief called Monday for countries and "frontier" artificial intelligence companies to act …

Slow the AI race? Investors weigh the potential cost

Sep 14 2026

Calls to rein in the development of ever more powerful AI models are fuelling fears over the massive capital outlays in …

French defence group Thales calls on governments to regulate AI

Sep 14 2026

The head of French defence and technology group Thales called on governments Monday to take responsibility for …

Nigerian oil refinery Dangote launches IPO

Sep 14 2026

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote on Monday launched what is slated as Africa's biggest initial public offering (IPO), …

Ozempic-maker Novo Nordisk slims down to 'Novo'

Sep 14 2026

Danish pharmaceuticals giant Novo Nordisk, maker of weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, announced Monday a name change …

Oil prices extend gains on Mideast supply fears, tech leads losses

Sep 14 2026

Oil prices spiked Monday on Middle East supply fears after Saudi Arabia closed a key pipeline, putting further upward …

Canada's Carney seeks closer Europe ties to counter hostile US

Sep 14 2026

Prime Minister Mark Carney calls Canada "the most European of non-European countries," and while formal EU membership …