Finance news

Real estate loans: The depressed mood among professional investors is weighing on the real estate market

In March, many major investors viewed the fighting in the Middle East as an episode at best. Now, according to an exclusive survey, disillusionment is spreading, except in one asset class.

Air conditioning fraud: Air conditioning systems: Fake shops are booming with demand

Revolutionary air conditioning with space technology? Behind such offers are fraudsters who want to cash in. Because instead of an air conditioning system, another device is supplied - if at all.

Archion: Toyota and Daimler Truck reduce shares in truck manufacturer

The two companies plan to sell shares worth billions this month, according to a report. This would allow Daimler to sell off a long-standing subsidiary.

US touts regional ‘balance’ in missile sale to Singapore. What does it mean?

Washington has recently approved a proposed US$22.3 million sale of additional Hellfire missiles to Singapore, with the US State Department declaring that the transfer and associated arms support “will not alter the basic military balance in the region”. While observers say the sale is a routine purchase by the city state for training and to replenish an advanced arsenal, America’s language on the move signals a broader strategy to strengthen a network of US allies and partners while avoiding...

Eastern Europe: Moldovan Prime Minister unexpectedly resigns

Munteanu has announced his resignation. His central political goal was Moldova's entry into the EU, but now political tensions with pro-Russian forces could be rising.

What is wrong with my investment split?

I’ve decided on the following investment split. I decided on this split and my main goals are to get at least 10% as an annualised return over 20 years. Is there anything glaringly wrong with the proposed split and would you recommend some other index fund? $600 - HSBC FTSE All-World Index Fund (13.88% annualised over 10 years) $400 - S&P 500 index fund (16.2% annualised over 10 years) - **selected for growth!** $400 - Nasdaq-100 / EQQQ (19.50% annualised over 10 years) - **selected for growth!*

Reform package: What does sick leave really bring from day one?

The planned changes to sick leave will tighten the rules for employees. Whether they will reduce sick leave remains an open question. What statistics and experts say.

Real estate: Clear announcement from the government: socialization “no longer possible”

The coalition wants to exclude possible socialization of private housing stock through state laws. The industry reacts with relief - and is now quickly calling for a law.

ExxonMobil, QatarEnergy Affirm Commerciality of Cyprus Discoveries

QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil signed a 'commercial discovery declaration' with the Cypriot government for two discoveries in Block 10 in the Mediterranean Sea.

The coalition's reform plans: Sick leave by telephone or video: When this is possible

Get an AU certificate without having to go to the doctor's office when you are sick: at least this is currently still possible by telephone. In which cases, for how long - and what about video consultations?

Oil Remains in a Divided Market

Oil remains in a divided market, Waleed Said, Technical Analyst at GivTrade, stated.

Armament: Renk expands naval business with takeover

With the acquisition of David Brown Defense, Renk wants to get involved in naval projects in Great Britain, Canada and Australia.

Court awards HK$251,000 to family of late helper sacked during cancer battle

A Hong Kong court has awarded more than HK$251,000 (US$32,000) to the family of a domestic helper who was dismissed by her employer in 2019 after being diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer and later died. The years-long legal battle involving the late helper, Baby Jane Allas, came to an end on Friday when the District Court ordered her former employer, Jamil Bushra, to pay damages. Bushra had fired Allas in February 2019 while she was on medical leave. Bushra, who was absent throughout the...

Comment: The strict rules for sick leave are symbolic politics

The coalition members want to be stricter when it comes to sick leave in order to prevent abuse. Whether the planned rules will help is completely controversial.

Asian investors turn into sellers of gold ETFs as market rally slows

Editor's Choice: Weakening Yen leaves weeping foreign students and families

Japan to launch direct express between Haneda and Narita airports

Japan's corporate reform genie will not go back in the bottle

Bert Rürup: Reform with side effects - the end of mini-jobs also has losers

The Pension Commission proposes to curb marginal employment. The government wants to implement all of the experts’ suggestions. A good idea?

Chinese police uncover link between investment and attacks on citizens in Africa

Attacks on Chinese citizens and businesses in sub-Saharan Africa tend to increase in the years following a rise in Chinese investment, according to a new study by researchers at the School of Overseas Security and Protection at the Chinese People’s Police University. However, the authors stressed that the findings should not be interpreted as evidence that Chinese investment itself caused violence. They argued that Chinese investment was often concentrated in resource-rich but politically...

Hong Kong moves antenatal care to public hospitals in reform push

Expectant mothers in Hong Kong requiring government antenatal services will only need to visit public hospitals, rather than maternal and child health centres, under a change taking effect on Monday. Health authorities announced on Friday that antenatal services currently provided by maternal and child health centres, managed by the Department of Health, will be transferred to public hospitals under the Hospital Authority. “After the service integration, the obstetrics department of the Hospital

Gold: Why a crypto expert is switching to the gold industry

Solit has spun off its app Flexgold and appointed Katharina Gehra as CEO. It is the next step after the gold dealer's merger with an international competitor.

China-EU trade, Xi touts ‘global influence’, Nato summit

China told the European Union that it is willing to increase purchases of EU goods to help pare a massive trade gap, potentially easing the risk of a trade war. Commerce Minister Wang Wentao suggested that China is open to purchase agreements covering European goods in trade talks this week with EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic, the South China Morning Post reported, citing unidentified people briefed on the discussions. Lower tariffs on EU imports were also discussed (see trade talks joint...

PJM on Maximum Alert to Prevent Outages Amid Extreme Heat Wave

PJM Interconnection, the operator of the largest U.S. electric grid, has issued a maximum generation alert for July 3 asking power producers to maximize electricity generation amid soaring demand in the current extreme heat wave. PJM had a Maximum Generation Alert and Load Management Alert in effect for July 2 across its footprint in the eastern U.S. and Midwest. These alerts have now been issued for the PJM footprint for July 3, too. While the alert does not require any action from customers, g

Gold prices set for first weekly rise in a month as investors scale back Fed rate hike bets

The metal was boosted as investors scaled back their bets on a looming rate hike.

Trump: Nothing wrong with my family's million-dollar business

Donald Trump rejects allegations of possible conflicts of interest in his family's businesses. Crypto activities in particular are coming into focus.

Employee training hours in Hong Kong hit 14-year high amid AI push: survey

Average training hours per employee in Hong Kong hit a 14-year high as local companies pushed for technology adoption and workforce upskilling, a new survey released on Friday showed. According to the 2025-26 survey on workforce development needs conducted by the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resource Management, the average annual training hours per employee reached 19.4 hours in 2025. This represented a 6.8 per cent increase from 18.1 hours in 2024, marking the second consecutive year of growth

Johor-Singapore SEZ blueprint delay sparks tension ahead of Malaysia state election

Johor’s caretaker chief minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi has criticised Malaysia’s federal government for delays in the launch of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) master plan, arguing that it is needed to sustain the initiative’s momentum. In response, Economic Minister Akmal Nasir, who oversees the project at the federal level, has maintained that the government remains committed to the project’s success and the delays have not affected the JS-SEZ as investor numbers have remained...

Reform package: “Whining as a national sport” – This is how the world press looks at the German reforms

Will the federal government's reform package be a turning point or is it more of a sore point? Foreign newspapers assess the federal government's plans differently.

Iran: The last Ayatollah funeral ended in chaos - now six days of celebrations for Khamenei begin

Around four months after his killing, Iran's head of state Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is to be buried with a major event. Is his son and successor appearing in public for the first time?