Pandora and Swarovski lose ground in China as young shoppers ditch affordable fashion jewelry for gold and lab-grown diamonds.
UK house prices fell 0.1% in May, marking three consecutive months of decline. Geopolitical uncertainty surrounding the Iran war and elevated mortgage rates continue to dampen demand and stretch affordability for buyers.
U.S. shoppers spent $26.4 billion during Prime Day, a 9.3% increase driven by discounts and tax refunds. However, smaller average order sizes signal consumer fatigue.
The PBOC launched overnight reverse repo operations at 1.25%, injecting 300 billion yuan. This tool aims to stabilize liquidity and modernize China's policy framework.
ASML dominates the chip industry with its $400 million "high-NA" EUV lithography machines, essential for producing the dense, powerful chips required by the AI boom. While ASML's massive engineering feats maintain Moore's Law, its monopoly faces geopolitical pressure and emerging competitors like Substrate and Lace Lithography, which seek to disrupt the market with alternative technologies.
Oil prices climbed as renewed U.S.-Iran strikes disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. While both nations agreed to renew peace talks, market concerns remain high over supply constraints and potential infrastructure damage.
Semiconductor stocks have skyrocketed in the first half of 2026, fueled by massive AI infrastructure demand. While hardware makers like SK Hynix and Sandisk see triple-digit gains, software giants have faltered as investors rotate their portfolios.
Toyota global sales fell 7.2% in May, marking a four-month slide. Drops in China and the Middle East offset growth in Japan. Global production also dipped 5.5%.
Faced with intense pressure from nimble Chinese electric vehicle competitors and shifting global markets, European automotive giant Volkswagen is weighing a drastic restructuring strategy. The proposal, reportedly outlined by CEO Oliver Blume, could eliminate up to 100,000 global positions—twice the size of earlier workforce reduction goals. To offset multi-billion euro operational pressures, the sweeping cost-cutting measures target the medium-term closure
The Tokyo Stock Exchange's stricter rules are forcing many Japanese companies to dual-list on regional exchanges like Nagoya to preserve their listed status.
Apple hiked MacBook and iPad prices by up to 20% due to soaring memory and storage costs driven by AI demand. Analysts warn the iPhone could be hit next.
The BIS warns that stablecoins have structural flaws risking financial stability, suggesting a "unified ledger" for tokenized money as a safer alternative.
Ryanair introduced a policy change offering free adjacent seating for parents and children at the rear of planes following a consumer watchdog probe over its mandatory fees.
UK food and drink exports plummeted to a near decade-low, driven by a 28% drop in US trade from tariff disputes and ongoing post-Brexit friction with the EU.
Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe won shareholder backing for board reappointment after apologizing for the company's first annual loss in 70 years, driven by EV costs.
SpaceX plans to launch a Starlink retail mobile service for US consumers, potentially building its own network to compete with major carriers like Verizon.
Mercedes is cutting costs at the expense of its German employees. The automaker is postponing a July bonus payment to next year and wants to increase the 35-hour workweek without raising pay. Management blames uncompetitive labor costs and falling profits, which dropped by 17.2% in Q1. Meanwhile, Volkswagen is facing an even bigger crisis. VW plans to cut 100,000 jobs
Italy's antitrust watchdog is investigating Microsoft for auto-enrolling users into a costlier Microsoft 365 plan with AI tools without proper notice.
Apple and Xbox announced steep price hikes some near 20%, blaming a global shortage and doubled costs of memory and storage chips driven by the AI data center boom.
Nissan shareholders voted down the reappointment of outside director Motoo Nagai. Renault abstained due to independence concerns over Nagai's ties to major lender Mizuho. Eleven other board members were approved.
A Danish court ordered the state to pay TDC NET $12 million for forcing the removal of Huawei fiber gear, ruling the security directive violated constitutional property rights.
American Airlines is upgrading its A319 and A320 fleets for summer, adding more premium seats, larger overhead bins, and USB-C power at every seat.
Meta paused a tool logging employee keystrokes and screens for AI training following a 1,600-worker petition and internal data privacy leaks.
General Motors is expanding its Brazilian investment by $675 million, raising its total commitment to 10.5 billion reais through 2028.