Business and Economy



Oil slides, gold loses lustre as Iran threat recedes

AFP - 25m ago

Oil and gold prices fell as concerns eased over US monetary policy and the chances of an American attack on Iran, while …

Disney earnings boosted by theme parks, as CEO handover nears

AFP - 39m ago

The Walt Disney Company on Monday reported quarterly earnings showing that streaming services gained momentum and …

France demands 1.7 bn euros in payroll taxes from Uber: media report

AFP - 1h ago

Ride-sharing group Uber has been told by French authorities that it owes 1.7 billion euros ($2 billion) in unpaid …

EU will struggle to secure key raw materials supply, warns report

AFP - 1h ago

The European Union must step up its efforts to secure supplies of critical raw materials by 2030 if it wants to break …

France poised to adopt 2026 budget after months of tense talks

AFP - 1h ago

France is expected to adopt its 2026 budget on Monday after months of fraught negotiations if Prime Minister Sebastien …

European stocks rise as oil tumbles, while tech worries weigh on New York

AFP - 2h ago

Oil prices fell and gold steadied as concerns eased over US monetary policy and the chances of an American attack on …

More baby milk recalls in France after new toxin rules

AFP - 2h ago

Two infant formula manufacturers withdrew batches from the market on Monday after France imposed stricter limits on …

Germany hit by nationwide public transport strike

AFP - 3h ago

Subway trains, buses and trams across Germany ground to a halt Monday in a public transport strike called by one of the …

European stocks rise as gold, oil prices tumble

AFP - 3h ago

European stock markets rose Monday but oil and gold prices tumbled as concerns eased over US monetary policy and the …

Trump says US talking deal with 'highest people' in Cuba

AFP - 7h ago

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Washington was negotiating with Havana's leadership to strike a deal, days …

Stocks, oil, precious metals plunge on volatile start to the week

AFP - 3h ago

Equities, oil and precious metals plunged Monday to extend the volatility that struck markets at the end of last week, …

Japan says rare earth found in sediment retrieved on deep-sea mission

AFP - 10h ago

Sediment containing rare earth was retrieved from ocean depths of 6,000 metres (about 20,000 feet) on a Japanese test …

Oil tumbles on Iran hopes, precious metals hit by stronger dollar

AFP - 1h ago

Oil prices tanked Monday on easing US-Iran tensions while precious metals swung wildly following last week's …

Level playing field? Tech at forefront of US immigration fight

AFP - 14h ago

Technology has become a key battleground in the confrontation between US authorities and migrants along with their …

Surging euro presents new headache for ECB

AFP - 15h ago

A surge in the euro will be in focus at the European Central Bank's meeting this week, as fears grow it could hit the …

US talking deal with 'highest people' in Cuba: Trump

AFP - 9h ago

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Washington was negotiating with Havana's leadership to strike a deal, days …

Mired in economic trouble, Bangladesh pins hopes on election boost

Feb 01 2026

Textile worker Sabina Khatun is in limbo after losing her job during sweeping factory closures, caught up like millions …

Chinese cash in jewellery at automated gold recyclers as prices soar

Feb 01 2026

Dozens of people crowded around an automated gold recycling machine at a Shanghai mall, hoping to melt down family …

Nvidia boss insists 'huge' investment in OpenAI on track

Feb 01 2026

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has insisted the US tech giant will make a "huge" investment in OpenAI and dismissed …

How Lego got swept up in US-Mexico trade frictions

Jan 31 2026

Manufacturing a Barbie or a Lego brick requires large quantities of plastic, much of which comes from China, the world's …

France tightens infant formula rules after toxin scare

Jan 31 2026

France has said it will impose stricter limits on the acceptable level of a toxin called cereulide in infant formula …

US government shuts down but quick resolution expected

Jan 31 2026

The US government entered a partial shutdown Saturday as a midnight funding deadline passed without Congress approving a …

China factory activity loses steam in January

Jan 31 2026

China's factory activity slowed in January, official data showed Saturday, missing forecasts after a brief rise into …

Maersk to take over Panama Canal port operations from HK firm

Jan 31 2026

Danish firm Maersk will temporarily take over operation of two ports on the Panama Canal from Hong Kong company CK …

Trump picks former US Fed official as next central bank chief

Jan 30 2026

President Donald Trump said Friday he would nominate former Federal Reserve governor Kevin Warsh to be the next US …

US oil giants say it's early days on potential Venezuela boom

Jan 30 2026

ExxonMobil and Chevron said Friday that they were awaiting signs of greater fiscal and legal stability in Venezuela …

Gold, silver prices tumble as investors soothed by Trump Fed pick

Jan 30 2026

Gold and silver prices dived Friday and European stock markets ended the week up while Wall Street pulled back with …

Cubans queue for fuel as Trump issues oil ultimatum

Jan 30 2026

Cubans queued around the block for fuel Friday as the island's Communist government decried US efforts to "suffocate" …

Cubans queue for fuel as Trump issues energy ultimatum

Jan 30 2026

Cubans queued around the block for fuel Friday, as the island's Communist government decried US efforts to "suffocate" …

Analysts say Kevin Warsh a safe choice for US Fed chair

Jan 30 2026

Former Federal Reserve governor Kevin Warsh is a safe pair of hands to steer the US central bank, analysts said Friday, …

Gold, silver prices tumble as investors soothed by Trump's Fed pick

Jan 30 2026

Gold and silver prices dived Friday, European stock markets ended the week up while Wall Street fell slightly with …

French eyewear maker in spotlight after presidential showing

Jan 30 2026

The aviator sunglasses that captured the world's attention when French President Emmanuel Macron wore a pair on stage in …

What are the key challenges awaiting the new US Fed chair?

Jan 30 2026

US President Donald Trump has unveiled his pick for the next Federal Reserve chief -- former central bank governor Kevin …

Eurozone growth beats 2025 forecasts despite Trump woes

Jan 30 2026

Eurozone growth beat expectations to reach 1.5 percent last year, official data showed Friday, picking up pace for a …

Trump nominates former US Fed official as next central bank chief

Jan 30 2026

US President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is nominating Kevin Warsh, a former Federal Reserve governor, to be …

Kevin Warsh, a former Fed 'hawk' now in tune with Trump

Jan 30 2026

Kevin Warsh, a former US Federal Reserve official named by President Donald Trump on Friday as its next chief, was long …

'Superman' Li Ka-shing, Hong Kong billionaire behind Panama ports deal

Jan 30 2026

Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing and his conglomerate CK Hutchison have been tied up in global US-China rivalry since …

Dutch watchdog launches Roblox probe over 'risks to children'

Jan 30 2026

The Dutch consumer watchdog Friday launched an investigation into Roblox to see if the popular gaming platform was doing …

French PM forces final budget through parliament 

Jan 30 2026

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu forced his budget through parliament without a vote for the third and final time …

Panama court annuls Hong Kong firm's canal port concession

Jan 30 2026

Panama's Supreme Court annulled on Thursday the concession allowing Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison to operate ports at the …

Asian stocks hit by fresh tech fears as gold retreats from peak

Jan 30 2026

Asian stocks took a hit on Friday amid fresh worries over vast investments in artificial intelligence, gold and silver …

Trump threatens tariffs on nations selling oil to Cuba

Jan 30 2026

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday threatening to impose additional tariffs on countries that …

Heavy metal: soaring gold price a crushing weight in Vietnam

Jan 30 2026

From his newly built three-storey home outside Hanoi, Trinh Tat Thang has watched the surging global gold price with …

What's behind Trump's risky cheap dollar dalliance?

Jan 30 2026

The US dollar sank to a four-and-a-half-year low against the euro this week after President Donald Trump said the …

US eases Venezuela sanctions after oil sector reforms

Jan 30 2026

The United States on Thursday eased sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry after Venezuelan lawmakers passed reforms …

Apple earnings soar as China iPhone sales surge

Jan 30 2026

Apple on Thursday said it saw record-high earnings in the final three months of last year, with iPhone sales surging in …

With Trump administration watching, Canada oil hub faces separatist bid

Jan 29 2026

On a frigid night in Canada's oil capital, Jordan Fritz joined a rally of thousands for a separatist movement once …

Oil jumps on Trump's Iran threat; gold retreats from highs

Jan 29 2026

Oil prices surged Thursday after US President Donald Trump ramped up geopolitical tensions with threats of a military …

Britain's Starmer hails 'good progress' after meeting China's Xi

Jan 29 2026

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed "really good progress" on issues including visa-free travel and tariffs …

Ex-OPEC president denies bribe-taking at London corruption trial

Jan 29 2026

Lawyers for Diezani Alison-Madueke, the first woman president of OPEC, denied in a London court Thursday that the former …

Waymo gears up to launch robotaxis in London this year

Jan 29 2026

US self-driving car company Waymo said Thursday it is working with UK partners to launch driverless robotaxis in London, …

French IT group Capgemini under fire over ICE links

Jan 29 2026

A contract with American Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has triggered a barrage of criticism of French IT …

Czechs wind up black coal mining in green energy switch

Jan 29 2026

The Czech Republic will stop mining black coal at the end of January, closing its last mine in a switch to greener …

Oil jumps, gold climbs further on Trump's Iran threat

Jan 29 2026

Oil prices surged Thursday after US President Donald Trump ramped up geopolitical tensions with threats of a military …

Giant Mozambique gas project resumes after 5-year security suspension

Jan 29 2026

French energy giant TotalEnergies relaunched construction Thursday on a massive gas project in northern Mozambique that …

Gold surges further, oil jumps on Trump's Iran threat

Jan 29 2026

Gold soared to a fresh record near $5,600 on Thursday and oil prices climbed after US President Donald Trump ramped up …

Northern Mozambique: massive gas potential in an insurgency zone

Jan 29 2026

Construction on a stalled $20-billion gas project by TotalEnergies in Mozambique officially resumed Thursday, nearly …

Gold demand hits record high on Trump policy doubts: industry

Jan 29 2026

Gold demand surged to a record high in 2025 as investors and central banks flocked to the safe-haven asset as protection …

UK drugs giant AstraZeneca announces $15 bn investment in China

Jan 29 2026

British pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca said Thursday that it would invest $15 billion in China through 2030 to expand …

US scrutiny of visitors' social media could hammer tourism: trade group

Jan 29 2026

A US plan to step up scrutiny of foreign visitors' social media use threatens to cut tourist spending by up to $15.7 …

Russia's sanctioned oil firm Lukoil to sell foreign assets to Carlyle

Jan 29 2026

Russia's oil giant Lukoil, sanctioned by Washington over the Ukraine war, said Thursday that it would sell its foreign …

Money laundering probe overshadows Deutsche Bank's record profits

Jan 29 2026

Deutsche Bank said Thursday it aimed to become a "European champion" after reporting record profits in 2025, even as the …

Huge Mozambique gas project restarts after five-year pause

Jan 29 2026

French energy giant TotalEnergies officially relaunched Thursday a massive gas project in northern Mozambique after a …

Mali's troubled tourism sector crosses fingers for comeback

Jan 29 2026

Oumar Cisse used to lead tours of Djenne, an ancient, fabled city in central Mali known for its towering mud-brick …

Gold soars towards $5,600 as Trump rattles sabre over Iran

Jan 29 2026

Gold prices soared to a fresh record near $5,600 on Thursday, while oil rallied after Donald Trump ramped up …

Ghana moves to rewrite mining laws for bigger share of gold revenues

Jan 29 2026

Ghana is preparing to overhaul its mining laws to increase its share of the revenues generated by the surge in the …

Trump-era trade stress leads Western powers to China

Jan 29 2026

Britain's Keir Starmer is the latest Western leader to thaw trade ties with China in a shift analysts say is driven by …

Vietnam, EU vow stronger ties as bloc's chief visits Hanoi

Jan 29 2026

Vietnam and the European Union pledged to deepen economic and security cooperation on Thursday, upgrading their …

Deutsche Bank logs record profits, as new probe casts shadow

Jan 29 2026

Deutsche Bank on Thursday reported record pre-tax profits of 9.7 billion euros ($11.6 billion) in 2025, with all …

Vietnam and EU upgrade ties as EU chief visits Hanoi

Jan 29 2026

Vietnam and the EU upgraded diplomatic ties on Thursday, committing to deeper cooperation on trade, technology and …

Phan Huy: the fashion prodigy putting Vietnam on the map

Jan 29 2026

Phan Huy has had a thrilling -- but quite stressful -- journey to making history at Paris Haute Couture Week on Thursday …

Hongkongers snap up silver as gold becomes 'too expensive'

Jan 29 2026

Hong Kong residents hoping to cash in on a precious metals rally are buying up bars of silver as an alternative to gold …

Gold soars past $5,500 as Trump sabre rattles over Iran

Jan 29 2026

Gold prices soared to another fresh record above $5,500 Thursday, while oil advanced and stocks fell after Donald Trump …

Samsung logs best-ever profit on AI chip demand

Jan 29 2026

South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics posted record quarterly profits Thursday, riding massive market demand for …

China's ambassador warns Australia on buyback of key port

Jan 29 2026

China will act to defend its companies' interests if Australia forcibly buys back control of the strategic northern port …

Venezuelans eye economic revival with hoped-for oil resurgence

Jan 29 2026

Ronald Herrera remembered the prosperity that Puerto Cabello enjoyed decades ago as home to the El Palito refinery -- …

Tesla profits tumble on lower EV sales, AI spending surge

Jan 29 2026

Tesla reported a 61-percent drop in fourth-quarter profits on Wednesday due to lower auto sales and increased expenses …

Samsung Electronics posts record profit on AI demand

Jan 29 2026

South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics posted record quarterly profits on Thursday, riding strong market demand for …

Meta shares jump on strong earnings report

Jan 28 2026

Meta on Wednesday reported quarterly earnings that topped market expectations, as revenue grew along with investments in …

US Fed holds interest rates steady, defying Trump pressure

Jan 28 2026

The US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady Wednesday at its first policy gathering this year, citing robust …

US stocks move sideways, shruggging off low-key Fed meeting

Jan 28 2026

Wall Street stocks finished little changed Wednesday after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged, while the …

SpaceX eyes IPO timed to planet alignment and Musk birthday: report

Jan 28 2026

SpaceX is targeting a mid-June initial public offering that would coincide with a rare planetary alignment and founder …

Rules-based trade with US is 'over': Canada central bank head

Jan 28 2026

The era of rules-based trade with the United States is "over," Canada's central bank governor said Wednesday, echoing a …

Amazon to cut 16,000 jobs worldwide

Jan 28 2026

US online retail and cloud computing giant Amazon said Wednesday it will cut 16,000 jobs worldwide as the company tries …

Dollar halts descent, gold keeps climbing before Fed update

Jan 28 2026

The dollar enjoyed a respite Wednesday after this week's steep drop as traders awaited the US Federal Reserve's take on …

UK proposes to let websites refuse Google AI search

Jan 28 2026

Britain's competition watchdog proposed Wednesday that websites be allowed to opt out of having content used by Google's …

Germany cuts growth forecast as recovery slower than hoped

Jan 28 2026

The German government on Wednesday lowered its 2026 growth forecast to one percent, conceding that efforts to kickstart …

Deutsche Bank offices searched in money laundering probe

Jan 28 2026

German prosecutors and police on Wednesday searched Deutsche Bank's headquarters in Frankfurt and its office in Berlin …

US Fed set to pause rate cuts as it defies Trump pressure

Jan 28 2026

The US Federal Reserve opened the second day of its key policy gathering Wednesday, with the central bank widely …

Spain eyes full service on train tragedy line in 10 days

Jan 28 2026

Spain aims to restart within 10 days full service on a key high-speed railway line where a collision between two trains …

Dollar rebounds while gold climbs again before Fed update

Jan 28 2026

The dollar recovered slightly on Wednesday as traders awaited the US Federal Reserve's outlook on interest rates, while …

Dutch tech giant ASML posts bumper profits, cuts jobs

Jan 28 2026

Dutch tech giant ASML, which sells cutting-edge machines to make semiconductor chips, reported a significant gain in …

SKorean chip giant SK hynix posts record operating profit for 2025

Jan 28 2026

South Korean chip giant SK hynix said on Wednesday its operating profit doubled last year to a record high after a surge …

Dollar struggles to recover from losses after Trump comments

Jan 28 2026

The dollar struggled to bounce back Wednesday following another selloff fuelled by Donald Trump's suggestion he was …

Dutch tech giant ASML posts bumper profits, eyes bright AI future

Jan 28 2026

Dutch tech giant ASML, which sells cutting-edge machines to make semiconductor chips, reported a significant gain in …

Japan PM's tax giveaway roils markets and worries voters

Jan 28 2026

Ahead of a snap election in Japan, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has pledged to scrap a tax on food, but a lack of clear …

Greenland blues to Delhi red carpet: EU finds solace in India

Jan 28 2026

Presiding over the signing of a major trade deal alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, EU chief …

Trump warns of 'bad things' if Republicans lose midterms

Jan 28 2026

Donald Trump warned Tuesday of "very bad things" if Republicans lose the US midterm elections, as the US president …

Amazon closing Fresh and Go stores in Whole Foods push

Jan 27 2026

Amazon on Tuesday said it is closing its Go and Fresh real-world stores to focus on its Whole Foods markets and online …

Trump's Iowa trip on economy overshadowed by immigration row

Jan 27 2026

US President Donald Trump headed to Iowa Tuesday eager to show voters he cares about affordability -- but his trip was …

GM reports quarterly loss but boosts shareholder returns

Jan 27 2026

General Motors announced Tuesday fresh actions to return funds to investors, lifting shares despite reporting a …

US banks fight crypto's push into Main Street

Jan 27 2026

The banking industry is pushing back against White House-aligned crypto companies seeking to expand their business to …