Finance news

Postbank Digital Study 2026: Internet usage in Germany is falling noticeably

People in Germany pull the plug – at least sometimes. After years of steady growth and constant digital fire, internet usage in Germany is falling noticeably for the first time.

Financial assets grow more slowly: DZ Bank: Germans save less

Expensive refueling, less left to save: Why Germans' financial assets will hardly grow in 2026 and who will be particularly affected.

SoftBank’s OpenAI bet and rising debt are raising liquidity crunch concerns

Analysts warned that the market's renewed optimism on SoftBank is masking mounting balance-sheet risks.

Iran war: Lebanon and Israel want to implement a fragile ceasefire

So far, a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has not held. Israel's fighting with Hezbollah has recently come to a head. Now the ceasefire should be implemented. Does that work?

23 injured after minibus, double-decker and truck collide on Hong Kong highway

More than 20 people were injured in a traffic accident involving two public buses and a truck in Hong Kong’s New Territories, temporarily closing an arterial road on Thursday morning. A minibus, a double-decker bus and a truck collided on Fanling Highway at around 8am, trapping the minibus driver, who was later rescued by firefighters. Photos from the scene show the front of the Route 44A minibus, which plies between Sheung Shui and Tuen Mun, severely crushed. Police said 18 passengers on the...

As a “healthy” person, is it worth applying for a TK entitlement abroad?

As a 34-year-old, I have been living in Germany for years (insured with TK) but will be returning home for family reasons. But since I want to go back at some point, even if only after 10+ years, I'm thinking about whether it makes sense to apply for this entitlement to TK. As far as I know, I would then have the right to go back to statutory insurance upon my return. I called them directly and was informed that it made no sense as long as I returned before 55 we

Discovery in Australia: With handcuffs on the lookout for a bride: city birds courtship with garbage

Male bowerbirds in Australia are increasingly relying on human finds when looking for a mate. A study shows how much urbanization affects animals' love lives.

Situation at a glance: Lebanon and Israel want to implement a fragile ceasefire

So far, a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has achieved little. Israel's fighting with Hezbollah has recently come to a head. Now the ceasefire should be implemented. Does that work?

Gas supply: Forecast: More and more liquefied natural gas transports to Europe

Energy experts expect that by 2029, liquefied natural gas will account for more than half of the gas supply in Western and Central Europe. German energy companies are also involved in global LNG trading.

Grocery shopping: The private label boom – why branded products are having a hard time

Customers are buying more and more own brands. Classic branded products are losing importance. What is behind the change in shopping behavior?

Oil Prices Dip as Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Revives Iran Deal Hopes

Oil prices were under pressure in early Asian trade on Thursday following the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. The agreement could ultimately help clear the way for a broader U.S.-Iran deal, which would eventually see the Strait of Hormuz reopen and provide some relief for an increasingly tight oil market. At the time of writing, Brent crude was trading at $96.60 per barrel, down 1.24% on the session, while West Texas Intermediate was down 1.10% at $94.96. The la

United Nations: What Germany's UN diplomatic disaster means

The German candidacy for a seat at the most powerful table in world politics has failed. There are calls from the coalition partner SPD for a more attitude towards international law.

Only 5% of day traders make money, but the SEC is now making it easier for more people to try it anyway

The pattern day-trading rule is going away on June 4, but retail investors should understand the risks.

Artificial Intelligence: TSMC boss: AI boom will drive growth in the coming years

TSMC remains optimistic thanks to strong AI demand and expects further growth. Nvidia's important supplier is expanding capacities and significantly increasing its investments.

Flesh-eating screwworm is confirmed in the U.S., officials say

Public finances: Last attempt to rescue the debt brake reform

The commission to reform the debt brake is on the verge of failure. Now the experts are making another attempt: a special concept is intended to enable a compromise.

Exclusive: Electricity network operators believe energy transition goals are not achievable

A survey among electricity distribution network operators reveals great pessimism in the industry. This is an alarm signal for politics.

Artificial intelligence: Merantix Capital is expanding its position with a new fund

The Berlin investor is launching a fund worth 103 million euros. For the first time since it was founded ten years ago, Merantix Capital will invest directly in AI start-ups.

Whale carcass on a Danish island: How did the humpback whale die? Autopsy should solve mystery

About three weeks ago, the dead humpback whale known as “Timmy” washed up off the Danish island of Anholt. Now he is being autopsied on the beach in front of onlookers. What can the experts find out?

No pain, no gain? Former player defends ‘unique’ method of coach seen slapping student

A former student of a well-known Hong Kong basketball coach, seen in a video slapping a young player, has defended his disciplinary approach as acceptable despite legal experts warning the conduct could constitute common assault. Veteran coach Yung Kam-wah apologised on Tuesday over the incident two years ago, after the video recently went viral and sparked public concern. In the clip, Yung first takes a jacket from the boy’s hand and throws it to the ground, then grabs the student’s left hand..

Suspected Filipino scammer reveals how Cambodian ring conned Singaporeans

Details of how a Cambodia-based scam syndicate allegedly targeted victims in Singapore through a three-level scheme emerged in court on Wednesday, as a woman went on trial over her alleged participation in the operation. De Villar Rizalyn Panganiban, 35, a Filipino, allegedly belonged to a criminal group that carried out government official impersonation scams, in which victims were tricked into believing their bank accounts had been compromised before being persuaded to transfer money to...

12 Hangry Men – jury equity from the Old Bailey to Hong Kong

In the Grand Hall of London’s Central Criminal Court, ubiquitously known as the Old Bailey, lies a plaque commemorating the courage of the jury in the 1670 trial of William Penn. Penn – who would later found the US state of Pennsylvania – and his co-accused were Quakers, charged with contravening the Conventicle Act 1664, which banned religious gatherings other than those of the Church of England. The Recorder of London, presiding at Penn’s trial, directed the jury to convict. The jury refused..

Hong Kong’s first astronaut success is also a story of youth potential

Becoming an astronaut and exploring space has been the dream of generations of young people and Hong Kong has welcomed this pioneering moment. Dr Lai Ka-Ying, who studied computer science at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has become the first astronaut from Hong Kong, and the fourth female astronaut from China, to journey into space. As a payload specialist, she will operate the observatory designed by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) to track greenhouse gas...

Space company: SpaceX wants to raise $75 billion in a record IPO

Tech billionaire Elon Musk's space company SpaceX doesn't make a lot of sales and is deep in the red. Nevertheless, she wants to carry out the largest IPO to date.

CrowdStrike is a buy, just not yet. Here's why

On top of the beat-and-raise, CrowdStrike announced a 4-for-1 stock split. But short-term thinkers sold the stock.

How Beijing could use its military and trade to hit back at Tokyo-Manila ties

Beijing could conduct military operations, bolster its electronic warfare strength and roll out trade sanctions in response to Tokyo and Manila’s deepening defence cooperation, according to Chinese experts. Last week, Manila and Tokyo announced they would launch negotiations on the maritime boundary of their exclusive economic zones and continental shelves around Taiwan, a move that Beijing called “completely illegal and invalid”. In a report on Wednesday, the Beijing Lande Information...

A Chinese robotics start-up beat Nvidia on a global AI ranking. Is a new tech war brewing?

As artificial intelligence steps out of the digital realm and into the real world, the race to build the embodied “brains” powering next-generation robots has become the newest battleground in tech competition between China and the United States. Two days after US chip giant Nvidia launched its Cosmos 3 model – designed to help physical AI “think before it acts” – a Chinese start-up stole the spotlight. On Wednesday, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province-based Spirit AI said its foundation model for...

Chinese man, 19, lives under bridge with pet dog, works long hours to save for tuition

Residents of a city in central China have come to the aid of a poor 19-year-old student who works more than 10 hours a day as a food delivery rider to earn money to cover his tuition fees. Tang Wei, from Xinhuang county in Hunan province, was admitted by a technical college in Changsha, the capital city of the province, the Changsha Evening News reported. He will kick off his college life in September. In early May, Tang left his hometown, heading to Changsha and hoping to find a temporary...

Quantinuum raises $1.68 billion in IPO that seeks to give quantum computing more street cred

Quantinuum is pursuing a traditional IPO, whereas many other quantum players have gone the SPAC route.

West’s xenophobia, cash woes present huge openings for Hong Kong, scholar says

Xenophobia and financial woes in the West have created tremendous opportunities for higher education institutions in Hong Kong and the broader Eurasian region, the head of a leading university in Kazakhstan has said. Professor Waqar Ahmad, the president of Nazarbayev University, also revealed on Wednesday that the institution would soon launch another joint undergraduate programme in computer science and artificial intelligence with Polytechnic University. Starting next year, the programme will.