SoftBank posts $46 billion gain at Vision Fund driven mainly by massive OpenAI bet
SoftBank booked a yearly gain of $46 billion at its Vision Fund driven mainly by the huge rise in value of its investment in OpenAI.
· Arjun Kharpal
Follow the story
Business & Economy
A focused view of neutral reporting on Business & Economy, brought together across publishers.
Explore all topics →
Neutral reports only
Newest first · UTC+11:00Singapore’s Lawrence Wong urges global push for upholding international sea laws
The prime minister warns of a direct impact on Singapore’s trade if the international law framework is weakened
· Kolette Lim
Singapore’s Lawrence Wong urges global push for upholding international sea laws
The prime minister warns of a direct impact on Singapore’s trade if the international law framework is weakened
· Kolette Lim
OECD chief sees Japan's zero consumption tax plan as costly
Mathias Cormann, secretary-general of the OECD, has expressed concern over the government's plan to temporarily lower the consumption tax on food items to zero, calling it not cost-effective.
· No Author
Adnoc Distribution posts 21% rise in first-quarter profit on fuel volume growth | The National
Adnoc Distribution, the UAE's largest fuel and convenience retailer, reported a nearly 21 per cent annual increase in its first-quarter net profit on the back of sales growth in fuel and retail.
· Aarti Nagraj
PLC readies drill rig for untouched WA high-grade gold prospect
PLC Resources is about to put the drill bit into the company’s Rochefort gold prospect in Western Australia’s prolific Murchison region for the first time, with a maiden reverse circulation (RC) program set to test its prime Abbott’s North real estate.
· Andrew Todd
Hyundai Rotem showcases unmanned defense systems at Romania arms expo
Hyundai Rotem said Wednesday it is participating in the Black Sea Defense, Aerospace and Security exhibition in Bucharest, Romania, as the company steps up its push into Eastern Europe’s growing defense market.
· Lee Han-gyoul
Trump-Xi China summit: five key issues on the agenda
It is nearly 10 years since the US president made a state visit to China, and Iran, Taiwan, trade, AI and drugs look set to dominate
· Mark Saunokonoko
Kakao Mobility eyes Nasdaq listing amid regulatory hurdles at home
Kakao Mobility is pursuing a potential Nasdaq listing in the US, according to an exclusive report by Herald Business on Wednesday, signaling a possible shift away from its previously expected domestic IPO route.
· Lee Ji-yoon
Chinese tech index surges to 11-year high as investors await Trump-Xi summit
The Shenzhen Stock Exchange’s ChiNext tech index broke the 4,000-point mark in daily trading for the first time since 2015
· Coco Feng
Chinese tech index surges to 11-year high as investors await Trump-Xi summit
The Shenzhen Stock Exchange’s ChiNext tech index broke the 4,000-point mark in daily trading for the first time since 2015
· Coco Feng
Looming Samsung walkout raises economic, political stakes
Samsung faces first full-scale strike in years as debate intensifies over possible government intervention
· Jie Ye-eun
China farmer suffers stroke while selling 4,000kg of apples; hospital staff clear stock in 19 hours
44-year-old fruit farmer suffers brain attack which leaves him in need of long-term rehabilitation; Good Samaritans clear produce before it rots
· Alice Yan
China farmer suffers stroke while selling 4,000kg of apples; hospital staff clear stock in 19 hours
44-year-old fruit farmer suffers brain attack which leaves him in need of long-term rehabilitation; Good Samaritans clear produce before it rots
· Alice Yan
EU Targets France's Jordan Bardella With Fraud Probe As His Anti-Migration Party Surges In The Polls
Last week, reports that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is investigating France’s right-wing, anti-migration party National Rally (RN) for misallocation of EU funds made the rounds. At its core, the case involves a complaint filed last December by the association AC!! Anti-Corruption with the National…
· Tyler Durden
Lee slams reports on aide's 'public dividend' remark as 'malicious fake news'
SEOUL, May 13 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung accused some media outlets Wednesday of distorting his aide's remarks to make it appear that he suggested distributing the excess profits of artificial intelligence (AI) companies among the public.
· Lee Haye-ah
Forum sheds light on Korea-Africa ties on energy, critical mineral
SEOUL, May 13 (Yonhap) -- Experts and government officials from South Korea and African nations gathered in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss Africa's strategic and economic importance ahead of an upcoming foreign ministers' meeting, the foreign ministry said.
· Oh Seok-min
Trump says will ask Xi to ‘open up’ China to US business
Sri Lanka’s most Trusted and Innovative media services provider
· Supuni Kulasinghe
Shipbuilders, banks to rev up financial support for subcontractors
SEOUL, May 13 (Yonhap) -- The country's major shipbuilders and local banks have teamed up to give more financial support for shipbuilding-related smaller firms, the industry ministry said Wednesday.
· Park Sang-soo
Iran war drives solar sales in energy-hungry Asia
Panicked consumers in hard-hit Asia are turning to rooftop solar power as costs climb due to the Iran war. In the Philippines, which is in a state of national energy emergency, a survey of 20 local solar companies found a 70% increase in weekly installations and a six-fold jump in customer inquirers since the confli…
· Anton L Delgado
Guy Bradley takes helm as Cathay chairman, Patrick Healy retires after 3 decades
Bradley formally assumes roles of executive director and board chairman following company’s annual general meeting on Wednesday
· Eric Jiang
Guy Bradley takes helm as Cathay chairman, Patrick Healy retires after 3 decades
Bradley formally assumes roles of executive director and board chairman following company’s annual general meeting on Wednesday
· Eric Jiang
Kim calls for stronger mortar, howitzer forces as North Korea presses ahead with artillery buildup
Since 2017, I have covered South Korea’s political and economic landscape as a reporter, with a focus on foreign affairs, inter-Korean relations and security.As a foreign affairs reporter, I closely follow developments from the Ministry of Unification, the Foreign Ministry and the Defense Ministry, tracking shifts i…
· Jung Min-kyung
Bessent, Chinese vice premier hold trade talks in Seoul
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng held trade talks in Seoul on Wednesday ahead of this week's high-stakes summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
· Yonhap
US and China begin trade talks in South Korea ahead of Trump visit
Delegations from China and the United States began economic and trade consultations in South Korea on Wednesday ahead of President Donald Trump’s arrival in Beijing later in the day, according to Xinhua News Agency.
· Middleeasteye
AI now monitoring Korean stock market, says bourse operator
The Korea Exchange, South Korea's bourse operator, said Wednesday it has begun adopting artificial intelligence technology in its capital market monitoring works.
· Yonhap
Trump’s China state visit raises hopes for steadier U.S.-China ties
Business leaders, academics and international officials have expressed hopes that U.S. President Donald Trump's upcoming state visit to China will help stabilize China-U.S. relations and expand cooperation between the world's two largest economies amid growing global uncertainty.
· AfricaNews
(LEAD) Bessent, Chinese vice premier hold trade talks in Seoul
(ATTN: UPDATES with start of U.S.-China talks; CHANGES headline, photo)
· Lee Haye-ah
Korea Exchange begins adopting AI in capital market monitoring works
SEOUL, May 13 (Yonhap) -- The Korea Exchange, South Korea's bourse operator, said Wednesday it has begun adopting artificial intelligence (AI) technology in its capital market monitoring works.
· Deok-Hyun Kim
China and US teams race to find easy summit deliverables at meeting in Seoul
The two sides will seek to ‘iron out any last-minute issues’ in single day of talks, economist says
· Xiaofei Xu
China and US teams race to find easy summit deliverables at meeting in Seoul
The two sides will seek to ‘iron out any last-minute issues’ in single day of talks, economist says
· Xiaofei Xu
Samsung, LG widen smartphone OLED lead over Chinese rivals
Samsung Display and LG Display expanded their share of the global smartphone OLED panel market in the first quarter of 2026, even as the industry contracted, with Chinese competitors absorbing more than twice the volume decline as a memory chip price surge forced their smartphone customers to cut production.
· Moon Joon-hyun
Qualcomm broadens Vietnam R&D into chip design amid talent race
Qualcomm Chief Technology Officer Baaziz Achour speaks at the opening of the company’s R&D center in Hanoi on May 12. The chipmaker is expanding its Vietnam operations beyond AI into chip design. (Photo by Mai Nguyen)
· MAI NGUYEN
India hikes bullion import duties as the world's second-largest gold market faces a declining rupee
India, the world's second-largest gold consumer, has raised import duties on gold and silver to 15% from 6%, just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to curb bullion purchases for a year as overseas purchases pressure the rupee.
· Priyanka Salve
Xiaomi Korea names Hong Kong-Macau veteran as new head
Xiaomi Korea said Wednesday it appointed Summer Peng as its new general manager as the Chinese electronics brand moves to strengthen its operations and market presence in Korea.
· Jeon Ji-woo
China, US trade chiefs huddle for last-minute talks before Trump visit
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, center, arrives at Incheon International Airport ahead of a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and trade talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, hours ahead of President Donald Trump's arrival in China. © Reuters
· Staff Writer
Soaring inflation and plummeting economy test Iran in wartime
A Revolutionary Guard soldier stands at the counter of a fast food restaurant in northern Tehran, Iran, Sunday, May 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
· Mehdi Fattahi
Trump due in China for high-stakes summit with Xi Jinping, as Iran war looms over talks
The US president will arrive with tech leaders including Elon Musk and Tim Cook, with trade, AI and Taiwan all set to be discussed
· Davidsmith
Cannes is a beautiful, gruelling circus. I wouldn’t quit it for anything | Agnès Poirier
The festival is a celebration of cinema and a frantic trade show all at once. After 25 years, I can’t help but go back
· Agnespoirier
SpaceX IPO: Investors can get an early slice of what could be the world's largest listing | The National
Brace yourselves, because the stock market is heading for what could be the largest initial public offering in history.
· Harvey Jones
China-US trade talks kick off in Seoul ahead of high-profile leaders’ summit
Trade deals, export controls on critical minerals and the Iran war likely to be talking points as senior officials sit down for negotiations
· Xinyi Wu
China-US trade talks kick off in Seoul ahead of high-profile leaders’ summit
Trade deals, export controls on critical minerals and the Iran war likely to be talking points as senior officials sit down for negotiations
· Xinyi Wu
Trump says stopping Iran's nuclear program outweighs Americans' economic pain
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Americans’ financial struggles are not a factor in his decision-making as he seeks to negotiate an end to the Iran war, saying that preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon is his top priority.
· REUTERS
Nidec confirms 'suspected improper conduct' over quality irregularities
Nidec's stock price fell by the daily limit on Wednesday after it confirmed "suspected improper conduct" related to quality tampering. (Photo by Kosaku Mimura)
· Staff Writer
Trump-Xi Beijing meeting to lift Chinese stocks, Morgan Stanley says
‘Moderate’ upside is possible as investors ‘direct attention back to China somewhat’, assuming trade truce is extended, bank says
· Julie Zhang
Trump-Xi Beijing meeting to lift Chinese stocks, Morgan Stanley says
‘Moderate’ upside is possible as investors ‘direct attention back to China somewhat’, assuming trade truce is extended, bank says
· Julie Zhang
India's Tata Sons faces growing IPO pressure after RBI rule change
Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group, is facing calls to list its shares. (Nikkei montage/Source photo by Reuters)
· SOUMYAJIT SAHA
Money supply continues to rise in March on increasing short-term deposits for investment: BOK
SEOUL, May 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's money supply continued to rise in March on an increase in short-term funds awaiting investment, central bank data showed Wednesday.
· Kim Boram
Insurers' capital adequacy ratio up in Q4
SEOUL, May 13 (Yonhap) -- The capital adequacy ratio of insurance companies in South Korea increased in the fourth quarter of last year from the previous quarter, data showed Wednesday.
· Park Sang-soo
S. Korean economy projected to expand 2.5 pct in 2026 on chips: KDI
SEOUL, May 13 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean economy is projected to expand 2.5 percent in 2026, supported by strong growth in the semiconductor industry and a recovery in domestic consumption, a state-run think tank said Wednesday.
· Kang Yoon-seung