Japan Inc. racks up $130bn in paper property gains, drawing investor pressure
Unrealized gains in corporate rental properties in Japan rose 25% in five years. (Photo by Rie Ishii)
· Staff Writer
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Newest first · UTC+11:00Is AI replacing your financial advisor?
Wall Street is reacting nervously to AI disruption. But advisors who understand that machines can handle labor while professionals focus on judgment may be better positioned to adapt.
· Kaitlyn Gomez
Whirlpool shares drop 20% as appliance giant warns consumer sentiment at ‘recession level lows’ on Iran war
Whirlpool’s shares plunged more than 20% after the company said consumer confidence has fallen to “recession level lows” because of the Iran war, tanking demand for its big appliances.
· Lisa Fickenscher
While many international brands retreat, McDonald’s is supersizing its China business
Even as numerous international consumer brands shrink their footprints in China, McDonald's is bucking the trend thanks to consumers like Yue Ma.
· Eunice Yoon
Jordan tourism hit by war as visitor numbers plunge
Tourism, which accounts for around 14 percent of Jordan’s economy, is facing a sharp downturn as the war disrupts travel across the region.
· Middleeasteye
Brazil’s Lula meets Trump amid efforts to avert new US trade tariffs
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has met US President Donald Trump at the White House, for talks that were expected to focus on trade, security, and critical minerals as Lula seeks to reset their rocky relationship.
· Al Jazeera
Options traders love this under-the-radar AI play
For an $18 billion market-cap company, data-center owner Iren trades like one of the AI giants.The company had two of the top 20 biggest options trades in the market on Thursday and a total $173 million of premium traded hands, with 73% of that in calls.By comparison, less than a million dollars of options traded in…
· Oliver Renick
US targets Cuba nickel operation in move with implications for China-linked supply chains
Marco Rubio revealed sanctions on Thursday, escalating Trump administration’s pressure campaign against Havana’s military-controlled economy
· Teresa Elena Frontado
US targets Cuba nickel operation in move with implications for China-linked supply chains
Marco Rubio revealed sanctions on Thursday, escalating Trump administration’s pressure campaign against Havana’s military-controlled economy
· Teresa Elena Frontado
Trump's 'irresponsible war' to blame for economic slowdown, German minister says
Germany's finance minister has blamed Donald Trump's "irresponsible war in Iran" for a big drop in his country's expected tax revenues.
· Tom McArthur
Japan extends streak of record buybacks, led by these stocks
Share buyback programs are becoming bigger as corporate Japan embraces capital efficiency. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
· Staff Writer
Japan extends streak of record stock buybacks, led by these blue chips
Share buyback programs are becoming bigger as corporate Japan embraces capital efficiency. (Photo by Yuki Kohara)
· Staff Writer
"Stunning Quarter": Highest Earnings Growth In Over Two Decades
Yesterday, Deutsche Bank's head of thematic research published his latest chartbook, "The Great 2026 Reset," which delves into the market and political implications of the Iran conflict (available here to pro subs).
· Tyler Durden
Tech companies increasingly seek faith leaders' guidance on artificial intelligence
Pages from the Anthropic website and the company’s logo are displayed on a computer screen in New York on Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File)
· Krysta Fauria
'Shutdown': Moody's expects Dubai hotel occupancy to plummet to 10 percent
The US-based financial analysis firm Moody's predicts that hotel occupancy in Dubai is set to plummet to 10 percent from a pre-war figure of 80 percent in the second quarter of the year, which ends on 1 July, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
· Middleeasteye
A signal of scale: What Ajinomoto’s Tarlac investment reveals about the next phase of industrial growth
AJINOMOTO Philippines Corporation has broken ground on a 16-hectare manufacturing facility at TARI Estate, marking one of the largest recent food manufacturing investments in Central Luzon. Valued at approximately P9.1 billion, the facility is expected to be fully operational by April 2028.
· The Manila Times
Elite corporate lawyers accused of earning millions on insider trading, using bizarre code like, ‘How’s the rabbi?’
A ring of elite corporate lawyers were accused of illegally trading on inside info about blockbuster deals over a decade, using a bizarre code that referred to one merger as a “rabbi” and raking in tens of millions of dollars in ill-gotten profits, according to federal prosecutors.
· Ariel Zilber
McDonald's profits rise as it beefs up value offerings
NEW YORK — McDonald's reported higher profits Thursday as the chain's value promotions and pop culture-oriented marketing efforts lifted sales in most leading markets.
· Agence France-Presse
Google faces new UK lawsuit over online display ads
LONDON — Google faces a fresh UK lawsuit accusing it of abusing its dominance in online display advertising, the claimants announced Thursday, in the latest antitrust action against the US tech giant.
· The Manila Times
If Labour now decides the PM is no longer up to the job, there’s just one problem: neither is anyone else | Gaby Hinsliff
Whoever leads Britain through the next three years may have to navigate a recession, even a war. The way we choose that person needs an urgent overhaul
· Gabyhinsliff
AI will be 'disruptive' but promises larger positives, US energy secretary says | The National
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Thursday acknowledged that artificial intelligence will be a disruptive force, including in the jobs market, but said the revolutionary tech will ultimately bring “massively larger” positives.
· Cody Combs
SoftBank in talks with Nvidia to build made-in-Japan AI servers
SoftBank will enter the business of high-performance servers, capable of operating cutting-edge graphics processing units at high speeds. (SoftBank)
· Staff Writer
Japan plans start of round-the-clock JGB trading on blockchain
Japan expects increased capital efficiency from a system for trading tokenized securities. (Nikkei illustration)
· Staff Writer
Inflation Expectations Jump To 3 Year High As Financial Pessimism Surges: NY Fed Survey
Ahead of tomorrow's jobs report which is expected to show a substantial slowdown from last month's 178K surge, moments ago we got another reminder that the stagflationary iceberg remains front and center ahead of the US, after the NY Fed's latest monthly survey of consumer expectations reported that Inflation expect…
· Tyler Durden
Asian firms hopeful on US investment again, but cautious after 2025 tariffs
Investment commitments worth billions of dollars were announced by Asian companies at this year's annual SelectUSA Investment Summit, held May 2-5 in Maryland. (Photo by Pak Yiu)
· PAK YIU
'Shutdown': Moody's expects Dubai hotel occupancy to plummet to 10 percent
The US-based financial analysis firm Moody's predicts that hotel occupancy in Dubai is set to plummet to 10 percent from a pre-war figure of 80 percent in the second quarter of the year, which ends on 1 July, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
· Middleeasteye
UK court convicts 2 men linked to Hong Kong trade office of spying
Bill Yuen, London office’s manager, and Peter Wai found guilty of assisting foreign intelligence service on Thursday
· Jeffie Lam
UK court convicts 2 men linked to Hong Kong trade office of spying
Bill Yuen, London office’s manager, and Peter Wai found guilty of assisting foreign intelligence service on Thursday
· Jeffie Lam
Dante turned Manila Times into a world-class paper
THERE are newspaper owners who merely keep a publication alive as a business enterprise. Then there are a very few who transform a newspaper into a national institution that shapes the intellectual and political life of a country. Dante A. Ang belonged to the latter category.
· Rigoberto D. Tiglao
Oil of ‘Olat’
IT is completely understandable to look at the current pump prices and wonder if we will ever see the significantly lower costs of the past again. The “rocket and feather” phenomenon, where prices climb rapidly during spikes but seem to “trickle down” agonizingly slowly, is not just a consumer frustration; it is a w…
· John Lesaca
DOJ probes $2.6B in suspicious oil trades tied to Iran war announcements: report
Federal investigators are probing at least four suspiciously timed oil trades worth more than $2.6 billion that were placed just minutes before major announcements about the Iran war sent crude prices tumbling, according to a report.
· Ariel Zilber
Average US long-term mortgage rate ticks up to 6.37%
A for sale sign is posted outside a home, Feb. 10, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, file)
· Alex Veiga
GDP growth hits 5-year low
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· Niña Myka Pauline Arceo, Agence France-Presse, Reuters
Banking system resilient amid Middle East war risks
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· Niña Myka Pauline Arceo
Weak peso could drive NG debt beyond target
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· Niña Myka Pauline Arceo
‘This is really very bad’
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· Niña Myka Pauline Arceo, Chynna Grace Ong, Nazylen Joy Mabanglo
Accentuate career development at Accenture
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· The Manila Times
Accentuate growth further at Accenture
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· The Manila Times
Beijing Flip-Flops, Asks Banks To Pause Loans To Sanctioned Refiners Days After Ordering Them To Ignore Sanctions
Over the weekend, we reported that in what some called a "watershed moment", Beijing ordered Chinese companies not to comply with US sanctions on five domestic refiners linked to the Iranian oil trade, deploying for the first time a blocking measure introduced in 2021 that was aimed at protecting its firms from fore…
· Tyler Durden
Russian Economy Shrinks in the First Quarter
Russia’s economy contracted at the beginning of the year as weak business activity and declining oil and gas revenues strained public finances.
· The Moscow Times
Japan's MUFG taps Google's Gemini AI to help customers shop, save
MUFG will pilot-test Google's AI functions on its financial services platform in fiscal 2026. (Source photos by Nikkei)
· Staff Writer
BP plans to sell shares in flagship carbon projects as it pulls back from green agenda
Oil firm seeks to reduce stake in carbon capture and storage projects in north-east of England after schemes fail to win over shareholders
· Jillian Ambrose
McDonald’s posts strong earnings — but viral CEO warns gas prices may take bite out of future profits
McDonald’s on Thursday reported surprisingly upbeat quarterly earnings and revenue, but CEO Chris Kempczinski — who recently went viral for his weirdly timid nibble of his own company’s burger — warned consumer spending may get “a little bit worse” as high fuel prices slam wallets.
· Taylor Herzlich
Hormuz To Year-End: Bullish Or Bearish?
With hopes of a permanent truce being continually undermined by minor skirmishes and blockade infringements, it remains unclear whether this war is close to ending. And while oil prices gyrate from one Trump Truth post to the next, two weeks of Brent above $100/barrel (only just inching below as of this morning) sug…
· Tyler Durden
Oil prices drop awaiting Mideast peace progress
Oil prices fell and global stock markets traded mixed Thursday awaiting an update on a US plan to end the Middle East war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
· Agence France-Presse
Shell profits surge on rising oil price as Qatar LNG damage increases risks | The National
Shell on Thursday reported surging profits in the first quarter, as the Iran war led to a rise in oil prices, while the most significant impacts for the British energy company have been in Qatar.
· Kyle Fitzgerald
South Sudan's President Kiir fires army chief and finance minister
More changes at the top of South Sudan’s government on Wednesday as President Salva Kiir fired the country’s army chief and a finance minister who’d been in office for less than three months, Reuters news agency reported.
· AfricaNews
Middle East war will slow down economic growth in Africa as cost of living crisis soars, IMF warns
A new wave of global shocks mainly caused by the war in the Middle East is pushing up the cost of living once again and bringing about a revised economic outlook, the IMF's outlook report for sub-Saharan Africa titled 'Hard-Won Gains Under Pressure' shows.
· AfricaNews
Gold futures set for Hong Kong comeback as mainland China’s appetite for the metal grows
City aims to broaden gold offerings and expand clearing and storage facilities to seize opportunities in the surging market
· Julie Zhang
Gold futures set for Hong Kong comeback as mainland China’s appetite for the metal grows
City aims to broaden gold offerings and expand clearing and storage facilities to seize opportunities in the surging market
· Julie Zhang