Markets

Shares in Asia climbed on Thursday following a rebound in Wall Street stocks, with Japan's economy showing a 0.4% annual contraction in Q4 2023. A hotter-than-expected inflation report led investors to delay predictions on Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, potentially until summer. Smaller stocks, hit hardest by rate increase...

New Orleans bid farewell to Carnival season with Mardi Gras celebrations, parades, and a vibrant outdoor costume festival in the French Quarter, where locals and tourists alike showcased an array of creative outfits. The city's rich traditions were on full display as traditional parades made their way through different...

European benchmarks dipped as Asian shares closed mostly higher on Tuesday, with investors awaiting U.S. consumer inflation updates to gauge the Federal Reserve's interest rate policy. Japan's producer price index rose 0.2% year-on-year, remaining flat month-on-month, potentially easing pressure on the Bank of Japan to adjust its monetary policy....

Strong financial market performance in 2021, as highlighted in new data from the New York Federal Reserve Bank, further exacerbated wealth inequality trends during the pandemic, with white individuals experiencing a 30 percentage point increase in net worth compared to Black and Hispanic individuals. Factors contributing to this disparity...

Big name advertisers are pulling out all the stops for Super Bowl Sunday, with high-profile actors, dazzling special effects, and humorous approaches to captivate viewers during game breaks. In a fractured media landscape and with declining live TV viewership, the Super Bowl stands out as an anomaly, offering an...

Investors reacted positively to Beijing appointing industry veteran Wu Qing to head its securities watchdog, aiming to restore confidence in struggling markets. The move comes amid turmoil in Chinese shares, worsened by crackdowns on developer borrowing and market crimes. With markets closing for the Lunar New Year, officials hope...

A Chinese state investment fund, Central Huijin Investment, has pledged to boost its stock index fund purchases amidst market instability caused by a property crisis and economic slowdown. This move, along with reports of President Xi Jinping meeting with market regulators, led to surges in Shanghai and Hong Kong...

Former Chilean President Sebastián Piñera, who navigated through social unrest and a pandemic during his presidency, tragically passed away in a helicopter crash. Piñera, who led Chile from 2010 to 2014 and 2018 to 2022, steered the nation through challenging times, such as an 8.8 magnitude earthquake and the...

Discovery announced plans to launch a sports streaming platform in the fall, featuring content from 15 networks and all four major professional sports leagues. Fans will appreciate the convenience of accessing various sports through a single app, simplifying their viewing experience amid rising subscription costs. Industry leaders like Warner...

The Israel-Hamas war negatively affected sales for major American restaurant chains McDonald's and Starbucks at the end of last year, as customers boycotted the companies over perceived support for Israel. McDonald's missed sales goals due to the boycotts, particularly in countries with a Muslim majority like Malaysia and Indonesia....

The UK's services sector is experiencing a notable upswing, marking its most robust growth since May. This surge in performance is fueled by increased business activity and new orders, prompting companies to expand their workforce. The positive momentum reflects a boost in consumer and business spending, underpinned by declining...

Wall Street saw a mixed bag in tech earnings last week, with Alphabet, AMD, and Apple falling slightly short of expectations, while Meta and Amazon outperformed, exceeding forecasts and offering hopeful outlooks. The Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged at its first meeting of the year, as expected, and...