Business and Economy



White House says US Navy has not escorted tanker through Strait of Hormuz

AFP - 39m ago

The United States has not escorted any oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz, the White House said Tuesday, after the …

Blasts rock Tehran as US says strikes to intensify

AFP - 1h ago

Explosions thundered out in Tehran on Tuesday after the Pentagon chief warned US strikes on Iran would reach their …

Global energy body discusses releasing strategic oil reserves

AFP - 1h ago

Member states of the International Energy Agency (IEA) met on Tuesday for crisis talks to assess security of supply and …

Middle East war: global economic fallout

AFP - 1h ago

Here are the latest economic events in the Middle East war on Tuesday:

Musk, already world's richest person, eyes $1 trillion fortune

AFP - 1h ago

Elon Musk's estimated $839 billion net worth has made him the wealthiest individual ever recorded, Forbes said Tuesday, …

US energy secretary's post saying US escorted tanker in Hormuz deleted

AFP - 1h ago

A post by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright saying that the US Navy had escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of …

UN warns Hormuz standstill will hit world's most vulnerable

AFP - 2h ago

The standstill in the Strait of Hormuz caused by the Middle East war could hammer some of the world's most vulnerable …

Oil crisis: Is world better placed than in 1973?

AFP - 3h ago

Ten days after the first American and Israeli strikes against Iran, oil prices have cooled slightly after soaring above …

Expats cling to Dubai's allure despite Iran's missiles

AFP - 3h ago

While tourists and non-essential diplomats scramble to leave the Gulf as Iran retaliates across the region for US and …

Oil plunges, stocks rise as Trump says Iran war over 'very soon'

AFP - 34m ago

Oil prices sank and equities pushed higher Tuesday following a wild day of swings that came after President Donald Trump …

UAE closes biggest oil refinery as Iran vows to choke off crude exports

AFP - 1h ago

The UAE's largest oil refinery closed on Tuesday after a drone attack, as Iran defiantly vowed that no crude exports …

Vietnam to tap emergency fund to cool surging fuel prices 

AFP - 5h ago

Vietnam moved Tuesday to tap an emergency fund to cool surging fuel prices, as the Middle East war has disrupted …

UK trial opens against Sony over PlayStation video game prices

AFP - 6h ago

A trial opened in London on Tuesday over a £2 billion ($2.7 billion) class action lawsuit that accuses Japanese …

Middle East war : global economic fallout

AFP - 4h ago

Here are the latest economic events in the Middle East war on Tuesday:

Oil plunges, stocks steady as Trump says Iran war over 'very soon'

AFP - 3h ago

Oil prices sank and equities steadied Tuesday following a wild day of swings that came after President Donald Trump …

Citing 'strategic mistake' EU pivots back to nuclear energy

AFP - 3h ago

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday said Europe's turn away from nuclear power had been a "strategic mistake", as …

Defiant Iran vows to block Gulf oil until US-Israel bombing stops

AFP - 3h ago

Iran vowed on Tuesday that not one litre of oil would be exported from the Gulf while the United States and Israel …

Iran war sends prices in next door Turkmenistan soaring

AFP - 7h ago

At a market in Turkmenistan's capital Ashgabat, pensioner Shemshat Kurbanova always used to pick the "juiciest" Iranian …

EU chief, Macron say Mideast war exposes Europe energy vulnerability

AFP - 2h ago

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday called on European countries to boost the …

Volkswagen says to cut 50,000 jobs as profit slides

AFP - 5h ago

Germany's automotive giant Volkswagen said Tuesday it would cut 50,000 jobs at home by 2030 as its profit slid to its …

Oil plunges, stocks rally as Trump says Iran war over 'very soon'

AFP - 2h ago

Oil prices sank and equities rallied Tuesday following a wild day of swings that came after President Donald Trump …

Iran vows to fight on and block all Gulf oil

AFP - 2h ago

Iran vowed on Tuesday that not one litre of oil would be exported from the Gulf while its war with the United States and …

Lego posts record profit despite geopolitical turmoil: CEO to AFP

AFP - 4h ago

Denmark's Lego, the world’s number one toy maker, on Tuesday posted record sales and profits for its 2025 financial …

German exports drop in setback to fragile recovery

AFP - 2h ago

German exports dropped faster than expected in January, official data showed Tuesday, the latest sign that the recovery …

French AI startup AMI announces $1 bn raised in funding

AFP - 9h ago

French artificial intelligence startup AMI, co-founded by Meta's former chief AI scientist Yann LeCun, announced Tuesday …

Crude plunges, stocks rally as Trump says war over 'very soon'

AFP - 3h ago

Oil prices sank and equities rallied Tuesday following a wild day of swings that came after Donald Trump said the …

Trump says will waive some oil sanctions as Iran war roils markets

AFP - 2h ago

US President Donald Trump said Monday that he will waive some sanctions on oil to boost supply and bring down prices, …

War in the Middle East: economic impact around the world

AFP - 15h ago

Here are the latest economic events in the Middle East war on Tuesday:

Crude plunges, stocks rally as Trump says war 'pretty much' complete

AFP - 4h ago

Oil prices tanked and equities rallied Tuesday following a wild day of swings that came after Donald Trump said the …

Viral drone video fuels debate about Rio favela tourism

AFP - 15h ago

A line of tourists touch up their makeup before strutting across a rooftop in Rio de Janeiro's largest favela, posing …

Fertilizer prices surge from Iran war, squeezing weary US farmers

AFP - 12h ago

American farmers are again feeling the squeeze after a year marked by trade turmoil and low crop prices, with the …

Venezuelan lawmakers advance mining reforms sought by US

AFP - 10h ago

The National Assembly of Venezuela on Monday moved forward with mining reforms pushed by the United States, which is …

Live Nation settles antitrust case with US Justice Dept, states object

AFP - 9h ago

Live Nation reached a tentative settlement with the US Justice Department on Monday in the federal antitrust case …

Anthropic sues Trump admin over Pentagon blacklisting

Mar 09 2026

Anthropic filed suit Monday against the Trump administration, alleging the US government retaliated against the company …

US stocks end wild session higher as Trump says Iran war 'pretty much' over

Mar 09 2026

Comments from President Donald Trump declaring the Middle East war "pretty much" over sent US stocks skyward at the end …

France, allies preparing bid to 'gradually' reopen Strait of Hormuz

Mar 09 2026

France and its allies are preparing a "defensive" mission to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, President …

Shipping giant MSC halts Gulf exports amid war risks

Mar 09 2026

Global shipping giant MSC announced Monday it was formally halting certain export shipments from the Gulf because of the …

Trump's limited options to curb Iran war oil price surge

Mar 09 2026

US President Donald Trump is under pressure to curb oil prices sent skyrocketing by the war with Iran, but has only …

UK finance minister warns of higher inflation amid Iran war

Mar 09 2026

UK finance minister Rachel Reeves warned on Monday the country could face rising inflation due to the fallout of the US …

Anthropic takes Trump administration to court over Pentagon row

Mar 09 2026

Anthropic filed suit Monday against the Trump administration, alleging the US government retaliated against the AI …

Iran war sends crude prices soaring as Khamenei son takes charge

Mar 09 2026

The Iran war sent oil prices soaring on Monday after Tehran, under new leader Mojtaba Khamanei, fired a new barrage of …

Ships brandish China-links to weave through Strait of Hormuz

Mar 09 2026

Ships anchored in the Gulf or transiting the Strait of Hormuz are changing their tracking data to boast links to China …

Stocks slide as oil soars past $100 on Mideast war

Mar 09 2026

Stock markets slumped as energy prices soared on Monday as supply disruptions from the Middle East war drove volatility …

G7 'not there yet' on release of oil reserves: French minister

Mar 09 2026

France's finance minister said Monday the G7 was "not there yet" in terms of any release of strategic oil reserves as …

Iran war sends oil price soaring as Khamenei son takes charge

Mar 09 2026

The Iran war sent oil prices spiralling above $100 a barrel on Monday after Tehran under new leader Mojtaba Khamanei …

War in the Middle East: latest developments

Mar 09 2026

Here are the latest events in the Middle East war on Monday:

UK PM Starmer says 'monitoring' economic impact of Iran war

Mar 09 2026

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday the government was monitoring the economic fallout of the US and …

Bangladesh scraps light displays as Mideast war worsens fuel crunch

Mar 09 2026

Bangladesh has tightened security at filling stations, sent students home and even scrapped light displays for …

Stocks tumble, oil soars past $100 on Mideast war

Mar 09 2026

Stock markets plunged and energy prices soared on Monday as supply disruptions from the Middle East war drove volatility …

Asian economies move to limit Mideast war's impact at home

Mar 09 2026

Faced with soaring prices and disruptions to their oil and gas supplies, Asian countries heavily dependent on fossil …

Khamenei's son takes charge as Iran war sends oil price soaring

Mar 09 2026

Iran marked the appointment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father as its supreme leader with a new barrage …

Equities plunge as energy prices soar on Mideast crisis

Mar 09 2026

Stock markets plunged Monday as oil and gas prices soared on fears about supplies from the Middle East with the …

Asian equities plunge as oil soars 30% on Mideast crisis

Mar 09 2026

Asian stock markets plunged Monday as oil prices soared 30 percent on fears about supplies from the Middle East as the …

France to host G7 finance meeting on Mideast

Mar 09 2026

France will host a video meeting of G7 finance ministers on the Middle East crisis on Monday, as the war fuels fears for …

Trump defends Iran war decision as oil soars above $100

Mar 09 2026

Oil prices surged above $100 a barrel for the first time in nearly four years on Sunday over worries that the spiralling …

Macron to visit Cyprus as French warships deploy to counter Iran threat

Mar 08 2026

President Emmanuel Macron will visit Cyprus on Monday, his office said, as France deploys warships to the Mediterranean …

10 vessels attacked in Hormuz Strait: analysts

Mar 08 2026

About 10 vessels in or near the Strait of Hormuz have come under attack since Iran blocked the strategic waterway in …

US says it will not hit Iran energy sector

Mar 08 2026

The United States will spare Iran's energy infrastructure as it wages war with Israel against the Islamic republic, …

Young Chinese parents tighten belts as childcare costs rise

Mar 08 2026

New mother Zhang Xiaofei wanted to be financially secure before having a baby, wary of high childcare costs that have …

Sony faces $2.7 bn class action from UK PlayStation users

Mar 08 2026

Japanese entertainment giant Sony will face a £2 billion ($2.7 billion) class action lawsuit starting Tuesday in London, …

Why have 1,000 ships at times lost their GPS in the Mideast?

Mar 08 2026

The global positioning system (GPS) capabilities of cargo ships, oil tankers and other vessels stuck in the Middle East …

India's economy is booming, but uneven growth clouds ascent

Mar 08 2026

For years India's economy was driven by its vast services sector that saw millions of people working away in low-cost …

Israeli strike kills four at Beirut hotel: Lebanon

Mar 08 2026

An Israeli strike on a hotel in central Beirut killed at least four people Sunday, Lebanese officials said, underscoring …

Netanyahu vows to press Iran war as Trump honors slain US troops

Mar 08 2026

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Saturday to prosecute the war with Iran "with all our force", declaring …

Netanyahu vows to carry on war, 'eradicate Iranian regime'

Mar 07 2026

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Saturday to carry on the war with Iran, saying Israel had a …

Iran fires at Gulf neighbours as Trump threatens more strikes

Mar 07 2026

Iran launched waves of missile and drone attacks on its Gulf neighbours hosting US forces on Saturday and vowed no …

Women rule the roost atop the Gdansk shipyard cranes

Mar 07 2026

For the past 30 years, Halina Krauze has sat atop a 15-metre (49-foot) crane surveying the Gdansk shipyard, the …

Trump threatens to escalate bombing as Iran vows no surrender

Mar 07 2026

President Donald Trump threatened to escalate the bombing of Iran on Saturday as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian …

Iran vows no surrender as air strikes hit Tehran airport

Mar 07 2026

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed Saturday that his country would never surrender, as Israel announced a fresh …

Google gives CEO new pay deal worth up to $692 million

Mar 07 2026

The CEO of Google and its parent company Alphabet could earn up to $692 million over the next three years under a new …

Israel fires 'broad-scale' strikes on Tehran as war hits 2nd week

Mar 07 2026

Israel announced a new wave of "broad-scale" strikes on Tehran on Saturday as the escalating war in the Middle East …

Rising US fuel prices risk sparking domestic wildfire for Trump

Mar 07 2026

Sean Robinson, a 54-year-old schoolteacher in the US capital Washington, did not realize how high gas prices had gotten …

Venezuela inflation hit 475% in 2025, the world's highest level

Mar 07 2026

Venezuelan inflation soared to 475 percent in 2025, the highest in the world, driven by a tightening of US sanctions in …

Oil prices surge as Mideast war rages, stocks fall on US jobs

Mar 07 2026

Crude prices surged Friday on mounting fears about oil supply disruption during the Middle East war, while equities …

Israel announces new wave of 'broad-scale' strikes on Tehran

Mar 07 2026

Israel announced a new wave of "broad-scale" strikes on Tehran on Saturday as US President Donald Trump said only Iran's …

Only Iran's 'unconditional surrender' can end war: Trump

Mar 06 2026

US President Donald Trump said Friday that only Tehran's unconditional surrender would bring an end to the escalating …

Anthropic vows court fight in Pentagon row

Mar 06 2026

Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has said the company has "no choice" but to challenge in court the Pentagon's …

Only nine commercial ships detected crossing Hormuz Strait since Monday

Mar 06 2026

Only nine oil tankers, cargo and container ships, some of which at times concealed their position, have been recorded …

Trump says only Iran's 'unconditional surrender' can end war

Mar 06 2026

US President Donald Trump said Friday that only Tehran's unconditional surrender would bring an end to the escalating …

Only nine commercial ships detected crossing the Hormuz Strait since Monday

Mar 06 2026

Only nine oil tankers, cargo and container ships, some of which at times concealed their position, have been recorded …

Middle East war a new shock for financial markets

Mar 06 2026

The outbreak of war in the Middle East has sent shockwaves through financial markets, with energy prices soaring and …

Swiss eyeing fewer F-35 fighters, reshaping defence set-up

Mar 06 2026

Switzerland announced Friday it wanted to buy 30 US F-35A fighter jets rather than 36 after Washington hiked the price, …

Germany's Axel Springer swoops for British newspaper The Telegraph

Mar 06 2026

German media group Axel Springer said Friday it had agreed to buy right-wing British newspaper The Telegraph in a …

Leading satellite firm to hold back Gulf state images

Mar 06 2026

Planet Labs PBC, a leading provider of high resolution images taken from space, said Friday it would hold back for 96 …

Iceland proposes August 29 referendum on resuming EU membership talks

Mar 06 2026

Iceland's government on Friday proposed that a referendum be held on August 29 on resuming the country's EU membership …

US sheds jobs in February in warning sign for Trump's economy

Mar 06 2026

The United States unexpectedly lost jobs in February while unemployment edged up, government data showed Friday, piling …

Securing shipping lane from Mideast war 'challenging', say experts

Mar 06 2026

The United States and France have promised to secure oil shipping threatened by the Middle East war, but experts warn …

Oil prices climb as Mideast war rages, stocks fall on US jobs

Mar 06 2026

Crude prices surged higher Friday as oil fields in Iraq came under attack and US Donald Trump demanded Iran's …

US retail sales decline as consumer pullback deepens

Mar 06 2026

US retail sales declined by 0.2 percent in January, according to delayed government data released on Friday, missing …

War in Middle East raises stagflation fears in Europe and beyond

Mar 06 2026

Global energy prices have shot upwards after the US and Israel unleashed war in the Middle East, but just how far those …

Soaring gas prices spark renewed debate about European electricity

Mar 06 2026

A surge in natural gas prices since the Middle East war erupted has sparked renewed debate about Europe's electricity …

Mideast war escalates as fresh strikes batter Iran

Mar 06 2026

Fresh strikes rocked Iran and Lebanon Friday as Israel and the United States stepped up their attacks in the sprawling …

Iran drone strike on Azerbaijan raises fears of Mideast war spreading to Caucasus

Mar 06 2026

Iranian drone strikes on Azerbaijan have raised fears that the Middle East war could spill into the Caucasus, as Baku, …

Stocks fluctuate, oil climbs as Mideast crisis rages

Mar 06 2026

Global stock markets fluctuated and oil prices jumped Friday at the end of a volatile week's trading unleashed by the …

Mideast war is heightening uncertainty, Lufthansa warns

Mar 06 2026

German aviation giant Lufthansa warned Friday it faced a more uncertain outlook because of the unfolding Middle East …

China says 'clearly aware' of economic risks, vows to boost spending

Mar 06 2026

China's leaders are "clearly aware" of challenges facing growth, the head of the country's top economic planning body …

Mideast war enters 'next phase' as strikes hit Iran, Lebanon

Mar 06 2026

Fresh strikes rocked Iran and Lebanon on Friday, as Israel vowed to escalate to a new phase in the Middle East war that …

Most Asian equities drop as Mideast crisis rages, though oil dips

Mar 06 2026

Asian markets mostly down Friday as the war in the Middle East showed no sign of ending, though there was some reprieve …

Lufthansa warns of heightened 'uncertainty' from Mideast war

Mar 06 2026

German aviation giant Lufthansa warned Friday it faced heightened uncertainty because of the unfolding Middle East …

Equities mixed as Mideast crisis rages, though oil dips

Mar 06 2026

Asian markets were mixed Friday as the war in the Middle East showed no sign of ending, though there was some reprieve …

Italy challenges EU over key climate tool

Mar 06 2026

Italy is once again challenging the EU's green transition, pushing for an overhaul of the bloc's carbon trading scheme …

Heavy attacks hit Tehran as Israel says war in 'new phase'

Mar 06 2026

Heavy attacks were reported in Tehran on Friday after Israel said it was hitting "regime infrastructure" in a "new …