World economy
CNBC’s The China Connection newsletter: The secret sauce behind Alibaba’s animation studio
Hi, this is Evelyn, writing to you from Beijing. Welcome to the latest edition of The China Connection — a succinct snapshot of what I’m seeing and hearing from local businesses. Today, I dive into Alibaba’s latest effort to take on the global animation market, just as Hollywood tries harder to capture Chinese moviegoers. What […]
Read More
European stocks open 1.6% lower as Trump sets Hormuz deadline
The Iran-flagged container vessel “Nora”, in Kalundborg harbor, Denmark, March 18, 2026. The vessel was detained by Denmark’s maritime authority in February over registration concerns. Jens Nielsen | Via Reuters LONDON — European stocks followed Asian markets sharply lower at the start of the new trading week, as further escalation in the Iran war drags […]
Read More
The economy has a Strait of Hormuz deadline for Trump: Two weeks
An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) speed boat sailing along the Persian Gulf near a cargo vessel. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images With oil prices at levels not seen in years and global business supply chains across sectors of the economy shut down by the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, faith […]
Read More
China vows to continue opening its economy amid trade tensions with U.S.
Li Qiang, China’s premier, speaks at the China Development Forum in Beijing, China, on Sunday, March 22, 2026. The forum runs through March 23. Photographer: Qilai Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Chinese Premier Li Qiang pledged on Sunday to further open the country’s economy to foreign firms and pursue more […]
Read More
Analysis: Trump’s unshackled presidency puts him at the center of the economy
US President Donald Trump and Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s prime minister, during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, March 19, 2026. Aaron Schwartz | CNP | Bloomberg | Getty Images Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi embraced President Donald Trump on Thursday, and not just on policy […]
Read More
Opinion: As Trump eyes Cuba, my trips there a decade ago remind me how different things were
Cuba suffered a widespread power cut on March 16, 2026, according to the national electricity company, against the backdrop of a severe crisis on the island caused by the US energy blockade. Yamil Lage | Afp | Getty Images The White House has choked off Cuba’s oil supply and threatened a “friendly takeover” of the […]
Read More
Who’s most optimistic about AI — and who isn’t, according to Anthropic
Samuel Boivin | Nurphoto | Getty Images People in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia are more optimistic about artificial intelligence than those in Western Europe and North America, according to a report by Anthropic that surveyed around 81,000 people in 159 countries. The study, published Wednesday, revealed how economic gains from AI usage formed the main […]
Read More
European stocks tumble 2% as Iran war intensifies; miners lead losses
Vadimrysev | Istock | Getty Images LONDON — European stocks slumped on Thursday as the Iran war escalated further following attacks on Iranian and Qatari energy infrastructure. The pan-European Stoxx 600 was down 2.1% as of 12:10 p.m. in London (8:10 a.m. ET), with all major bourses in negative territory and all sectors except for […]
Read More
Inside India newsletter: Gold loans are thriving in India — and attracting global investors
Hello, I am 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. This week, I unpack what’s driving the rapid surge in gold‑loan growth in the world’s second‑largest bullion market. Loans against gold are […]
Read More
Inside India newsletter: Gold loans are thriving in India — and attracting global investors
Hello, I am 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. This week, I unpack what’s driving the rapid surge in gold‑loan growth in the world’s second‑largest bullion market. Loans against gold are […]
Read More