Foreign policy
Asia markets open lower as fragile Middle East ceasefire tempers sentiment
Kazuhiro Nogi | AFP | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets opened lower Friday, as cautious optimism over the Middle East conflict tempered sentiment, diverging from Wall Street’s record-setting rally. U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said that the war in Iran “should be ending pretty soon,” reiterating rosy predictions about the end of the conflict. Hours earlier, […]
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Trump says war in Iran is going ‘swimmingly’ and ‘should be ending pretty soon’
President Donald Trump on Thursday said that “the war in Iran is going along swimmingly.” “It should be ending pretty soon,” Trump said at an event in Las Vegas, echoing similarly rosy predictions about the end of the war that he has made since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late […]
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Oil declines as Israel-Lebanon truce raises hopes of wider de-escalation
A view shows oil pump jacks outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia June 4, 2023. Alexander Manzyuk | Reuters Oil prices fell after U.S. President Donald Trump said Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire following talks in Washington. U.S. crude oil futures for May delivery fell 1.45% to $93.32 per barrel. […]
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Brent oil price near $100 again with U.S.-Iran talks uncertain and Hormuz still blocked
Crude oil prices neared $100 again on Thursday, as tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains very low with no clear pathway to fully reopen the vital sea lane. International benchmark Brent for June delivery surged nearly 5% to close at $99.39 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate crude for May rose almost 4% to […]
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Israel and Lebanon agree to 10-day ceasefire, Trump says
The leaders of Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire after officials from the two countries met in Washington, President Donald Trump said Thursday. The temporary truce will start at 5 p.m. ET, Trump said in a Truth Social post. In a follow-up, Trump added that he will be inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin […]
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European stocks rise as UK GDP jumps and Iran peace talks remain in focus
A woman walks past mockups of Iranian missiles along Valiasr Square in Tehran on April 6, 2026. Atta Kenare | Afp | Getty Images LONDON — European stocks followed Asian markets higher on Thursday, as investors assess strong U.K. GDP data and Eurozone inflation data for March. Markets also continue to keep a close eye […]
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‘Guns vs. butter’: IMF flags tough trade-offs as governments ramp up defense spending
Members of Houthi security forces stand guard as supporters of Yemen’s Houthis movement participate in a rally held to mark the 11th anniversary of the military campaign launched by the Saudi-led coalition on March 26, 2026 in Sana’a, Yemen. Mohammed Hamoud | Getty Images News | Getty Images A new era of higher defense spending […]
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Iran war sparks ‘fundamental energy transition’ in Seoul toward renewables: Energy minister
This general view shows oil tanks and facilities at Yeosu National Industrial Complex, the largest petrochemical industrial complex in South Korea, in Yeosu on April 7, 2026. (Photo by Shin Yong-ju / AFP via Getty Images) Shin Yong-ju | Afp | Getty Images The Iran war is “serving as a significant turning point” for South […]
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UK finance minister Rachel Reeves blasts Trump administration over economic impact of Iran war
U.K. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves on Wednesday called for an immediate de-escalation of the war in the Middle East, and sharply criticized the U.S. administration’s handling of it. Speaking to CNBC’s Sara Eisen at the Invest In America Forum in Washington, D.C., Reeves warned of mounting risks to global economic stability caused by the closure of […]
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Inside India newsletter: Small towns are powering e-commerce’s fastest-growing market, dominated by Amazon, Walmart unit
Hello, this is Priyanka Salve, writing to you from Singapore. Welcome to the latest edition of “Inside India“ — your one-stop destination for stories and developments from the world’s fastest growing large economy. Amazon and Walmart’s Flipkart dominate India’s e‑commerce market. This week, I unpack why the U.S. giants are keen to expand in the […]
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