Saudi Arabia’s space economy reaches $8.7 billion in 2024
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Communications, Space, and Technology Commission (CST) has said that the Saudi space economy reached $8.7...
Iraq signs deal with US firm to produce 24,000 MW of electricity
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani oversaw "the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding as part of a strategic cooperation framework...
Economy
Geostrategy
Lebanon cabinet appoints Karim Souaid central bank governor
Born in 1964, Souaid officially takes over after embattled former chief Riad Salameh's term expired in July 2023 with no...
- First vice-governor Wassim Manssouri had been acting head of the bank, a post that is traditionally reserved for a Maronite Christian in Lebanon's sectarian power-sharing system.
- Souaid is the founder and managing partner at Gulf-based Growthgate, according to his biography on the private investment firm's website.
Economy
Trump announces 25% tariffs on foreign-built vehicles
US President Donald Trump has announced steep tariffs on auto imports and parts, provoking threats of retaliation from trading partners...
- The duties take effect at 12:01 am (0401 GMT) on April 3 and impact foreign-made cars and light trucks while key automobile parts will also be hit within the month
- But the White House added that vehicles entering under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) can qualify for a lower rate depending on their American content
Business
Stock markets rise on fresh hopes for Trump’s tariff approach
Investor sentiment has been jolted in recent weeks by fears that the president's hardball policies could deal a painful blow...
- Gold held at around $3,030 an ounce (28.3 grammes), having hit a series of records last week to a peak of more than $3,057 owing to a surge in demand for safe havens.
- Asian markets fluctuated through the day, with Tokyo falling while Hong Kong and Shanghai rose.
Science
EU skewers Google, Apple over tech rules – despite Trump threats
The European Union defied US threats of retaliation Wednesday by accusing Google of violating its digital rules -- which could...
- The moves risk opening up a new front in the already fraught relationship between the EU and President Donald Trump,
- Apple and Google responded that the EU risked European users' security and its moves would hinder innovation
Economy
AI, wealth management and trust: Could machines replace human advisors?
The future of wealth management lies in hybrid models, combining AI’s data-driven precision with human empathy and ethical oversight. While...
- By 2027, AI-driven investment tools are expected to become the primary source of advice for retail investors
- The question of AI’s impact on different factors and its overall implications is an important one to address.
Economy
OECD lowers global growth projections over tariffs, uncertainty
"We are navigating troubled waters," said the OECD's chief economist Alvaro Santos Pereira as he summed up the world's economic...
- While global economic activity remained "resilient" in 2024 with a 3.2 percent increase in GDP, the OECD trimmed back its 2025 projection from 3.3 percent growth to 3.1 percent.
- That was due to "higher trade barriers in several G20 economies and increased geopolitical and policy uncertainty weighing on investment and household spending".
Economy
Real challenges of digital transformation
Blockchain enhances security and efficiency by decentralizing data storage, and reducing fraud, David Boast tells TRENDS in an exclusive interview.
- Businesses face challenges in cloud migration, including regulatory concerns, legacy systems, and employee resistance, says David Boast
- Poor execution, lack of employee buy-in, and conflicting leadership opinions often lead to digital transformation failures
Economy
US Fed likely to keep rates steady as uncertainty over Trump’s economic policies looms
Since January, Trump has imposed levies on major trading partners Canada, Mexico and China, and on steel and aluminum imports,...
- The Trump administration has also embarked on unprecedented cost-cutting efforts that target staff and spending, while the president has promised tax reductions and deregulation.
- But Fed Chair Jerome Powell emphasized this month that it is the "net effect" of policy changes that will matter for both the economy and monetary policy.
Interview
The future of logistics: Insights from DHL’s Amadou Diallo
The future of logistics is a convergence of technology, sustainability, and human ingenuity, which are transforming supply chains into more...
- in the MEA region, key hubs such as Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Casablanca, Salalah, Nairobi, Durban, and Tema serve as vital nodes for regional distribution.
- Additionally, hubs like Istanbul, Dubai, and Addis Ababa improve connectivity within this region, said Diallo.
Economy
Humanity’s future is increasingly inseparable from AI
Private sector, governments, and nonprofits must invest in AI education, Jason Alan Snyder tells TRENDS in an exclusive interview.
- Top executives are leveraging AI to enhance their capabilities, enabling them to become highly innovative communicators, Jason Alan Snyder tells TRENDS
- A 2024 OECD report reveals that AI is reshaping critical aspects of human development, including health, education, social norms, he adds
Saudi Arabia’s space economy reaches $8.7 billion in 2024
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- The Communications, Space, and Technology Commission (CST) has said that the Saudi space economy reached $8.7...
Company News
Latest News
Trump’s global tariff takes effect in dramatic US trade shift
US President Donald Trump's widest-ranging tariffs to date took effect Saturday, in a move which could trigger retaliation and escalating...
Economy
Nations divided ahead of decisive week for shipping emissions
London, United Kingdom -- Members of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are divided over whether to approve a carbon tax on...
Geostrategy
Stocks, oil slump as China retaliates and Trump digs in heels
Despite the market turmoil, Trump insisted: "my policies will never change". Wall Street stocks fell more than two percent at...
Business
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Economy
Trump’s tariffs on allies, China could shrink global merchandise trade volumes 1% in 2025, warns WTO
After Trump on Wednesday unveiled a blitz of harsher-than-expected levies aimed at countries around the globe, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala warned the measures...
- Trump slapped 10 percent import duties on all nations and far higher levies on imports from dozens of specific countries including China
- Trump's tariffs come just over a year and a half before US midterm elections, in which the party of the US president is often hammered on the economy
Economy
Trump stings friends and foes alike in his tariffs war, countries eye trade talks
The tariff announcements rattled stock markets while safe haven gold hit a new record high, oil prices fell and the...
- China demanded that the tariffs be "immediately cancelled" and vowed "countermeasures", while France and Germany warned that the EU could hit US tech firms.
- But EU and other countries also showed willingness to negotiate as they refrained from immediate retaliatory measures, with almost a week until the harsher US levies take effect.
Economy
China says opposes new US tariffs, vows ‘countermeasures’
China on Thursday said it "firmly opposes" sweeping new US tariffs on its exports and vowed "countermeasures to safeguard its...
- US President Donald Trump has ignited a potentially ruinous global trade war after imposing 10 percent levies on imports from around the world
- Beijing responded to those tariffs with levies of up to 15 percent on a range of US agricultural goods including soybeans, pork and chicken