Business and Economy
EU 'strongly condemns' US sanctions against five Europeans
AFP - 17m ago
The European Union and some member states reacted sharply Wednesday to US sanctions imposed on five European figures …
Full Story »
Investors watching for Santa rally in thin pre-Christmas trade
AFP - 2h ago
Stock markets steadied Wednesday in thin Christmas Eve trade while gold and silver prices struck fresh highs.
Full Story »
David Sacks: Trump's AI power broker
AFP - 3h ago
From a total Washington novice, Silicon Valley investor David Sacks has against expectations emerged as one of the most …
Full Story »
The European laws curbing big tech... and irking Trump
AFP - 3h ago
The European Union is back in the crosshairs of the Trump administration over its tech rules, which Washington denounced …
Full Story »
Why metal prices are soaring to record highs
AFP - 3h ago
Precious and industrial metals are surging to record highs as the year ends, driven by economic and geopolitical …
Full Story »
Stocks tepid in thin pre-Christmas trade
AFP - 1h ago
European and Asian markets were tepid Wednesday in thin Christmas Eve trade as investors struggled to track a record day …
Full Story »
Rome pushes Meta to allow other AIs on WhatsApp
AFP - 7h ago
Italian regulators ordered Meta on Wednesday to open its WhatsApp chat platform to rival AI chatbots as it and EU …
Full Story »
US says China chip policies unfair but will delay tariffs to 2027
AFP - 9h ago
US trade officials determined that China should be punished for employing unfair tactics to dominate the semiconductor …
Full Story »
Asian markets mixed after US growth data fuels Wall St record
AFP - 6h ago
Asian markets went into the Christmas break Wednesday on a mixed note as investors struggled to track a record day on …
Full Story »
Asian markets mostly up after US growth fuels Wall St record
AFP - 4h ago
Most Asian stocks rose Wednesday and gold topped $4,500 for the first time as investors tracked a record on Wall Street …
Full Story »
'Happy milestone': Pakistan's historic brewery cheers export licence
AFP - 15h ago
A heady aroma of malt and brewing yeast drifts through Pakistan's oldest and by far largest brewery, which is gearing up …
Full Story »
Chevron: the only foreign oil company left in Venezuela
AFP - 16h ago
The US oil company Chevron is walking a tightrope amid tensions between Washington and Caracas to retain its fragile …
Full Story »
US denies visas to EU ex-commissioner, four others over tech rules
AFP - 16h ago
The US State Department said Tuesday it would deny visas to a former EU commissioner and four others, accusing them of …
Full Story »
US slams China policies on chips but will delay tariffs to 2027
Dec 23 2025
US trade officials determined that China should be punished for employing unfair tactics to dominate the semiconductor …
Full Story »
S&P 500 surges to record after strong US economic report
Dec 23 2025
The S&P 500 powered to a fresh record Tuesday following data showing surprisingly robust third-quarter US economic …
Full Story »
French parliament passes emergency budget extension
Dec 23 2025
French lawmakers Tuesday passed last-minute legislation to keep the government in business into January after the …
Full Story »
Macron meets French farmers in bid to defuse anger over trade deal
Dec 23 2025
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday met with farmers' unions to discuss a controversial free trade deal and the …
Full Story »
US consumer confidence tumbles in December
Dec 23 2025
US consumer confidence languished at a multi-month low in December as a slowing job market offset better sentiment after …
Full Story »
Wall Street stocks edge higher
Dec 23 2025
Wall Street's main indices edged higher Tuesday despite stronger-than-expected US growth figures dampening hopes for …
Full Story »
US economic growth surges in 3rd quarter, highest rate in two years
Dec 23 2025
US economic growth in the third quarter came in at 4.3 percent on an annualized basis, easily topping expectations, …
Full Story »
UK govt to relax farmers inheritance tax after protests
Dec 23 2025
The UK government said Tuesday it will raise inheritance tax thresholds for farmers' estates from £1 million to £2.5 …
Full Story »
Pakistani firm wins auction for state airline PIA
Dec 23 2025
A Pakistani firm won an auction Tuesday with a $482 million bid for a majority stake in the embattled national carrier …
Full Story »
Stocks slip on strong US growth data
Dec 23 2025
Wall Street's main stock indices briefly slid lower on Tuesday as much stronger-than-expected US growth figures …
Full Story »
Italy fines Ryanair $300 mn for abuse of dominant position
Dec 23 2025
Italy's competition authority said on Tuesday it had fined low-cost airline Ryanair more than 255 million euros ($300 …
Full Story »
Stocks steady as rate cut hopes bring Christmas cheer
Dec 23 2025
Stock markets steadied on Tuesday, while gold and silver hit fresh records as optimism for US rate cuts helped investors …
Full Story »
Markets mostly rise as rate cut hopes bring Christmas cheer
Dec 23 2025
Most markets rose on Tuesday, while gold and silver hit fresh records as optimism for more US interest rate cuts and an …
Full Story »
Outcry follows CBS pulling program on prison key to Trump deportations
Dec 23 2025
The leadership of CBS News was facing accusations of political meddling on Monday over a last-minute decision to not air …
Full Story »
In Bulgaria, villagers fret about euro introduction
Dec 23 2025
In Bilyana Nikolova's grocery store in Chuprene, a village in northwestern Bulgaria, prices are now displayed in levs …
Full Story »
Delayed US data expected to show solid growth in 3rd quarter
Dec 23 2025
The US economy is expected to post another solid economic growth reading Tuesday, but the much-delayed figures likely …
Full Story »
Asian markets rally again as rate cut hopes bring Christmas cheer
Dec 23 2025
Equities extended a global rally Tuesday, while gold and silver hit fresh records as optimism for more US interest rate …
Full Story »
US stocks push higher while gold, silver notch fresh records
Dec 22 2025
Wall Street stocks pushed higher Monday to begin a holiday-shortened trading week, while oil prices rallied amid …
Full Story »
Right wing urges boycott of iconic Brazilian flip-flops
Dec 22 2025
Prominent figures on Brazil's right wing are calling for a boycott of Havaianas, the iconic Brazilian flip-flop sandals, …
Full Story »
EU condemns China dairy duties as 'unjustified'
Dec 22 2025
The European Union hit out at China on Monday, saying it was "unjustified" for Beijing to impose duties of up to 42.7 …
Full Story »
Tech stocks lead Wall Street higher, gold hits fresh record
Dec 22 2025
Wall Street and Asian stock markets advanced on Monday, with tech stocks leading the way.
Full Story »
Billionaire Ellison offers personal guarantee for son's bid for Warner Bros
Dec 22 2025
Oracle tech tycoon Larry Ellison is offering a $40.4 billion personal guarantee to back Paramount's hostile bid for …
Full Story »
EU slams China dairy duties as 'unjustified'
Dec 22 2025
Brussels hit back Monday at China slapping duties of up to 42.7 percent on some dairy products from the European Union, …
Full Story »
Telefonica to shed around 5,500 jobs in Spain
Dec 22 2025
Telefonica will cut up to 5,500 jobs in Spain under a voluntary departure plan agreed with trade unions last week, the …
Full Story »
Italy fines Apple nearly 100 mn euros over app privacy feature
Dec 22 2025
Italy's competition authority said Monday it had fined the US tech giant Apple 98 million euros ($115 million) for …
Full Story »
EU to probe Czech aid for two nuclear units
Dec 22 2025
The European Commission said Monday it had opened an investigation to assess whether the Czech government's support plan …
Full Story »
Stocks diverge as rate hopes rise, AI fears ease
Dec 22 2025
Stock markets diverged Monday and gold hit a record high as the latest round of US data boosted hopes for more interest …
Full Story »
Asian markets rally with Wall St as rate hopes rise, AI fears ease
Dec 22 2025
Asian markets rallied Monday and gold hit a record high as the latest round of US data boosted hopes for more interest …
Full Story »
Swiss court to hear landmark climate case against cement giant
Dec 22 2025
A Swiss court has decided to hear a landmark climate case pitting residents of a tiny Indonesian island being swallowed …
Full Story »
US in 'pursuit' of third oil tanker in Caribbean: official
Dec 22 2025
The US Coast Guard was pursuing another allegedly sanctioned tanker on Sunday, a US official told AFP, as Washington …
Full Story »
CO2 soon to be buried under North Sea oil platform
Dec 22 2025
In the North Sea where Denmark once drilled for oil, imported European carbon dioxide will soon be buried under the …
Full Story »
India's Bollywood counts costs as star fees squeeze profits
Dec 22 2025
From fleets of private trailers to personal chefs and sprawling entourages, Bollywood stars' "obnoxious" demands are …
Full Story »
As US battles China on AI, some companies choose Chinese
Dec 22 2025
Even as the United States is embarked on a bitter rivalry with China over the deployment of artificial intelligence, …
Full Story »
Macron, on UAE visit, announces new French aircraft carrier
Dec 21 2025
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he had given the official go-ahead to replace his country's flagship, …
Full Story »
China's rare earths El Dorado gives strategic edge
Dec 21 2025
Buried in the reddish soil of southern China lies latent power: one of the largest clusters of crucial rare earths is …
Full Story »
Brazil's Lula, Argentina's Milei clash over Venezuela at Mercosur summit
Dec 20 2025
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Argentina's Javier Milei on Saturday openly clashed at a regional …
Full Story »
Brazil's Lula asks EU to show 'courage' and sign Mercosur trade deal
Dec 20 2025
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Saturday urged the European Union to show "courage" and sign a trade …
Full Story »
Mercosur meets in Brazil, EU eyes January 12 trade deal
Dec 20 2025
Representatives of the South American Mercosur bloc met in Brazil Friday, as EU diplomatic sources said a long-delayed …
Full Story »
Beetles block mining of Europe's biggest rare earths deposit
Dec 20 2025
As Europe seeks to curb its dependence on China for rare earths, plans to mine the continent's biggest deposit have hit …
Full Story »
Musk wins US court appeal of $56 bn Tesla pay package
Dec 20 2025
A Delaware appeals court cleared the way Friday for Elon Musk to receive a long-contested $56 billion Tesla pay package, …
Full Story »
Nasdaq rallies again while yen falls despite BOJ rate hike
Dec 19 2025
Resurgent artificial intelligence shares lifted the Nasdaq Friday for a second straight session while the yen retreated …
Full Story »
French court rejects Shein suspension
Dec 19 2025
A French court on Friday rejected the state's request to suspend Shein's site in France as "disproportionate" after the …
Full Story »
Stocks advance as markets cheer weak inflation
Dec 19 2025
Stock markets pushed higher on Friday as expectations for lower US interest rates continued to cheer investors.
Full Story »
US Fed official says no urgency to cut rates, flags distorted data
Dec 19 2025
A key US Federal Reserve official said Friday that he sees no need to rush to cut interest rates further, adding that …
Full Story »
Rome to charge visitors for access to Trevi Fountain
Dec 19 2025
Tourists will have to pay a two-euro entrance fee to get close to Rome's famous Trevi Fountain, which draws vast crowds …
Full Story »
Stocks advance with focus on central banks, tech
Dec 19 2025
Global stock markets mostly advanced on Friday as traders reacted to central bank activity and easing concerns over the …
Full Story »
EU agrees 90-bn-euro loan for Ukraine, without Russian assets
Dec 19 2025
EU leaders struck a deal Friday to provide Ukraine a loan of 90 billion euros to plug its looming budget shortfalls -- …
Full Story »
France's budget hits snag in setback for embattled PM
Dec 19 2025
A joint committee of French lawmakers on Friday failed to reach a compromise on the state budget for next year, …
Full Story »
Stocks mixed with focus on central banks, tech
Dec 19 2025
European stock markets steadied Friday after solid gains in Asia, as traders reacted to central bank activity and easing …
Full Story »
Japan hikes interest rates to 30-year-high
Dec 19 2025
The Bank of Japan hiked interest rates to a 30-year high on Friday and indicated more were in the pipeline as it said …
Full Story »
Asian markets rise as US inflation eases, Micron soothes tech fears
Dec 19 2025
Asian markets rose Friday as a below-forecast read on US inflation boosted hopes for another interest rate cut next …
Full Story »
TikTok signs joint venture deal to end US ban threat
Dec 19 2025
TikTok said Thursday it has signed a joint venture deal with investors that would allow the company to maintain …
Full Story »
Mexican low-cost airlines Volaris and Viva agree to merger
Dec 19 2025
Two of Mexico's top low-budget airlines said Thursday they had agreed to merge, setting up a deal that could create one …
Full Story »
Volatile Oracle shares a proxy for Wall Street's AI jitters
Dec 19 2025
For a reading of Wall Street's shifting mood on the artificial intelligence investment boom, take a look at the daily …
Full Story »
EU-Mercosur deal delayed as farmers stage Brussels show of force
Dec 19 2025
The signing of a trade deal between the EU and South American bloc Mercosur was pushed back to January on Friday, after …
Full Story »
TikTok: key things to know
Dec 19 2025
TikTok boasts over a billion users worldwide, including more than 170 million in the United States, it says -- nearly …
Full Story »
Trump signs $900 bn defense policy bill into law
Dec 19 2025
President Donald Trump signed a sweeping defense policy bill into law Thursday that signaled strong bipartisan support …
Full Story »
Nike shares slump as China struggles continue
Dec 18 2025
Nike reported a drop in quarterly profits Thursday, citing a drag from higher US tariffs and continued weakness in China …
Full Story »
Crunch time for EU leaders on tapping Russian assets for Ukraine
Dec 18 2025
EU leaders were locked in late-night talks Thursday over whether to use frozen Russian central bank assets to fund …
Full Story »
Stocks rise as US inflation cools, tech stocks bounce
Dec 18 2025
Equity markets mostly rose on Thursday as investors welcomed cool US inflation data while tech stocks bounced and …
Full Story »
Argentine unions in the street over Milei labor reforms
Dec 18 2025
Thousands of Argentines demonstrated on Thursday against President Javier Milei's plans to drastically overhaul the …
Full Story »
Brazil open to EU-Mercosur deal delay as farmers protest in Brussels
Dec 18 2025
Police fired teargas at farmers protesting the EU's planned trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur in Brussels …
Full Story »
Russian court orders Austrian bank Raiffeisen to pay compensation
Dec 18 2025
The largest Western bank still operating in Russia was on Thursday ordered to pay nearly $400 million in compensation …
Full Story »
Brussels farmer protest turns ugly as EU-Mercosur deal teeters
Dec 18 2025
Protesters lit fires and hurled potatoes at riot police who responded with teargas and water cannon in Brussels …
Full Story »
Zelensky presses EU to tap Russian assets at crunch summit
Dec 18 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told EU leaders Thursday they had the "moral" and legal right to use frozen …
Full Story »
US consumer inflation cools unexpectedly in November
Dec 18 2025
US consumer inflation slowed unexpectedly in November, delayed government data showed Thursday, although levels remained …
Full Story »
ECB holds rates as Lagarde stresses heightened uncertainty
Dec 18 2025
The European Central Bank held interest rates steady Thursday for its fourth meeting in a row but was tight-lipped on …
Full Story »
Trump Media announces merger with fusion power company
Dec 18 2025
Trump Media & Technology Group, the struggling company that owns the US president's Truth Social platform, announced …
Full Story »
ECB holds rates but debate swirls over future
Dec 18 2025
The European Central Bank held interest rates steady Thursday for its fourth meeting in a row and raised growth …
Full Story »
Bank of England cuts interest rate after UK inflation slides
Dec 18 2025
The Bank of England cut its key interest rate to 3.75 percent on Thursday after UK inflation eased faster than expected …
Full Story »
Spain to buy 100 military helicopters from Airbus
Dec 18 2025
Spain's defence ministry has ordered 100 helicopters from Airbus destined for deployment in various parts of its armed …
Full Story »
Tractors clog Brussels in anger at EU-Mercosur trade deal
Dec 18 2025
Hundreds of tractors converged on Brussels on Thursday in a show of farmers' anger at the EU's planned trade deal with …
Full Story »
European stocks rise before central bank decisions on rates
Dec 18 2025
Europe's main stock markets rose Thursday ahead of interest-rate decisions from the Bank of England and European Central …
Full Story »
British energy giant BP extends shakeup with new CEO pick
Dec 18 2025
British energy giant BP, which this year shelved targets on reducing carbon emissions, has appointed industry veteran …
Full Story »
EU kicks off crunch summit on Russian asset plan for Ukraine
Dec 18 2025
EU leaders kicked off a make-or-break summit Thursday on using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine, with key player …
Full Story »
Most Asian markets track Wall St lower as AI fears mount
Dec 18 2025
Most Asian markets sank Thursday after another sell-off on Wall Street as worries over the tech sector's colossal …
Full Story »
EU holds crunch summit on Russian asset plan for Ukraine
Dec 18 2025
EU leaders gather in Brussels Thursday for a make-or-break summit on using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine -- with key …
Full Story »
Trump vows economic boom, blames Biden in address to nation
Dec 18 2025
President Donald Trump promised Americans an economic boom in an address to the nation on Wednesday, while blaming …
Full Story »
What to know about the EU-Mercosur deal
Dec 18 2025
Squabbles over the EU-Mercosur trade deal are likely to punctuate a European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday.
Full Story »
ECB set to hold rates but debate swirls over future
Dec 18 2025
The European Central Bank is expected to hold interest rates steady Thursday for its fourth meeting in a row as …
Full Story »
Asian markets track Wall St lower as AI fears mount
Dec 18 2025
Asian markets sank Thursday after another sell-off on Wall Street as worries over the tech sector's colossal spending on …
Full Story »
What's next for Venezuela under the US oil blockade?
Dec 18 2025
A US blockade of Venezuelan oil shipments could slash production and halve exports of the country's most valuable …
Full Story »
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 …
Full Story »
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 …
Full Story »
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 …
Full Story »
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 …
Full Story »
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 -- …
Full Story »
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 …
Full Story »
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 …
Full Story »