Business
Ant Group to buyback shares
Share buyback plan values Ant Group at $78.5 billion.
- The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) on Friday slapped a $984 million fine on Ant and its subsidiaries "in view of... illegal and irregular acts".
- Ant operates Alipay, the world's largest digital payments platform, which boasts hundreds of millions of monthly users in China and beyond.
Business
FAO says world cereal production to reach record high in 2023-24
ROME, ITALY - World cereal production is predicted to hit a record high in 2023-24, according to the latest Cereal...
- FAO raised its 2023 global cereal production forecast to 2 819 million tonnes, indicating a 1.1 percent increase from the previous year.
- The higher forecast almost entirely reflects better prospects for global wheat production, now pegged at 783.3 million tonnes.
Economy
‘Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture likely to rise by 7.5% in next decade’
PARIS, FRANCE - Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture are expected to increase by 7.5 percent in the next decade, said...
- Projected greenhouse gas emissions are less than half the projected output growth.
- This output indicates a significant fall in the carbon intensity of agricultural production.
Science
AI robots at UN say they could run the world in a better way
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - A panel of AI-enabled humanoid robots told a United Nations summit on Friday that they could eventually run...
- Some of the most advanced humanoid robots were at the UN's two-day AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva.
- They were assembled for what was billed as the world's first press conference with a packed panel of AI-enabled humanoid social robots.
Market Report
Asian markets decline as US data spark interest rate fears
Asian stocks tumbled again after another round of strong US data reinforced expectations the Federal Reserve will resume its interest...
- Minutes from the Federal Reserve's last meeting showed officials plan to ramp up borrowing costs again this month.
- Equity-buying sentiment was hammered again by news that US private firms created twice as many jobs as expected in June.
Business
Energy prices may jump if output slashed, warns Shell CEO
LONDON, UK - Shell's chief executive told the BBC on Thursday that cutting gas and oil output would be "irresponsible" because...
- The official warned that strengthening demand from China and cold winter weather in Europe could send energy prices and bills surging.
- Domestic electricity and gas bills sky-rocketed after key energy producer Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine early last year.
Business
Verition opens office in DIFC
MENA is an important market for Verition.
- Verition’s strategic positioning of its Dubai headquarters gives it access to DIFC’s financial and innovation ecosystem
- Verition has a broad international footprint with offices in Greenwich, New York, London, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Business
Meta launches Twitter rival Threads, 10m sign-ups in first few hours
More than 10 million people have signed up to Threads, Meta's rival to Twitter, within the first few hours of...
- Threads is the biggest challenger yet to Elon Musk-owned Twitter, which has seen a series of potential competitors emerge but not yet replace it.
- Celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and Hugh Jackman, as well as media outlets including The Washington Post, Reuters and The Economist join.
Geostrategy
All voices must be heard in transition, sustainability debates: OPEC
Secretary-General of OPEC Haitham Al Ghais, speaking at the 8th OPEC International Seminar in Vienna, reiterated the organization's keenness to...
- Ghaith said the concept of sustainability relates to how we fulfil the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations.
- He asserted the importance of oil in the global energy mix and the industry's primary role in reducing carbon emissions.
Business
Meet EU ‘gatekeeper’ definition, say seven tech giants
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - Seven tech giants, including Amazon and Apple, have informed the European Union they meet the threshold to come...
- The firms are Google parent Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, TikTok owner ByteDance, Facebook umbrella Meta, Microsoft and Samsung.
- The firms stated they had revenue and user figures big enough to be classed as "gatekeepers", EU internal market commissioner Thierry Breton said.
Company News
Latest News
Norway’s sovereign wealth fund posts record US$213bn profit
Oslo, Norway - Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's biggest, said Tuesday it raked in a record profit of 2.2 trillion...
Business
Residents of Gaza lament suspension of UN agency funding
Gazans lamented the suspension of funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees by several donor countries after Israel charged...
Geostrategy
Most Read
Geostrategy
Australia, Canada stop UN agency funding after Israeli allegations
Australia and Canada have suspended their funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, after Israel accused several employees of...
- "We are speaking with partners and will temporarily pause disbursement of recent funding," Australian Foreign Minister wrote on social media platform X.
- Canada's International Development Minister announced that Ottawa had “temporarily paused any additional funding to UNRWA”.
Business
UAE plans to issue bonds, Sukuk valued at $1.3bn in Q1 2024, says official
HONG KONG - UAE Ministry of Finance Undersecretary Younis Haji Al Khoori announced that the ministry's issuance of bonds and...
- The Islamic Treasury Sukuk launched in 2023 and valued at US$299 million experienced robust demand, with bids received worth US$2.2 billion.
- The UAE is Hong Kong's largest trading partner in Middle East, with non-oil trade reaching $6 billion (AED22.2 billion) in the first half of 2022.
Geostrategy
Yemen-based Houthis fire missiles at ships in Red Sea, says US
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired three missiles at two merchant ships in the Red Sea in their latest attack in...
- One missile missed its target and a US Navy destroyer shot down the other two, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
- The continuing Houthi action "means we're obviously still going to have to do what we have to do to protect that shipping," he said.