BusinessNorth Korea’s economy expanded by 3.5% in 2025, marking three consecutive years of growth above the 3% threshold. According to estimates from South Korea’s central bank, this momentum persists despite international sanctions, driven largely by deepening military and economic integration with Moscow and sustained trade volumes with Beijing.
BusinessA sharp rebound in Asian equities on Friday signaled a potential end to the recent selloff in AI-linked assets, with South Korea’s Kospi index surging over 10%. Simultaneously, the yen maintained its position away from 40-year lows as markets braced for the Bank of Japan’s upcoming interest rate decision.
BusinessSouth Korea's Kospi surged 14% on Friday, leading a sharp recovery across Asian indices as investor confidence returned following a volatile week. The rally, fueled by strong earnings from U.S. tech giants, coincides with aggressive currency intervention by Japanese and South Korean authorities to stabilize the yen and curb market instability.
BusinessFacing a sustained U.S. pressure campaign and a deepening energy crisis, Cuban lawmakers have unveiled a series of economic reforms designed to shift state-run sectors toward private industry. The legislative package, approved during a two-day National Assembly, aims to stabilize the island's economy without abandoning its core socialist framework.
BusinessSixteen iron ore shipments face delays next week as workers at BHP Group’s Port Hedland terminal prepare for a two-day strike. Roughly 150 employees will walk off the job, marking a significant escalation in a seven-month standoff over wages and working conditions at the world's largest iron ore export hub.
BusinessA 7.8% drop in Apple shares followed the company's admission that upcoming revenue growth will likely track between 9% and 11%, falling short of the 12% benchmark set by Wall Street analysts. The warning rattled investor confidence despite the tech giant reclaiming its position as the world's most valuable firm.
BusinessA 7.8% slide in after-hours trading followed Apple’s latest financial outlook, as the tech giant warned that sales growth for the September quarter would decelerate. CFO Kevan Parekh signaled a 9% revenue increase, falling significantly short of the 12% target anticipated by Wall Street analysts.
BusinessUnder the shadow of the Andes, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast finalized five memorandums of understanding this week in Santiago. The diplomatic summit prioritizes a strategic consolidation of mineral supply chains, specifically targeting the high-stakes trade of lithium and copper between the two nations.
BusinessTreasury Secretary Scott Bessent has demanded that Beijing adhere to its existing obligations regarding rare earth minerals and agricultural exports. The confrontation, voiced during high-level talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, serves as a high-stakes precursor to a planned September summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.
BusinessWall Street finished Thursday on a record-breaking trajectory as Microsoft added $450 billion in market value, the largest single-day gain in history. Investors, previously wary of the massive capital requirements surrounding artificial intelligence, recalibrated their positions after the tech giant reported cloud growth that comfortably outpaced analyst expectations.
BusinessTreasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng met to enforce existing trade pledges ahead of a high-stakes summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. The discussions focused on China’s lagging commitments regarding agricultural imports and the sensitive supply chain for rare earth minerals.
BusinessTreasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer pressed Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on the stability of rare earth mineral supplies and agricultural trade. The high-stakes meetings serve as a strategic precursor to the upcoming September summit between the two nations' leaders, aiming to stabilize volatile economic ties.
BusinessA widening trade deficit dragged down U.S. economic growth in the second quarter, offsetting the tailwinds provided by robust business investment in artificial intelligence and steady consumer spending. The results highlight a fragile landscape where high-tech expansion competes against traditional macroeconomic pressures and shifting federal priorities.
BusinessA 17% leap in Microsoft shares on Thursday injected nearly $500 billion into the company’s market value, single-handedly pulling Wall Street out of an AI-induced slump. The rally followed a quarterly forecast that shattered analyst projections, proving that the massive capital expenditure on infrastructure is finally yielding tangible cloud growth.
BusinessA sharp pivot in investor sentiment pushed U.S. markets higher Thursday, as Microsoft’s bullish earnings forecast effectively silenced anxieties regarding the ballooning costs of artificial intelligence. While equities climbed, the broader financial landscape remained unsettled by a distinct hardening of interest rate expectations and volatility in global currency markets.
BusinessCanada is moving to secure its domestic defense infrastructure as Bombardier prepares to establish a new specialized facility by late 2026. This site will replicate the company’s Wichita operations, focusing on the complex modification of private jets into surveillance platforms to support a growing partnership with Sweden’s Saab.
BusinessThe STOXX 600 climbed 0.8% on Thursday, reaching its highest level since early July, as stellar earnings from the financial sector buffered investors against rising energy costs and Middle Eastern instability. While banks buoyed the broader indices, individual industrial stocks faced significant volatility following mixed quarterly disclosures.
BusinessJim Farley is shifting Ford’s strategic focus toward a future where Chinese manufacturers like BYD challenge the American automotive status quo. During a recent town hall, the CEO urged staff to treat the potential influx of low-cost, high-tech vehicles from China as a primary threat to their domestic market share.
BusinessArtificial intelligence has fundamentally altered the cyber threat landscape, providing criminals with the tools to execute scalable and highly sophisticated attacks. According to Kaspersky, bad actors are leveraging large language models to automate the creation of malicious code and refine phishing campaigns, leaving millions of African users vulnerable to exploitation.
BusinessA 14% surge in Microsoft shares steered U.S. markets higher on Thursday, offering a reprieve from broader investor anxiety. While the company's upbeat cloud growth forecasts eased fears regarding corporate AI spending, the rally remained uneven as persistent inflation data and slowing economic momentum continued to weigh on the wider tech sector.
BusinessFrench payments giant Worldline has slashed its 2026 revenue growth projections, abandoning hopes for low single-digit gains. The pivot follows a series of setbacks that have left major banking partners wary of committing to new contracts, forcing the firm to recalibrate its financial outlook toward a flat trajectory.
BusinessWith African energy companies racing to modernize infrastructure, Microsoft will host a specialized masterclass at African Energy Week 2026 in Cape Town. Corporate Vice President Darryl Willis will lead the session, focusing on deploying Azure cloud tools to optimize production, strengthen power grids, and navigate complex carbon reporting mandates.
BusinessChinese Vice Premier He Lifeng pressed U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer this week to reconsider a mounting wave of American trade restrictions. The high-level exchange signals a deepening friction between the world’s two largest economies, testing the stability of their fragile economic consultation mechanism.
BusinessFord CEO Jim Farley told employees Thursday that the automaker is preparing for a potential surge of Chinese electric vehicles into the U.S. market. Despite existing trade protections, Farley signaled that Ford must pivot toward aggressive cost-efficiency to fend off manufacturers like BYD within the next decade.
BusinessUkrainian drone strikes targeting nearly a dozen Wildberries logistics hubs since mid-July have forced Russia’s second-largest e-commerce giant, Ozon, to publicly acknowledge the vulnerability of its own supply chain. The campaign, aimed at crippling critical nodes in the Russian economy, recently left facilities in Penza and Udmurtia in flames.
BusinessMexico’s economy surged by 1.5% in the second quarter, marking its most robust expansion since late 2020. This performance, confirmed by the national statistics agency INEGI, decisively outpaced the 1.3% growth anticipated by analysts and effectively reversed the 0.6% contraction recorded during the opening months of the year.
BusinessChina's Vice Premier He Lifeng convened a high-level video session with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Thursday. The discussion aimed to bridge persistent gaps between the world's two largest economies, signaling a deliberate attempt to stabilize a complex and often strained bilateral relationship.
BusinessA sharp pivot in fiscal policy has seen Saudi Arabia cut its budget deficit by more than 70 percent, narrowing the financial gap to 34.3 billion riyals in the second quarter. This rapid contraction reflects a deliberate effort to align national expenditure with shifting global economic conditions.
BusinessA 1.5% annualized growth rate in the second quarter undershot expectations, yet the domestic economy found a crucial buffer in aggressive corporate investment. While a widening trade deficit dragged on performance, concentrated spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure served as a primary anchor against cooling consumer sentiment.
BusinessThe Russian government has extended its ban on diesel and gasoline exports until January 31, 2027, a move designed to shield the domestic market from volatility. This mandate follows a series of earlier restrictions triggered by supply disruptions and price spikes linked to attacks on energy infrastructure.