Finance news

US hearing weighs higher tariffs over alleged forced labour, targeting China

China’s labour practices came under scrutiny on Wednesday during a US government hearing on a proposal to impose tariffs on goods linked to forced labour, with participants divided over whether higher tariffs would effectively improve workers’ rights. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is holding a three-day public hearing from July 7 to 9 as part of its Section 301 investigation into the use of forced labour in international supply chains. The investigation and the...

US launches new strikes on Iran after Trump vows to hit ‘hard’

The United States launched new strikes on Iran on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump vowed to hit “hard” following Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump, while ordering retaliation against Tehran, said he expected the latest military flare-up to end quickly and left the door open to more talks. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes were carried out to degrade the ability of Iranian forces “to threaten freedom of navigation” in the strait, through which a fifth of

Did you mess up on your taxes? The IRS just made it easier to avoid paying a penalty.

It’s a ‘major taxpayer win,’ according to one advocate inside the IRS

What the Iran war has revealed about Brics+

The US-Israeli military campaign against Iran was more than another Middle Eastern conflict. It became a defining stress test for the expanded Brics (Brics+), the grouping that is frequently portrayed as the flagship political platform of the Global South and a cornerstone of an emerging multipolar order. The war showed that the grouping – which has grown beyond its founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – is neither a military alliance nor an ideological bloc. Rather, it

Analysis: Bookseller died 'in line of duty' resisting Xi Jinping's rule

Osaka payment processor bankruptcy triggers restaurant cash crunch fears

Japan PM misses chance for European diplomacy by skipping NATO summit

France's TotalEnergies ships first LNG from Mexico project to Asia

Strategic neutrality is Asia's new competitive advantage

Pimco may eye long-term JGBs if yields hit 3%, Japan co-head says

SpaceX stock closes below debut price at $148 in two-day slide after Nasdaq-100 inclusion

SpaceX's record IPO raised a total of $85.7 billion after underwriters exercised the "greenshoe" overallotment.

Investors haven’t been this bullish on the dollar in a decade. How the buck can keep climbing.

A crowded bet on a stronger U.S. dollar may depend on whether Wednesday’s jump in oil prices proves lasting, as renewed Middle East tensions revive inflation concerns and bolster expectations that the Federal Reserve may need to keep policy tight.

How an Accidental Discovery in a Texas Lab Could Reshape Battery Manufacturing

A team of scientists at Texas A&M University accidentally discovered a new method for producing a critical component in lithium-ion batteries. The team, based in College Station, Texas, was trying to study an entirely different phenomenon when they discovered that they could produce graphene oxide directly from natural gas. Not only does this discovery mean that a critical battery component could be produced more efficiently and cheaply, the process also creates green hydrogen as a byproduct. In

Trump surprises Nato allies with arms deals and praise as summit ends positively

US President Donald Trump has promised new arms sales in Europe, including advanced air defence systems to Nato allies and Ukraine, as the transatlantic alliance ramps up its military partnership, signalling a potential thaw after Trump repeatedly railed against the coalition. In a press conference on the last day of the Nato summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday, Trump said that as European nations rebuild their militaries, American equipment will be the “largest beneficiary”, claiming US$3...

401K VOYA from former employer

So when I left my last job where I was grossly underpaid, I rolled over my 401K into my personal IRA with T Rowe. At the time they had just switched over to using Voya and it was a complete hassle getting the money rolled over and Voya took their time but eventually the transfer went through. Now my current job ( where I've been for approx. 4 months) also uses Voya and when I went in to check my balances there I saw that my former employer had allocated matching monies on June 30th ( I'm guessin

Anthropic hits back after China warns of Claude Code ‘backdoor’ risks

US artificial intelligence company Anthropic said users in China being advised to uninstall its flagship Claude Code product were not supposed to be using it in the first place, responding after Beijing warned of security “backdoor” risks. The company’s statement comes after a cybersecurity platform managed by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on Wednesday that Anthropic’s agentic coding tool poses “a serious threat” to Chinese users, in the latest escalation of

Meta is building its first big Canadian data center as AI expansion crosses the border

Meta is building its first big Canadian data center as AI expansion crosses the border.

This chart shows stamp prices over the years as USPS hikes postage again this weekend

The new rate will go into effect on July 12, and will be the eighth price increase over the last five calendar years

The Strait of Hormuz is back under ‘full-conflict conditions’ — and energy markets are scrambling

Oil prices surge as U.S. and Iran trade strikes; but even without further disruption, volatility appears here to stay for energy markets

Iran War: US military attacks targets in Iran again

After US attacks against Iran, US allies also report shelling. Now the US military is announcing a new offensive.

U.S. military launches new Iran strikes as Trump says 'not sure' he wants deal

Centcom said it launched dozens of strikes on Iranian military infrastructure and small boats; Trump said the U.S. might take more military action "tonight."

+++ Football World Cup 2026 +++: Justin Bieber also at the half-time show in the World Cup final

Egypt files a complaint against referees after World Cup exit +++ Völler continues as sports director and wants 2014 world champion at DFB +++ The World Cup blog.

US man Jeffrey Ying jailed for stealing rare Chinese manuscript from UCLA

A California man who swapped a library’s 17th century Chinese manuscript for a fake was jailed for a year on Wednesday after admitting to stealing a major artwork. Jeffrey Ying used a number of aliases to gain access to classic works, some over 600 years old, at the library of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the US Department of Justice said. Ying, 39, would check the works out and return days later with dummy manuscripts. He would frequently travel to China shortly thereafter,

Levi Strauss beats quarterly expectations, raises guidance and dividend

Levi Strauss beat quarterly expectations on the top and bottom lines during its fiscal 2026 second quarter.

Oil Surges on Renewed Iran Strikes

Oil prices surged to two-week highs after renewed U.S. strikes on Iran and threats to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

India’s $100 Billion Grid Bet Is Accelerating A Solar Manufacturing Boom

Just a decade ago, the Indian government seemed hell-bent on using coal to power its industrialization drive, with large-scale solar energy virtually unheard of in the country apart from a few microgrids serving remote rural villages and rooftop installations. In early 2015, the Modi administration set a goal to double domestic coal output to roughly 1.5 billion tonnes by 2030. However, the country’s energy landscape has since undergone a massive transformation in a short space of time. While th

Qatar Role as USA-Iran Mediator Jeopardized

The targeting of a Qatari tanker near the Strait of Hormuz has imperiled the Gulf state's role as one of the primary mediators.

E. Jean Carroll can collect US$5 million in damages from Trump, US judge says

A judge on Wednesday authorised the payment of a multimillion-dollar award to magazine writer E. Jean Carroll to satisfy a 2023 civil verdict in which a jury found US President ‌Donald Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming her. US District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan ordered the disbursement of nearly US$5.8 million to the former Elle magazine advice columnist, representing the original US$5 million verdict plus interest. The funds had been held in escrow while Trump appealed the...

Nvidia’s stock trades at a juicy discount, according to BofA

An analyst recommends investors take advantage of the “enhanced” buying opportunity brought upon by sustained underperformance.

Michael Burry bets on sportsbooks DraftKings and Flutter, sees prediction markets curbed by regulation

The investor believes regulators will eventually crack down on prediction markets after competition from the upstarts pressured the stocks of sportsbooks.