BusinessPrime Minister Mark Carney is pushing for an unprecedented associate membership with the European Union, signaling a sharp pivot in Canadian foreign policy. The proposal surfaces as Ottawa navigates a deepening trade conflict with the United States following the return of Donald Trump to the White House in 2025.
BusinessStanding on the sidelines of the Irish Open, Donald Trump signaled a preference for the lowest interest rates in the world as the Federal Reserve prepares for its upcoming policy meeting. The former president framed the American economy as a global engine that could be throttled back at any moment.
BusinessU.S. President Donald Trump publicly demanded on Sunday that Volodymyr Zelenskiy cease drone strikes against Russian diesel refineries. Speaking during an event in Ireland, Trump argued that the ongoing tactical campaign against energy facilities is destabilizing the global fuel market and driving up costs for consumers worldwide.
BusinessDriven by a growing consumer preference for domestic goods, Canadian supermarkets are rapidly restructuring their supply chains to favor local producers over U.S. imports. This shift, intensified by recent trade friction, is prompting major retailers to prioritize regional sourcing, from Quebec-grown strawberries to local produce staples across the country.
BusinessSri Lanka’s economy expanded by 4.2% year-on-year between April and June, defying significant headwinds from rising energy costs and a three-year high in inflation. This growth performance marks a critical juncture as the nation continues its fragile recovery from a severe financial crisis under a $2.9 billion IMF stabilization program.
BusinessDigitally delivered services exports from Latin America and the Caribbean soared to US$87.7 billion in 2024, nearly five times the 2005 level. Yet, the region captures only 2% of the global market, highlighting a massive gap between current momentum and the potential for a new economic growth engine.
BusinessStanding on the greens of the Irish Open, Donald Trump issued a blunt challenge to the Federal Reserve: the United States must secure the lowest interest rates on the global stage. He dismissed foreign competition as inherently unfair, insisting that no nation should be permitted to undercut American monetary policy.
BusinessStanding on the windswept links of his Irish golf resort this Sunday, Donald Trump signaled a retreat from trade barriers by announcing the removal of tariffs on Irish whiskey. The decision marks a sudden pivot in policy, potentially easing long-standing friction within the transatlantic spirits market.
BusinessStanding on a golf course in Ireland, Donald Trump signaled a shift in transatlantic trade policy by unilaterally dropping the 10% tariff on Irish whiskey. The move, intended to reset commercial ties, marks a departure from the broader duties previously imposed on European Union wine and spirit exports to the United States.
BusinessEnergy security, critical mineral processing, and artificial intelligence integration dominated high-level talks between Asian Development Bank President Masato Kanda and South Korean leadership. The dialogue centered on leveraging Seoul’s technological expertise and financial resources to drive industrial development and infrastructure modernization across the Asia-Pacific region.
BusinessA $3 million grant from the Asian Development Bank aims to overhaul safety protocols in Mongolian schools and expand support networks for abuse survivors. By integrating physical infrastructure upgrades with digital literacy and policy reform, the initiative seeks to protect nearly 20,000 students from both physical and online violence.
BusinessSixty-one representatives gathered in Harare on August 27, 2026, to challenge the status quo of international development funding. At the African Development Bank’s first Civil Society Open Day, local advocates moved beyond dialogue to demand a structured, permanent role in the execution and oversight of the nation’s $166 million portfolio.
BusinessEleven students from Tokyo’s Sophia University traded lecture halls for the African Development Bank’s Abidjan headquarters on September 11, bridging the distance between Japan and Africa. The visit offered a granular look at how the institution manages infrastructure, finance, and human capital, turning abstract policy into direct professional dialogue.
BusinessWith universal electricity access targeted for 2030, Côte d’Ivoire is scrambling to bridge a $6.56 billion funding gap. Government officials and international financiers recently convened in Abidjan to accelerate the National Energy Compact, a roadmap requiring over $15 billion in total investment to transform the nation's power infrastructure.
BusinessWith global goods trade climbing 4.6% last year, AI-linked products fueled nearly half of that expansion. As hundreds of leaders gathered at the World Trade Organization on 14 September, the central question remained: how can smaller economies secure a foothold in a sector currently dominated by complex, cross-border supply chains?
BusinessFor small firms navigating the friction of international commerce, traditional banking often imposes prohibitive costs and sluggish settlement times. A recent WTO publication evaluates whether stablecoins—digital assets pegged to stable currencies—could dismantle these barriers, offering a faster, more transparent alternative for businesses operating in developing economies.
BusinessBritish Prime Minister Andy Burnham convenes with top corporate executives this Monday, signaling a shift toward aggressive public-private collaboration. The meeting marks a calculated attempt to align private sector investment with government policy, aiming to jolt the stagnant economy into a new phase of growth and recovery.
BusinessMichael Dell is moving to diversify his investment portfolio beyond the hardware industry, with his private firm, DFO Management, reportedly nearing a deal to acquire The Baldwin Group. This potential buyout would transition the insurance brokerage firm into private ownership, signaling a significant shift in Dell's capital allocation strategy.
BusinessPresident Ishmael Toroama is doubling down on plans to resurrect the Panguna copper mine, defying a recent violent assault on the site that left equipment destroyed and staff under fire. The administration views the project as a critical pillar for Bougainville’s economic viability and its long-term bid for independence.
BusinessAsian markets stumbled on Monday as Brent crude surged 3% following fresh strikes in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. The escalation, which derailed a critical diplomatic meeting, has fueled fears of global energy supply disruptions just as investors brace for pivotal interest rate decisions in Washington and Tokyo.
BusinessChina is exerting its dominance over the global yttrium supply, tightening export controls on the essential mineral to reshape international trade dynamics. This move forces aerospace and semiconductor manufacturers in the United States to confront sudden supply chain vulnerabilities as the metal transforms into a potent instrument of geopolitical maneuvering.
BusinessFacing a volatile trade environment with the United States, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is pushing for an unprecedented associate membership with the European Union. Brussels is reportedly weighing the proposal, which seeks to bypass mounting protectionist barriers by integrating Canada more deeply into the European economic sphere.
BusinessWith crude oil prices surging above $100 a barrel, the expansion of conflict into Yemen and targeted drone strikes on Saudi infrastructure have transformed a localized security crisis into a systemic global energy test, leaving markets exposed to a volatile reality that defies earlier predictions of a brief diplomatic resolution.
BusinessAsian equities retreated sharply as crude prices spiked, reignited by fresh security threats to critical infrastructure in the Gulf. With the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan signaling potential shifts in monetary policy, investors are recalibrating portfolios to account for the dual pressure of supply-side inflation and tightening liquidity.
BusinessPrime Minister Mark Carney is set to navigate the corridors of power in Brussels, seeking a bespoke associate status with the European Union. As trade relations with Washington sour under the threat of aggressive new tariffs, Ottawa is pivoting toward a closer, albeit non-member, partnership with the continent.
BusinessWhile global bond yields climb, the S&P 500 holds firm, trading less than 3% below its August highs. Investors are setting aside traditional concerns over rising interest rates, choosing instead to lean into the earnings power of technology giants and the unexpected resilience of small-cap companies.
BusinessInvestors across China and Hong Kong are treading carefully this week, balancing a retreat in high-growth technology sectors against stable gains in defensive stocks. With major global central bank decisions looming on the horizon, market participants are bracing for potential shifts in policy that could dictate the next phase of trading.
BusinessBrent crude has surged beyond $107 per barrel as Houthi threats to Saudi shipping lanes rattle global energy markets. This supply-side anxiety arrives precisely as the world’s most influential central banks prepare for a synchronized pivot in monetary policy, forcing investors to navigate a volatile landscape of inflation and conflict.
BusinessA dual shock hit Asian trading floors Monday, as a sharp retreat in artificial intelligence stocks collided with rising energy costs. Investors are bracing for volatility while regional benchmarks struggle under the weight of cooling tech sentiment and geopolitical instability centered in the Middle East.
BusinessWhile rare earth markets often fixate on lithium or cobalt, yttrium has emerged as a high-stakes lever in global trade. Beijing’s dominance over the production and export of this critical mineral is currently forcing the United States, Japan, and European nations to navigate a fragile industrial landscape defined by supply constraints.