Finance news

China’s pressure campaign tests Trump’s commitment to Japan

Beijing’s move this week to add 20 more Japanese entities to its export-control list is the latest chapter in a complex US-Japan-China geopolitical triangle. Over the past seven months, an angry China has punished Tokyo repeatedly. A miffed Japan is left feeling betrayed. And a war-distracted Washington has struggled to navigate between the two, adding further tension in a region already on tenterhooks, according to analysts and former US government officials. The gnawing unease was sparked in..

The US military wants a fleet of laser trucks. Here’s what they might look like.

Two ground vehicles could define how the Pentagon fields high-energy laser weapons at scale.

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Wanted to be diversified from ai/tech, curious what people think! Sleeve Allocation Ticker / vehicle Broad US equity 19% VTI AI/growth participation 4% QQQ Large-cap momentum 3% SPMO Non-mega-cap momentum 2% XMMO Small-cap value 7% AVUV Gold 12% GLDM Cash / money market 18% cash/T-bills Dividend quality equity 8% SCHD Minimum-volatility equity 4% USMV Consumer staples ETF 7% XLP Healthcare ETF 6% XLV Quality compounder basket 7% COST, WMT, LLY, V, MA, CB, BRK-B, WM Energy/grid/power 1% GRID or X

+++ USA +++: Trump puts new Air Force One into operation for the first time

Trump: Temporary intelligence coordinator is allowed to release documents +++ Start negotiations on renewal of North American trade pact +++ US military with large aid mission in Venezuela after earthquake +++ The news blog.

Ship runs aground in Strait of Hormuz, was not using Iran-approved route: Iranian state TV

A ship ran aground in the Strait of Hormuz while using a route not approved by Iran, state television in Tehran reported on Wednesday. The vessel was identified as a foreign container ship, with no other details. The report appeared aimed at underlining Tehran’s claims to control the strait, which the world has long considered an international waterway. A fifth of all oil and natural gas passed through it in peacetime. Since the US and Israel launched the war against Iran on February 28, Iran...

Japan state lender JBIC's US financing soars as supply chain role grows

Iran: Mine clearers on call: Is Germany backing down in the Strait of Hormuz?

In the dispute over a possible Bundeswehr deployment in the Strait of Hormuz, the federal government is sending contradictory signals. This could have serious consequences for the NATO summit with US President Trump.

Judgment in Sweden: Billion payments: Google loses against Pricerunner

Sensational ruling against Google in Sweden: The US company is to pay Klarna subsidiary Pricerunner more than one billion euros. The internet giant abused its market dominance.

Handelsblatt Live: US stock market expert Koch: Meta is entering the cloud business

The tech group announced on Wednesday that it wanted to build new AI computing capacity. The shares of competitors such as Coreweave then suffered losses. “Competition in the cloud sector seems to be increasing,” reports Markus Koch.

Fed: Warsh insists on price stability and independence of the US Federal Reserve

At the ECB forum in Sintra, Fed boss Kevin Warsh and ECB President Christine Lagarde appeared determined in the fight against inflation. Warsh emphasizes the independence of the Fed.

ECB Annual Meeting: Kevin Warsh wants to usher in a new era of monetary policy

The head of the US Federal Reserve, Warsh, used his appearance at the ECB's annual meeting to speak clearly. This also calls into question old ECB habits.

Market Insight: Corporate profits matter

The robust earnings growth of US corporations is one of the most important price drivers. The figures for the second quarter will therefore be a stress test for the stock markets, says Michael Maisch.

China’s Wang Yi warns Marco Rubio to approach Taiwan affairs with ‘utmost caution’

China’s foreign minister Wang Yi warned the US to approach Taiwan affairs with “utmost caution” in a call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling for Washington to expand cooperation and manage risks with Beijing. According to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, the two top diplomats held a “positive and constructive” phone call on Tuesday. It is the first reported cabinet-level communication since US President Donald Trump’s landmark visit to China in mid-May. During that visit, the two...

Trump takes first flight on new Air Force One, a gift from Qatar

US President Donald Trump flew for the first time on Wednesday aboard a retrofitted Boeing 747 that he accepted as a gift from Qatar. The luxury aircraft, reported to be worth about US$400 million, officially joined the Air Force One fleet last month. It had to undergo extensive modifications at US taxpayers’ expense, including security upgrades, before being cleared for use. Trump used it to fly to North Dakota to visit the new Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. Trump accepted the jet in.

Private equity: Federal government approves takeover of software company PSI by US financial investor

PSI develops software for the energy industry. The deal had alarmed security politicians in Berlin. But after the release, things could happen quickly.

Alibaba sues Pentagon, rare earth truce tested, Taiwan arms: 7 US-China relations reads

We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump thinks he is playing hardball. But China is playing Trump: analysts As the summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump fades in the rear-view mirror, marked by anaemic deliverables, poor transparency and missed opportunities, analysts and former US...

Go big or go home: Washington’s assistance to the Lebanese army

The US seems stuck on the fence about whether to abandon or commit to the Lebanese military, and until it picks a side, little is likely to change in the regional conflict with Hezbollah, writes Bilal Saab.

Wall Street: US stock markets start new quarter in the red – chip stocks fall

According to a report, the Facebook parent is planning to enter the cloud business. While investors are accessing Meta, they are selling chip stocks.

U.S. Raises Pressure on Iran With Renewed Military Warning

US Vice President JD Vance has again signaled that the White House is prepared to use force against Iran if diplomacy fails, raising the stakes around a 60-day memorandum of understanding (MOU) that has halted open hostilities but left the core disputes unresolved. In an interview on The Michael Knowles Show released on June 30, Vance cast the US approach toward Iran as a stark choice: a longer-term agreement anchored in permanent, verifiable nuclear inspections, or renewed military action to pr

🇪🇺 No, Russia Could Not Take The Baltics - Even with a potential US withdrawal. But it’s unclear whether Putin knows this.

submitted by /u/Whats-on-Eur-Mind [link] [comments]

DAX Group: Bayer is increasing pressure on glyphosate plaintiffs with a new deadline

After the victory at the US Supreme Court, the out-of-court settlement with plaintiffs is to be finalized by August 19th. But there remain risks for the Leverkusen group.

Video purportedly shows Ukrainian unit running down Russian Shahed. The US is paying attention.

An unverified video of Ukrainian unit taking down a Shahed drone with an American-made interceptor comes as the U.S. Army seeks to field drones at scale.

Reliance Jio’s IPO set to intensify focus on India’s telco sector amid duopoly fears

Indian telecom giant Reliance Jio’s plan to launch one of the country’s largest public share offerings in recent years is expected to shake up the domestic market and spur digital companies to raise funds amid a lull in the Iran war and global trade tensions. Earlier this month, the company filed its initial public offering plan with the Securities and Exchange Board of India to raise US$3.8 billion to US$4 billion, potentially surpassing Hyundai Motor India’s record US$3.3 billion IPO in 2024..

Wall Street: Indices close in positive territory and are heading for their strongest quarter in years

Technology stocks continue to lead the way on the US stock market. But a sporting goods manufacturer could become a benchmark for the global economy.

In the AI era, US-China competition hinges on who can adapt faster

Power has historically been measured by indicators such as territory, population, industrial production, military capability and economic scale. Those foundations remain indispensable. But each technological revolution has changed the nature of geopolitical competition. The Industrial Revolution rewarded manufacturing capacity. The 20th century rewarded industrial scale, military mobilisation and ideological reach. Globalisation rewarded efficiency, integration and financial connectivity. The...

China’s Kling AI nears US$3 billion round at US$18 billion valuation: sources

Kuaishou-backed Kling AI is close to completing a US$3 billion fundraising round that would value the company at US$18 billion post-investment, according to people familiar with the matter, as competition intensifies in China’s artificial intelligence video generation sector. The latest valuation was narrowed from an initial target of US$20 billion set in April, when Chinese short-video giant Kuaishou first planned to spin off Kling AI, according to a source, reflecting the shifting market...

US, Iran officials hold indirect talks in Qatar to try to end war: diplomat

Indirect talks in Doha, Qatar, between officials from the United States and Iran aimed at ending the Middle East war have started, a diplomat with knowledge of the talks said on Wednesday. The diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive talks, confirmed negotiations were under way after they earlier said the US and Iran were to hold “indirect technical talks on Wednesday in Doha with Qatari and Pakistani mediators”. The Doha talks are based “on the memorandum of...

War in the Middle East: Media: Indirect US-Iran talks in Qatar have begun

The situation between the USA and Iran remains tense. Nevertheless, talks are now underway in the Gulf state of Qatar.

‘YMCA’ Village People singer Victor Willis dies at 74

Victor Willis, lead singer of the disco group Village People whose hit Y.M.C.A. became a fixture at rallies for US President Donald Trump, has died, his spouse said in a Facebook post on Wednesday. “It is with profound sadness that I must announce the death of my husband, VICTOR WILLIS. Victor passed away on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, as a result of a short, but aggressive illness,” the post on Willis’s official page said. The Texas-born musician, who was 74, was a co-founder of the Village People.

‘Upside potential’: World Gold Council counts on Asian buyers to curb price plunge

Asian markets are a growing force in gold price discovery as the metal remains sensitive to heightened geopolitical concerns and abrupt shifts in investor sentiment, according to the World Gold Council. Asian trading hours have been a key driver at gold price rebounds during the first half of the year, while the pullbacks tended to occur when US markets were open, according to the council’s global midyear outlook report published on July 1. “It … showcased the growing relevance of Asian markets.