Business and Economy



Spanish court orders 55 mn euro tax refund to Shakira 

AFP - 6m ago

A Spanish court has ordered the tax authority to refund Colombian pop star Shakira more than 55 million euros ($64 …

Ryanair flags Iran war uncertainty as annual profit jumps

AFP - 8m ago

Irish no-frills carrier Ryanair reported Monday a sharply higher annual profit but warned that the Middle East war has …

G7 finance chiefs meet to seek common stance on unstable ground

AFP - 41m ago

Finance chiefs from the G7 industrialised nations gathered in Paris on Monday for two days of talks aimed at forging a …

Asian stocks sink, oil rises on US-Iran deadlock

AFP - 1h ago

Asian markets lost ground on Monday, extending slides in global markets as the impasse in the war in the Middle East …

India's strategic $9 bn megaport plan for pristine island

AFP - 5h ago

On a remote island in the Andaman Sea, bulldozers are tearing into pristine forests that are home to one of Earth's most …

China's April consumption, factory output growth slowest in years

AFP - 6h ago

China's consumer spending and factory output grew at their slowest pace in years last month, official data showed …

Four takeaways from Musk vs OpenAI trial

AFP - 8h ago

After three weeks of intense hearings,

Jury to decide fate of Musk's blockbuster suit against OpenAI

AFP - 8h ago

Deliberations begin Monday in the blockbuster trial pitting Elon Musk against AI giant OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, …

Shock threat by billionaire Bollore's Canal+ group rocks French cinema

May 17 2026

The head of France's biggest film producer, Canal+, said Sunday that the group would no longer work with 600 industry …

Gucci takes over New York's Times Square for fashion show

May 17 2026

Famed Italian fashion house Gucci took over New York's iconic Times Square on Saturday for its second runway show led by …

German 'chemical town' fears impact of industrial decline

May 17 2026

Germany's industrial decline is taking a painful toll on communities that have long relied on local manufacturing titans …

India scrambles to steady rupee as oil shock bites

May 17 2026

India is scrambling to salvage a sinking rupee as surging oil prices linked to the Middle East conflict threaten to …

War in Middle East: latest developments

May 17 2026

Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war:

Musk wants SpaceX to go public. Here's how it works

May 17 2026

Hundreds of companies raised a combined $70 billion by selling shares to the public in the United States last year.

Big risks and rewards in upcoming IPOs at SpaceX, OpenAI, Anthropic

May 17 2026

Wall Street is licking its chops over an unprecedented slate of massive IPOs set to arrive in the coming months, …

Scuffles from Europe to NYC as Swatch sale descends into chaos

May 16 2026

The launch of limited edition Swatch watches descended into chaos Saturday in several European cities and New York, with …

Modi oversees semi-conductor deal on Dutch trip

May 16 2026

Dutch tech giant ASML signed a deal with Tata Electronics Saturday to help build and scale up a semi-conductor plant in …

Modi oversees semiconductor deal on Dutch trip

May 16 2026

Dutch tech giant ASML signed a deal with Tata Electronics Saturday to help build and scale up a semi-conductor plant in …

Mercedes Benz mulls diversification into defence

May 16 2026

The CEO of German automaking giant Mercedes-Benz has said he has not ruled out entering the defence industry.

Wordle heads to primetime as media seek puzzle reinvention

May 16 2026

News organizations are racing to add puzzles and games to their digital offerings, hoping to replicate the success of a …

Boeing confirms China commitment to buy 200 aircraft

May 15 2026

Aerospace giant Boeing on Friday confirmed that China had committed to purchasing 200 aircraft during a visit to Beijing …

Trump warns against Taiwan independence after China visit

May 15 2026

US President Donald Trump on Friday warned Taiwan against declaring formal independence after concluding his visit to …

Stocks tumble as US-Iran impasse fuels inflation fears

May 15 2026

Global stocks slumped and oil prices rose Friday with worries about sustained inflation driving up bond yields with no …

Canada takes key step towards new oil pipeline

May 15 2026

Prime Minister Mark Carney and the leader of Canada's oil‑rich Alberta province took a major step Friday toward building …

Democrats accuse Trump of stock trade corruption

May 15 2026

Democrats accused US President Donald Trump of corruption on Friday after the disclosure of major stock market …

Xi, Trump eke small wins from talks but no major deals: analysts

May 15 2026

Chinese and US leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump concluded a summit in Beijing with some symbolic wins that made for …

French-German tank maker KNDS to push ahead with IPO

May 15 2026

KNDS said Friday that it planned to push ahead with plans for a public offering of its shares, despite reports Berlin is …

Trump says made 'fantastic trade deals' with Xi, but details scarce

May 15 2026

US President Donald Trump said he had made "fantastic trade deals" and settled "a lot of different problems" in his …

Beckham becomes first British billionaire sportsman

May 15 2026

Former Manchester United and England star David Beckham has become Britain's first billionaire sportsman, according to …

Energy-hungry German industries in decline since Ukraine war: data

May 15 2026

Germany's energy-hungry industries have suffered sharp falls in output since the start of the Ukraine war, data showed …

LVMH sells Marc Jacobs to WHP Global, which will form partnership with G-III

May 15 2026

French luxury giant LVMH will sell its Marc Jacobs brand to US brand firm WHP Global, the two companies said Thursday.

Trump says made 'fantastic trade deals' with Xi

May 15 2026

President Donald Trump said Friday he had made "fantastic trade deals" with China's Xi Jinping, as the pair ended a …

Indian magnate Adani agrees multi-million-dollar penalty in US court case

May 15 2026

Indian billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani has agreed to pay a multi-million-dollar settlement in a US civil court …

Mines 'draining Turkey's water sources', environmentalists warn

May 15 2026

Guney was once a water-rich village fed by 50 springs in Turkey's western Usak province, but since a gold mine opened 20 …

Zimbabwe tobacco hits new highs under smallholder contracts

May 15 2026

Rows of green tobacco plants stretched towards the bush in a vast field of a crop that has rebounded to record levels in …

India hikes fuel prices as Middle East war strains supplies

May 15 2026

India's state-run oil companies raised petrol and diesel prices by more than three percent on Friday as disruption to …

Markets wait on Trump-Xi summit, Seoul hits record

May 15 2026

Oil inched higher and Asian markets traded in a narrow range Friday as investors awaited tangible results from US …

Trump to seek tangible trade wins in Xi summit

May 15 2026

US President Donald Trump is seeking trade wins when he meets Xi Jinping on Friday for the last day of a superpower …

Trump traded hundreds of millions in US securities in 2026

May 15 2026

US President Donald Trump was involved in buying and selling securities linked to American companies in transactions …

Canada's Cohere embraces 'low drama' amid AI giant tumult

May 15 2026

In an industry that runs on hype and grand gestures, Canadian AI firm Cohere is charting a different course from Silicon …

Egypt farmers hit by Iran war price surge

May 15 2026

Egyptian smallholders have seen their lives upended by the war in Iran, with soaring fertiliser and energy prices …

Closing arguments in blockbuster trial pitting Musk against OpenAI

May 14 2026

Lawyers for Elon Musk and OpenAI presented closing arguments Thursday in a blockbuster trial where the verdict could …

Tech stocks rally rolls on as US-China talks underway

May 14 2026

European and US stock markets climbed Thursday with Wall Street indices notching fresh records as a tech-fueled rally …

Xi warns Trump on Taiwan at Beijing summit

May 14 2026

Chinese President Xi Jinping warned his US counterpart Donald Trump that missteps on Taiwan could push their two …

US tariffs, cyberattack drive Jaguar Land Rover into loss

May 14 2026

US import tariffs and a debilitating cyberattack pushed Jaguar Land Rover into an annual loss, figures published …

IMF sees risks to global growth forecast over sustained Iran war

May 14 2026

The International Monetary Fund warned on Thursday that continuing disruptions due to the Iran war meant its global …

China's Weichai wins battle for Ferretti yacht maker

May 14 2026

Chinese group Weichai on Thursday took control of the world's top yacht maker, Ferretti, after a takeover battle with a …

Honda suspends plans for new electric vehicle plant in Canada

May 14 2026

Japanese auto giant Honda said Thursday its plans to build a multi-billion-dollar electric vehicle plant in Canada have …

Germany's Merz calls for more investment, less subsidies in EU budget

May 14 2026

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged the European Union on Thursday to reform its budget to include more investments …

Stocks diverge tracking tech, US-China talks

May 14 2026

European and Asian stock markets diverged on Thursday as investors weighed high-stakes talks between the United States …

UK economy resilient as Mideast war, political risks loom

May 14 2026

Britain's economy expanded in the first quarter, official data showed Thursday, offering a boost to embattled Prime …

Iran war and oil dominate BRICS meet in India

May 14 2026

BRICS nations, including Iran and Russia, met in New Delhi on Thursday, where India warned of "considerable flux" in a …

Asia stocks uneven as investors assess high-stakes Trump-Xi talks, AI rally

May 14 2026

Asian markets were mixed Thursday as investors weighed high-stakes US-China talks and persistent inflation concerns, …

Burberry returns to full-year profit on turnaround plan

May 14 2026

British fashion label Burberry said Thursday that it returned to profit in its latest fiscal year thanks to a sizeable …

India bars sugar exports until September

May 14 2026

India, one of the world's largest sugar producers, has banned exports of the key commodity until the end of September to …

EV overhaul drags Honda to first operating loss since 1957

May 14 2026

Honda announced Thursday its first operational loss since 1957 after a major overhaul of its electric vehicle strategy …

Honda posts operating loss, first since 1957

May 14 2026

Honda announced Thursday its first operational loss since 1957 after a major overhaul of its electric vehicle strategy …

Xi warns Trump Taiwan issue could lead to 'conflict' as US-China summit starts

May 14 2026

Chinese President Xi Jinping warned his US counterpart Donald Trump that the issue of Taiwan could push their two …

Trump heralds 'fantastic future' for US-China as talks with Xi begin

May 14 2026

US President Donald Trump on Thursday told China's Xi Jinping their countries would have "a fantastic future together", …

Asia markets mixed as Trump-Xi summit, AI trade dominate

May 14 2026

Asian markets were mixed Thursday as investors weighed a high-stakes US-China summit and persistent inflation concerns, …

Indian pharma fuels Africa's 'zombie drug' and opioid crisis

May 14 2026

They come in blister packs of 10 like any normal painkiller and you can buy them easily in roadside kiosks and street …

US jury begins deliberations on 737 MAX victim suit against Boeing

May 13 2026

A Chicago jury began deliberations Wednesday afternoon in a suit brought against Boeing by family members of a …

S&P 500, Nasdaq end at records as oil prices retreat

May 13 2026

Major Wall Street stock indices shrugged off a surprisingly big jump in US inflation Wednesday and pushed to fresh …

Warsh confirmed as Fed chair as central bank faces Trump assault

May 13 2026

The US Senate on Wednesday confirmed Kevin Warsh as the new Federal Reserve chairman to lead a central bank whose …

US races to secure rare earths to rebuild depleted arsenal

May 13 2026

The United States is working hard to create a supply chain for rare earths -- metals needed to replenish its military …

Kevin Warsh returns to Federal Reserve with 'regime change' agenda

May 13 2026

Kevin Warsh, the incoming chair of the US Federal Reserve, returns to the central bank with an ambitious reform agenda …

Stocks rise ahead of US-China summit

May 13 2026

Stock markets drifted higher Wednesday as investors awaited a high-stakes summit between the United States and China, …

US wholesale prices jump 6.0% year-on-year in April, highest since 2022

May 13 2026

Wholesale prices in the United States rose sharply in April, lifted by a surge in energy costs related to the Iran war, …

Nations drawing down oil stocks at record pace: IEA

May 13 2026

Countries are tapping into oil inventories and strategic reserves at a "record pace" due to the "unprecedented" supply …

Strong US economy's resilience to shocks tested by Iran war

May 13 2026

If you look at the numbers, the United States economy seems to be doing surprisingly well despite massive successive …

One trip, one ticket: New EU rules aim to ease train travel

May 13 2026

The EU plans to force railway companies to sell rivals' tickets on their websites and share data with booking platforms, …

Stocks waver, oil steady ahead of US-China summit as Iran talks stall

May 13 2026

Stock markets were mixed Wednesday and oil prices steadied but remained above $100 a barrel as investors awaited a …

Warsh set to take over a divided Fed facing Trump assaults

May 13 2026

The US Senate is expected to confirm Kevin Warsh as Federal Reserve chairman on Wednesday, as President Donald Trump …

Chinese tech giant Alibaba posts profit drop amid AI drive

May 13 2026

Chinese tech giant Alibaba said Wednesday that net profit dropped by nearly a fifth during its most recent fiscal year, …

Stocks rise ahead of US-China summit as Iran talks stall

May 13 2026

Stock markets mostly rose on Wednesday as investors awaited a high-stakes summit between the leaders of the United …

Africa must drop 'victim mentality': mogul Tony Elumelu

May 13 2026

Africans should welcome all foreign investors and put colonial hang-ups behind them, Nigerian businessman and …

Nissan expects return to profit after huge loss

May 13 2026

Nissan projected Wednesday a small net profit this year after posting a huge loss for the second year running, with the …

Asian stocks mixed on US-Iran impasse, AI setbacks

May 13 2026

Asian stocks were mixed on Wednesday as markets digested the lack of progress towards Middle East peace and setbacks …

Fugitive financier sought in Malaysian fund scandal seeks Trump's pardon

May 13 2026

A fugitive financier accused of involvement in a massive corruption scandal in Malaysia in which top officials looted …

'Short of blue-collar workers': Ukraine's battle for labour

May 13 2026

After fleeing Russia's advancing army and resettling in the central industrial hub of Dnipro, Ukrainian worker Anatoliy …

AI rivalry overshadows push for guardrails at Xi-Trump talks: experts

May 13 2026

Fears that artificial intelligence could help people design bioweapons or hack into national infrastructure are mutual …

Asian stocks fall on US-Iran impasse, AI setbacks

May 13 2026

Asian stocks fell on Wednesday as markets digested the lack of progress towards Middle East peace and setbacks that …

EU to ease train travel with one journey, one ticket rules

May 13 2026

The EU could force railway companies to sell rivals' tickets on their websites and share data with booking platforms …

Musk 'wanted 90%' of OpenAI, Altman tells feisty tech titan trial

May 13 2026

Elon Musk was obsessed with trying to control OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company's CEO Sam Altman said Tuesday …

Paramount defends Warner bid amid California probe

May 13 2026

Paramount Skydance has defended its attempt to buy the legendary Warner Bros. studio, in a letter to California's top …

Musk 'wanted 90%' of OpenAI, Altman tells tech titan trial

May 12 2026

Elon Musk was obsessed with trying to control OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company's CEO Sam Altman said Tuesday …

Oil prices advance, stocks mostly fall on US-Iran deadlock

May 12 2026

Oil prices rallied and stock markets mostly fell Tuesday as markets digested the lack of progress towards Middle East …

Musk 'wanted 90%' of OpenAI, Altman says in high-stakes trial

May 12 2026

Elon Musk was obsessed with trying to control OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company's CEO Sam Altman said Tuesday …

US appeals court halts order declaring Trump's global 10% tariff illegal

May 12 2026

A US federal appeals court on Tuesday temporarily paused a ruling declaring President Donald Trump's global 10-percent …

US consumer inflation hits three-year high fuelled by Iran war

May 12 2026

Consumer inflation in the United States hit a three-year high in April, with the economic fallout of US President Donald …

US Senate confirms Trump-nominee Warsh to Federal Reserve board

May 12 2026

The US Senate on Tuesday confirmed Kevin Warsh as a governor on the board of the Federal Reserve, clearing the way for …

French court convicts VW for 'consumer harm' in 'Dieselgate' scandal

May 12 2026

A French court has ordered Volkswagen to pay 100,000 euros ($117,000) on charges of "consumer harm" over the Dieselgate …

Singaporean, Indian firms face criminal charges over Maryland bridge crash

May 12 2026

A Singapore-based company and another in India have been indicted on multiple criminal charges over a 2024 ship crash …

Oil prices advance, stocks retreat on US-Iran deadlock

May 12 2026

Oil prices rallied and stock markets fell Tuesday as investors braced for further volatility after talks appeared to …

Sam Altman to testify at California tech titan trial

May 12 2026

OpenAI founder Sam Altman was expected to take the stand Tuesday in the blockbuster civil trial in California triggered …

Oil prices jump, stocks retreat on US-Iran deadlock

May 12 2026

Oil prices rallied and stock markets fell Tuesday as investors braced for further volatility after talks appeared to …

War in the Middle East: latest developments

May 12 2026

Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war:

South Korea official floats AI profit social tax as tech giants boom

May 12 2026

A top South Korean official has proposed a tax on AI profits to be redistributed among society as a semiconductor boom …

Vodafone sees signs of recovery amid turnaround plan

May 12 2026

British mobile phone giant Vodafone said Tuesday that it sharply reduced its annual losses as it undergoes major …

Australia's economy 'hostage' to Mideast war: treasurer

May 12 2026

Australia will avoid recession even if a prolonged Middle East war pushes the oil price to $200 a barrel, Treasurer Jim …

Bayer profit up but glyphosate sales struggle

May 12 2026

German agrichemical and pharmaceutical giant Bayer reported Tuesday a bump in first-quarter profit, driven by its …

Japan crisp packs to go colourless due to Iran war crunch

May 12 2026

Japan's leading potato chip maker is feeling the crunch from shortages linked to the Iran war, swapping its signature …