Month: April 2025
Trump signs order to boost deep-sea mining, seeking to break China’s critical minerals dominance
Critical minerals such as cobalt, nickel, copper and manganese can be found in potato-sized nodules at the bottom of the seafloor. Pallava Bagla | Corbis News | Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping executive order to jump-start the controversial practice of deep-sea mining, seeking to offset China’s dominant position in critical […]
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China pledges to ramp up targeted support for businesses as U.S. trade war hits
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, March 5, 2025. Florence Lo | Reuters BEIJING — China plans to help struggling businesses with targeted measures in the face of “increased external shocks,” according to a readout of a […]
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Pony.ai teams up with Tencent for robotaxi services on WeChat, other apps
A Pony.ai autonomous car. Pony.ai Chinese start-up Pony.ai said Friday it will develop autonomous driving technology in partnership with Tencent Cloud and deploy robotaxi services on tech giant Tencent’s WeChat and other applications. The Nasdaq-listed company which specializes in autonomous vehicle technology, particularly robotaxis and robotrucks, said in a press release that the deal will […]
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From unicorns to brick-and-mortar: VCs in Southeast Asia get cold feet as they switch bets
Funding by VC investors in tech-based companies has declined by about 79% between 2022 and 2024, from around $10.1 billion to approximately $2.2 billion, according to data intelligence platform Tracxn. Koumaru | Istock | Getty Images Venture capitalists typically have a strong appetite for risk, but some investors in Southeast Asia are becoming increasingly cautious. […]
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Ascott plans to double India portfolio, says limited supply provides room for growth
ShareShare Article via FacebookShare Article via TwitterShare Article via LinkedInShare Article via Email Lee Ngor Houai, Ascott COO for EMEA, South Asia, and China, discusses the company’s plan to expand its portfolio in India to 12,000 units by 2028, with limited supply providing ample room for growth. He remains optimistic about India’s growth prospects, driven […]
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European markets set to open higher as Wall Street notches three-day win streak
U.K. retail sales better than expected U.K. retail sales volumes rose for the third consecutive month in March by 0.4%, beating gloomy expectations of a 0.3% decline. Clothing and outdoor retailers said that good weather had boosted sales, according to the Office for National Statistics, offsetting a decline in supermarket sales. However, some economists expect […]
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CNBC Daily Open: Markets rise as tech boost offsets trade worries — for now
Major U.S. tech names reported their first-quarter results Thursday, offering markets something more to chew on besides all the tariff-related news. U.S. stock indexes rallied: the Dow regained the 40,000 level and the S&P500 and Nasdaq posted gains of over 2%. While tech appears to be at the forefront of investors’ mind for now, tariffs […]
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Emerging markets are betting on a post-tariffs winner — and it’s not China or the U.S.
Visitors look at the city skyline from a park in Kuala Lumpur on September 30, 2021. (Photo by Mohd RASFAN / AFP) (Photo by MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images) Mohd Rasfan | Afp | Getty Images Emerging markets have found themselves between a rock and a hard place amid an escalating trade war, seemingly forced […]
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South Korea calls for ‘calm, orderly’ talks with the U.S. amid hopes of a tariff deal by early July
South Korea’s Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Ahn Duk-geun (right) arrives at Incheon International Airport on April 23, 2025, as he departs for Washington for finance and trade ministers’ talks with the U.S. Jung Yeon-je | Afp | Getty Images South Korea has asked for “calm” and “orderly” discussions with the U.S. on trade issues, […]
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Trump refutes China’s claim of no trade talks
U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House. Leah Millis | Reuters President Donald Trump asserted on Thursday that trade talks between the U.S. and China are underway, pushing back against Chinese claims that no discussions have taken place to ease the ongoing trade war. “They had a meeting this morning,” Trump told reporters, declining to say to whom he was referring. […]
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