Global gas flaring surges again, costs $63bn in lost energy: WB
Washington, UAE -- Global gas flaring surged for a second year in a row, wasting about $63 billion in lost...
Geostrategy
Trump to unveil investments to power AI boom
Washington, United States - US President Donald Trump heads to Pennsylvania on Tuesday to announce energy and infrastructure deals intended...
Research
Business
Trump metal tariffs wreak havoc on US factory
Belcamp, United States -- In the sweltering US summer, metal containers decorated with snowmen and sleighs are taking shape --...
- At Independent Can's factory in Belcamp, Maryland northeast of Baltimore, CEO Rick Huether recounts how he started working at his family's business at age 14.
- Huether, now 73, says he is determined to keep his manufacturing company afloat for generations to come. But Trump's tariffs are complicating this task.
Economy
G7 to exempt US multinationals from global minimum tax
The deal will see US companies benefit from a "side-by-side" solution under which they will only be taxed at home,...
- Nearly 140 countries struck a deal in 2021 to tax multinational companies, an agreement negotiated under the auspices of he Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- That agreement, deeply criticized by Trump, includes two "pillars," the second of which sets a minimum global tax rate of 15 percent.
Economy
World Bank announces Lebanon, Syria reconstruction projects
Beirut, Lebanon -- The World Bank announced on Wednesday it had approved $250 million to support Lebanon's post-war reconstruction and...
- Lebanon is reeling from last year's devastating war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, while Syria faces massive needs after the fall of Bashar al-Assad regime.
- The grant comes after Saudi Arabia and Qatar said they would pay off Syria's World Bank debt, and as the country's new rulers press reconstruction efforts.
Economy
US Fed chair signals no rush for rate cuts despite Trump pressure
The Fed has a duty to prevent a one-time spike in prices from becoming an "ongoing inflation problem," said Federal...
- The Fed has held the benchmark lending rate steady since its last reduction in December, bringing the level to a range between 4.25 percent and 4.50 percent.
- Last week, Powell told reporters that it would make smarter decisions if it waited to understand how Trump's tariffs impact the economy.
Geostrategy
Oil slides, stocks rise as Iran-Israel ceasefire holds
The main international and US oil contracts briefly bounced off their lows as Israel and Iran accused each other of...
- Prices were also brought down by Trump saying that China could continue to buy oil from Iran, in what appeared to be relief from sanctions Washington had previously imposed.
- There was also relief that Iran has refrained from closing the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for about one-fifth of the world's oil supply.
Geostrategy
Oil prices seesaw as investors await Iran response to US strikes
US stocks edged higher while European markets retreated and Asian equities were mixed, with markets keeping a close eye on...
- They later dipped briefly into the red and then wobbled, standing down around one percent as European markets closed.
- Iran is the world's ninth-biggest oil-producing country, exporting just under half of the 3.3 million barrels it produces per day.
Economy
Oil prices spike after US strikes on Iran nuclear sites
Economists at MUFG warned of "high uncertainty of the outcomes and duration of this war", giving a "scenario analysis" of...
- Asian stocks were lower as traders digested the weekend's events, with Iran threatening US bases in the Mideast
- Iran is the world's ninth-biggest oil-producing country, with output of about 3.3 million barrels per day
Economy
Tesla to build first grid-scale power plant in China
New York, United States - Tesla announced Friday that it signed an agreement to build its first grid-scale energy storage...
- The project will help with the flexible adjustment of grid resources, and "effectively solve pressures relating to urban power supply," Tesla said
- Chinese media outlet Yicai reported that Tesla Shanghai, Shanghai authorities and China Kangfu International Leasing Co. held a signing ceremony Friday for the project
Economy
Trade war worsens foreign investment outlook: UNCTAD World Investment Report
Presenting the annual report at a press conference, UNCTAD chief Rebeca Grynspan said it contained a "clear and urgent" message...
- After two consecutive years of decline, the FDI outlook for 2025 remains negative due to uncertainties triggered by the tariff war waged by Trump, the UNCTAD said.
- UNCTAD said that when adjusted to strip out volatile financial flows through several European economies, FDI fell by 11% last year to $1.5 trillion.
Economy
US Fed keeps interest rates unchanged in face of Trump criticism
Fed Chair Jerome Powell told reporters the central bank would make better decisions if it waited a few months to...
- For now, he expects to learn more "over the summer," while officials appear increasingly divided on whether they can cut interest rates at all in 2025.
- The Fed kept the benchmark lending rate between 4.25 percent and 4.50 percent at the end of its two-day meeting, with officials penciling in two rate reductions this year.
Global gas flaring surges again, costs $63bn in lost energy: WB
Washington, UAE -- Global gas flaring surged for a second year in a row, wasting about $63 billion in lost...
Geostrategy
Company News
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Trump says ‘no extensions’ to Aug 1 tariff deadline
While Trump imposed a sweeping 10 percent tariff on goods from almost all trading partners in April, higher rates customized...
Geostrategy
Trump warns of 10% additional tariff for countries aligning with BRICS’ policies
BRICS leaders on Sunday described Trump's stop-start tariff wars as "indiscriminate", damaging, and illegal, drawing a quick rebuke from the...
Geostrategy
US tariffs to kick in Aug 1 barring trade deals: Treasury Secretary
Washington, United States -- US tariffs will kick in on August 1 if trading partners from Taiwan to the European...
Economy
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Business
Meta’s AI talent war raises questions about strategy
New York, United States -- Mark Zuckerberg and Meta are spending billions to recruit top artificial intelligence talent, triggering debates...
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently complained that Meta has offered $100 million bonuses to lure engineers away from his company.
- Several OpenAI employees have accepted Meta's offers, prompting executives at the ChatGPT maker to scramble to retain their best talent.
Business
Trump metal tariffs wreak havoc on US factory
Belcamp, United States -- In the sweltering US summer, metal containers decorated with snowmen and sleighs are taking shape --...
- At Independent Can's factory in Belcamp, Maryland northeast of Baltimore, CEO Rick Huether recounts how he started working at his family's business at age 14.
- Huether, now 73, says he is determined to keep his manufacturing company afloat for generations to come. But Trump's tariffs are complicating this task.
Economy
G7 to exempt US multinationals from global minimum tax
The deal will see US companies benefit from a "side-by-side" solution under which they will only be taxed at home,...
- Nearly 140 countries struck a deal in 2021 to tax multinational companies, an agreement negotiated under the auspices of he Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- That agreement, deeply criticized by Trump, includes two "pillars," the second of which sets a minimum global tax rate of 15 percent.