Business and Economy



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

AFP - 43m ago

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

AFP - 7h ago

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?

AFP - 8h ago

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 …

India's solar-panel boom: full throttle today, uncertain tomorrow

Jan 25 2026

The race for green energy is on. India, driven by soaring electricity demand and a push to reduce reliance on China, is …

US Fed set to keep rates steady as officials defend independence

Jan 25 2026

The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged when it meets in the coming week, holding …

Trump threatens Canada with 100% tariff if it completes China trade deal

Jan 24 2026

US President Donald Trump on Saturday warned Canada that if it concludes a trade deal with China, he will impose a 100 …

Iranians struggle as internet shutdown hits livelihoods

Jan 24 2026

Cut off from the global internet for more than two weeks, online content creator Amir spends his days scanning the few …

Wall Street intends to stay open around the clock

Jan 24 2026

The closing and opening bells of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) may become a ringing ritual of yesteryear, as the …

Europe and India seek closer ties with 'mother of all deals'

Jan 24 2026

India and Europe hope to strike the "mother of all deals" when EU chiefs meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi …

France probes deaths of two babies after powdered milk recall

Jan 23 2026

France's health minister on Friday sought to reassure consumers that all suspicious infant formula had been withdrawn, …

Gold nears $5,000, silver shines as stocks churn to end turbulent week

Jan 23 2026

Global stocks were subdued and precious metals hit new highs Friday as US President Donald Trump followed up …

TikTok in the US goes American, but questions remain

Jan 23 2026

After a long legal saga, TikTok has established a majority American-owned joint venture to operate its US business, …

Gold nears $5,000, silver shines as stocks slip on turbulent week

Jan 23 2026

Global stocks were subdued and precious metals hit fresh highs Friday after a turbulent week that saw US President …

Gold nears $5,000, global stocks muted ending turbulent week

Jan 23 2026

Global stocks were subdued and precious metals hit fresh highs Friday after a turbulent week that saw US President …

German auto supplier ZF axes electric projects as demand stalls

Jan 23 2026

Major German automotive supplier ZF Friedrichshafen said Friday it had scrapped some of its electric vehicle projects …

ECB chief thanks Davos 'euro-bashers' as welcome wake-up call

Jan 23 2026

After a week of hearing various US officials denigrate Europe, its leaders and its regulations at Davos, ECB chief …

France PM survives no-confidence vote over forced budget

Jan 23 2026

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu survived two no-confidence votes Friday following his move to force his budget …

Did Trump make Davos great again?

Jan 23 2026

US President Donald Trump stole the show at the World Economic Forum in Davos, but he may have also made the annual …

Gold nears $5,000, stocks muted after turbulent week

Jan 23 2026

Stocks were subdued and precious metals hit fresh highs Friday after a turbulent week that saw US President Donald Trump …

Asian stocks extend gains but US concerns hit dollar, boost gold

Jan 23 2026

Asian markets extended their recovery on Friday after Donald Trump withdrew his tariff threats over Greenland, although …

Japan PM Takaichi dissolves parliament for snap election

Jan 23 2026

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved parliament on Friday ahead of a snap election on February 8, counting …

TikTok establishes joint venture to end US ban threat

Jan 23 2026

TikTok announced Thursday it has established a majority American-owned joint venture to operate its US business, …

TikTok: key things to know

Jan 23 2026

Video-sharing platform TikTok has over a billion users worldwide, including more than 170 million in the United States, …

Venezuela moves to open up oil sector, a key Trump demand

Jan 23 2026

Venezuelan lawmakers on Thursday gave their initial backing to plans to throw open the oil sector to private investors, …

US stocks rally again after Trump backs off Greenland tariff threat

Jan 22 2026

Global stocks rallied Thursday, lifting US indices for a second straight day after President Donald Trump dialed back …

Ecuador, Colombia ramp up trade war with tit-for-tat energy levies

Jan 22 2026

Colombia and Ecuador punished each other with dueling levies Thursday on fuel and other imports, escalating a trade and …

Trump sues JPMorgan Chase, CEO Dimon, claims 'debanked' for politics

Jan 22 2026

US President Donald Trump sued JPMorgan Chase and CEO Jamie Dimon on Thursday, alleging he was wrongly "debanked" for …

Musk's Grok created three million sexualized images, research says

Jan 22 2026

Elon Musk's AI chatbot Grok generated an estimated three million sexualized images of women and children in a matter of …

French navy boards tanker 'from Russia' in Mediterranean

Jan 22 2026

France's navy, with the help of allies, on Thursday boarded a tanker alleged to be from Russia's sanction-busting …

Venezuela moves to liberalize oil sector, in boost for Trump

Jan 22 2026

Venezuelan lawmakers on Thursday began debating plans to throw open the country's lucrative oil sector to private …

Venezuela looks to petrodollars to bring down prices

Jan 22 2026

The United States' grab for Venezuela's oil, while shocking, may yet provide a short-term boost for the South American …

Musk makes Davos debut with promise of robots for all

Jan 22 2026

Elon Musk sees his humanoid robots hitting the market next year, one of several "optimistic" forecasts by the US tech …

WTO chief slams rise of trade protectionism

Jan 22 2026

World Trade Organization chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala slammed the global rise of protectionism on Thursday in Davos, while …

Ubisoft shares plunge after big-bang restructuring announced

Jan 22 2026

Investors appeared unimpressed Thursday by a drastic restructuring and further cost cuts at French game giant Ubisoft, …

Stocks rally as Trump drops Greenland tariff threats

Jan 22 2026

Stocks rallied Thursday after President Donald Trump rowed back on threats to hit key European countries with tariffs …

'Oasis of stability': Madrid becomes luxury housing haven

Jan 22 2026

Madrid has emerged as a coveted global luxury housing destination as Latin American and US investors fuel a real estate …

Games giant Ubisoft suffers share price collapse

Jan 22 2026

Trading in French video game giant Ubisoft was briefly suspended Thursday following a dramatic fall in its share price, …

Stocks track Wall St rally as Trump cools tariff threats in Davos

Jan 22 2026

Stocks rose on Thursday while safe-haven precious metals extended losses after Donald Trump rowed back on his threat to …

South Korea's economy grew just 1% in 2025, lowest in five years

Jan 22 2026

South Korea logged its slowest growth in half a decade in 2025, the country's central bank said Thursday, while exports …

Higher heating costs add to US affordability crunch

Jan 22 2026

Madeline Marchiano realizes that this winter’s runaway heating prices mean she can’t afford to raise her thermostat …

Trump announces Greenland 'framework', backing off force and tariffs

Jan 22 2026

US President Donald Trump backed down Wednesday on threats to seize Greenland by force from ally Denmark, announcing a …

US stocks rise as markets cheer easing of Greenland tensions

Jan 21 2026

Stocks mostly steadied Wednesday as markets digested shifting comments from US President Donald Trump that dialed down …

Trump says agreed 'framework' for US deal over Greenland

Jan 21 2026

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he reached a framework for a permanent deal over his contentious efforts to …

Ubisoft unveils details of big restructuring bet

Jan 21 2026

Ubisoft on Wednesday ended a months-long wait for details of a restructuring the French games giant hopes will power it …

Spain train drivers call strike after deadly accidents

Jan 21 2026

Spanish train drivers on Wednesday called a three-day strike for February, plunging the country's under-scrutiny …

Who is Lisa Cook, the Fed governor Trump seeks to fire?

Jan 21 2026

Lisa Cook, the first Black woman to serve on the powerful US Federal Reserve Board of Governors, has come under the …

Huge lines, laughs and gasps as Trump lectures Davos elite

Jan 21 2026

To muted applause and not a few stony faces, US President Donald Trump took the stage before hundreds of the world's …

Trump rules out 'force' against Greenland but demands talks

Jan 21 2026

US President Donald Trump for the first time ruled out using force to take Greenland as he addressed world leaders in …

Railway safety questioned as Spain reels from twin train disasters

Jan 21 2026

Spain's railway system was under scrutiny on Wednesday after a commuter service crashed near Barcelona, days after at …

Stocks steadier as Trump rules out force to take Greenland

Jan 21 2026

Stocks mostly steadied Wednesday as US President Donald Trump said in a much-anticipated speech at Davos that he would …

France's Lactalis recalls baby formula over toxin

Jan 21 2026

French group Lactalis on Wednesday announced a recall of batches of infant formula in France and other countries …

US Treasury chief accuses Fed chair of 'politicising' central bank

Jan 21 2026

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Wednesday of "politicising" the …

Trump rules out force against Greenland but demands 'immediate' talks

Jan 21 2026

US President Donald Trump ruled out using force to take Greenland for the first time as he addressed world leaders in …

Huge lines, laughs and gasps as Trump addresses Davos elites

Jan 21 2026

It looked like a rock concert: hundreds of the world's rich and powerful stood in a massive line for a precious seat to …

Stocks steady as Trump rules out force to take Greenland

Jan 21 2026

Stocks mostly steadied Wednesday as US President Donald Trump doubled down on his demands for "immediate negotiations" …

Trump at Davos demands 'immediate' Greenland talks but rules out force

Jan 21 2026

President Donald Trump demanded immediate talks on acquiring Greenland in a hardline speech at Davos Wednesday, but said …

Trump lands in Davos to push Greenland claims

Jan 21 2026

US President Donald Trump touched down in a tense Davos on Wednesday to give an "America First" speech that will push …

EU parliament refers Mercosur trade deal to bloc's top court

Jan 21 2026

The European Union's parliament voted on Wednesday to refer a freshly signed trade deal with South American bloc …

European stocks dip ahead of Trump's Davos speech

Jan 21 2026

European stocks slipped and precious metals hit fresh highs Wednesday as investors awaited US President Donald Trump's …

Trump flies into Davos maelstrom over Greenland

Jan 21 2026

US President Donald Trump descended on Davos on Wednesday for a tense showdown with world leaders, as allies push back …

EU won't ask Big Tech to pay for telecoms overhaul

Jan 21 2026

The EU will not force the world's biggest tech companies to pay for the overhaul of Europe's telecoms infrastructure …

Burberry sales rise as China demand improves

Jan 21 2026

Burberry posted a slight rise in sales on Wednesday, as the British luxury fashion label's turnaround plan showed signs …

Botswana warns diamond oversupply to hit growth

Jan 21 2026

Botswana is sitting on nearly double its permitted diamond stockpile as weak prices and rising competition from …

Trump heads for Davos maelstrom over Greenland

Jan 21 2026

US President Donald Trump descends on Davos for a showdown with European leaders Wednesday as his bid to seize Greenland …

Stocks mixed after tariff-fuelled selloff as uncertainty boosts gold

Jan 21 2026

Equities were mixed Wednesday following a rough start to the week fuelled by Donald Trump's Greenland-linked tariff …

Philippines to end short-lived ban on Musk's Grok chatbot

Jan 21 2026

The Philippines said Wednesday it will end its ban on Elon Musk's Grok, less than a week after blocking the AI chatbot …

Dazzling Chinese AI debuts mask growing pains

Jan 21 2026

Investor confidence in Chinese AI startups is riding high, but obstacles to their long-term success range from US export …

Stocks stable after tariff-fuelled selloff but uncertainty boosts gold

Jan 21 2026

Asian equities stabilised Wednesday after a rough start to the week fuelled by Donald Trump's Greenland-linked tariff …

What growth?: Taiwan's traditional manufacturers miss out on export boom

Jan 21 2026

Taiwan's economy soared last year on skyrocketing exports of AI hardware and semiconductors, but companies in more …

Venezuela moves to boost economy, amid anguish over pace of prisoner release

Jan 21 2026

Venezuela said Tuesday it would start using revenues from a US-brokered oil sale to shore up its battered currency, as …

Netflix shares fall as revenue appears to stall

Jan 20 2026

Netflix shares fell more than five percent on Tuesday as the streaming entertainment giant said it expected revenue to …

Venezuela says $300-mn US oil sale used to prop up currency

Jan 20 2026

Venezuela's interim leader Delcy Rodriguez said Tuesday that her country has received $300 million from a US sale of …

US regulator appeals Meta's court victory in monopoly case

Jan 20 2026

The US Federal Trade Commission said Tuesday it was appealing a court ruling that dismissed its antitrust case against …

World stocks sink, gold hits high on escalating trade war fears

Jan 20 2026

World stock markets lost ground on Tuesday and precious metals hit fresh peaks as rising US-EU tension stoked volatility …

Venezuela woos US oil majors with new investment czar

Jan 20 2026

Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez appointed a US-educated banker to head the country's main investment …

France PM forces part of budget through parliament without vote

Jan 20 2026

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu on Tuesday rammed part of the 2026 budget through parliament without a vote, …

Massive US presence makes its mark on Davos

Jan 20 2026

Overlooking the Davos promenade, a 19th-century Alpine church sports huge banners of a stern-looking eagle wrapped in an …

Eyeing China, EU moves to ban 'high-risk' foreign suppliers from telecoms networks

Jan 20 2026

The EU executive on Tuesday proposed banning third-country companies from European mobile networks if they are deemed a …

EU vows 'unflinching' response to Trump's Greenland gambit

Jan 20 2026

European leaders drew a clear line over Greenland Tuesday, vowing an "unflinching" response to Washington's threats even …

Global tourism hit new record level in 2025 despite 'weak' US results: UN

Jan 20 2026

Global tourism hit a new record level in 2025 despite a dip in arrivals in North America due to "weak results" in the …

Thousands of farmers protest EU, Mercosur trade deal ahead of vote

Jan 20 2026

Thousands of farmers driving tractors and waving flags descended Tuesday on the European parliament in Strasbourg in …

Valentino taught us to respect women, says partner

Jan 20 2026

Italian designer Valentino Garavani loved creating outfits that made women beautiful, his partner Giancarlo Giammetti …

Global tourism hit new record level in 2025: UN

Jan 20 2026

Global tourism hit a new record level in 2025 with 1.52 billion international tourist arrivals recorded worldwide, …

European stocks sink, gold hits high on escalating tariff fears

Jan 20 2026

European stock markets slid further Tuesday, while precious metals hit fresh peaks on fears of a US-EU trade war fuelled …

Bessent says Europe dumping US debt over Greenland would 'defy logic'

Jan 20 2026

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday rejected the idea that European governments could aggressively sell …

Trump tariff threat 'poison' for Germany's fragile recovery

Jan 20 2026

US President Donald Trump's latest tariff threat against Europe over Greenland has hit its top economy Germany just as …

Equities sink, gold and silver hit records as Greenland fears mount

Jan 20 2026

Asian markets extended losses Tuesday, while precious metals hit fresh peaks on fears of a US-EU trade war fuelled by …

Tourists hit record in Japan, despite plunge from China

Jan 20 2026

A record number of tourists flocked to Japan in 2025, officials said Tuesday, despite a steep fall in Chinese visitors …

EU wants to keep Chinese suppliers out of critical infrastructure

Jan 20 2026

The EU is expected on Tuesday to unveil plans to keep "high-risk" Chinese suppliers away from European critical …

Inside China's buzzing AI scene year after DeepSeek shock

Jan 20 2026

Before DeepSeek shook up the tech world and put Chinese artificial intelligence on the map, Wu Chenglin's own startup …

Asian markets sink, silver hits record as Greenland fears mount

Jan 20 2026

Asian markets extended losses Tuesday and silver hit a fresh peak on fears of a US-EU trade war fuelled by Donald …

Public media in Europe under unprecedented strain

Jan 19 2026

Public media in Europe is facing a series of new threats including scrutiny by a resurgent far right, budget cuts, and …

France PM to force budget into law, concedes 'partial failure'

Jan 19 2026

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu confirmed on Monday he would ram his budget bill through parliament without a …

Ex-OPEC president in UK court ahead of corruption trial

Jan 19 2026

Former OPEC president Diezani Alison-Madueke appeared in a London court on Monday, ahead of her full trial on bribery …

Trump tariff threat has global investors running for cover

Jan 19 2026

International investors bought heavily into precious metals while switching out of stocks Monday in a flight to safety …

Ivory Coast faces unusual pile-up of cocoa at export hubs

Jan 19 2026

At a warehouse in western Ivory Coast the backlog of cocoa beans waiting to be shipped has grown so big the storage site …

Russians agree to sell sanctioned Serbian oil firm

Jan 19 2026

Serbia's energy minister said Monday that the Russian majority owners of the country's largest oil firm, which is under …

Germany brings back electric car subsidies to boost market

Jan 19 2026

Germany on Monday reintroduced electric car subsidies as it seeks to accelerate the transition to less polluting …

Europe wants to 'avoid escalation' on Trump tariff threat: Merz

Jan 19 2026

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday said Europe wants to "avoid escalation" over US President Donald Trump's …

Gold hits peak, stocks sink on new Trump tariff threat

Jan 19 2026

Gold and silver prices hit record highs and stock markets slid Monday as investors sought safety after US President …