The National Times

Boeing cuts 2023 forecast for 737 deliveries as it reports loss

Boeing reported another hefty loss Wednesday as it trimmed its full-year forecast for deliveries of the 737 to address a manufacturing problem on the aircraft.

Heineken warns of slowdown in consumer demand

Dutch brewing giant Heineken said Wednesday that it sold less beer in the third quarter, noting that higher prices and the poor economic outlook was affecting consumer demand.

Europe stocks drop but China stimulus lifts Asia

Europe's main stock markets slid in subdued trade Wednesday, but Asia rallied after China unveiled plans for $137 billion in extra debt to boost infrastructure spending.

Kenya's central bank chief says currency overvalued

Kenya's central bank chief has said that the country's currency, currently trading at record lows, has been overvalued for several years.

Some S.African miners return to surface after underground dispute

Some of the miners who stayed underground for more than two days in a standoff between rival South African labour unions began returning to the surface Wednesday, their representatives said.

Santander racks up another record quarter

Spanish lender Banco Santander announced Wednesday another record quarterly profit thanks to high interest rates and a growing customer base.

Japan auto show returns, playing catchup on EVs

Tokyo's rebranded auto show returns this weekend just as China looks set to overtake Japan as the world's biggest car exporter after Toyota, Nissan and others got stuck in the electric vehicle slow lane.

Stocks lifted by China spending plan, oil down on Israel hope

Most markets rose Wednesday after China unveiled plans for $137 billion in extra debt to boost infrastructure spending, while oil extended losses on hopes Israel will scale back its plans for a Gaza ground invasion.

Sydney to review plaques on colonial statues

Australia's oldest city, Sydney, is reviewing statues of its colonial figureheads after an Indigenous leader raised concerns about "offensive" plaques ignoring historical atrocities.

Panama president pushes back against Canadian copper mine protests

Demonstrators and police clashed Tuesday in Panama as protests over a copper mine spilled into their fifth day, with President Laurentino Cortizo vowing he would prosecute acts of "vandalism."

Strong US earnings lift stocks as oil prices retreat

Oil slid but most world stock markets rose Tuesday on a string of largely solid US corporate earnings, even as economic and geopolitical fears dog sentiment.

US auto union expands strike after GM profits top estimates

The US auto workers union announced Tuesday it had extended its strike to a giant General Motors truck plant as it called on the company to sweeten a pay offer in light of strong quarterly profits.

China moves to boost economy with $137 bn sovereign bond issuance

China said Tuesday it would issue sovereign bonds worth 1 trillion yuan ($137 billion) in a move seen as an attempt to shore up the economy after a sluggish post-Covid recovery.

China announces $137 bn sovereign bond issuance

China announced Tuesday it would issue sovereign bonds worth 1 trillion yuan ($137 billion), state media said, in a move seen as an attempt to shore up the economy after a sluggish post-Covid recovery.

General Motors profits top estimates on limited Q3 strike hit

General Motors reported better-than-expected quarterly profits Tuesday behind strong US sales and a limited impact from a labor strike that began late in the quarter.

One dead, four missing after two cargo ships collide in North Sea

One person has died and four are missing from the crew of a cargo ship that sank after colliding with another vessel in the North Sea, German authorities said on Tuesday.

Markets gyrate as investors eye Mideast crisis, economic fears

World stock markets gyrated Tuesday in choppy trade, with sentiment hampered by economic and geopolitical fears ahead of this week's eurozone interest rate decision.

Spotify swings to profit as user numbers grow

Music streaming giant Spotify on Tuesday said it registered 26 percent growth in active users for the third quarter as it reported a rare quarterly profit.

Israel-Hamas war casts dark shadow over Saudi investor forum

The war between Israel and Hamas could deal a heavy blow to the global economy, banking titans told a glitzy investment forum in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

Eurozone business activity going from 'bad to worse'

Eurozone business activity slumped at a faster pace in October, resulting in job losses, a closely watched Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) survey put out by S&P Global showed Tuesday.

Mideast crisis and weak growth weigh on Asian markets

Asian markets recovered ground on Tuesday with traders weighed down by unpredictability over the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and key earnings and economic data releases expected later in the week.

Hermes bags sales growth except in Asia

French luxury group Hermes, known for its leather bags and silk scarves, on Tuesday said it continued to see sales growth in the third quarter despite a dip in Asia.

Hope, heartbreak after Hong Kong court decision on LGBTQ partnerships

Wedding photos of Henry Li and Edgar Ng show the couple holding hands, surrounded by beaming friends -- the freeze-frame of joy a contrast to the two men's struggle in Hong Kong for LGBTQ rights.

Taiwan VP warns companies could leave China over 'pressure'

Economic powerhouse Taiwanese companies based in China may be forced to relocate if they feel "unjustly pressured," the island's vice president warned Tuesday after Chinese authorities launched a probe into tech giant Foxconn.

In Cuba, raising fish in plant-filtered ponds to tackle food shortage

Over the last two years, Cuban entrepreneurs Jose Martinez and Joel Lopez have used an innovative technique to raise 24 tons of tilapia -- a critical source of food for an island nation surrounded by water but not enough fish.

Qatar Airways chief Akbar Al Baker to step down

Qatar Airways' longstanding chief executive Akbar Al Baker is to step down from his role, the state-owned airline announced on Monday.

US auto union halts work at Stellantis plant, expanding strike

The US auto workers union halted work at a giant Stellantis truck plant on Monday, expanding a five-week strike hitting Detroit automakers.

DAZN keeps Serie A TV rights in 4.5 billion-euro deal

DAZN will continue to show Serie A matches in Italy after the league voted on Monday for the streaming television platform to be its principle domestic broadcaster until 2029 as part of a deal worth at least 4.5 billion euros ($4.8 billion).

France says talking to Saudi about Rafale fighter sale

The French government is talking to Saudi Arabia about selling the kingdom Rafale fighter jets, France's defence minister said on Monday.

Fake Ozempic pens circulating in Europe, watchdogs warn

Fake injection pens of Ozempic, a hugely popular diabetes drug that went viral on social media as a way to lose weight, are circulating in Europe, drug authorities have warned.

US oil giant Chevron to buy rival Hess for $53 bn

US energy giant Chevron will buy its rival Hess for $53 billion in an all-stock deal, the companies announced in a joint statement on Monday.

Equities rattled by Mideast conflict, US bond yield rise

Stock markets slid on Monday, extending last week's sell-off Monday on fears of a regional conflict in the Middle East and worries that US interest rates will remain elevated for longer than initially thought.

Russian court extends detention of US-Russian journalist

A Russian court on Monday ordered Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva detained until December 5, after prosecutors said she had failed to register as a "foreign agent".

Equities drop as traders keep wary eye on Middle East crisis

Asian markets extended last week's sell-off Monday on fears of a regional conflict in the Middle East and worries that US interest rates will remain elevated for longer than initially thought.

ECB set to hold rates as inflation drifts downwards

For the first time in over a year, European Central Bank policymakers are expected to decide against raising interest rates again when they gather in Athens on Thursday.

Did a computer write this? Book industry grapples with AI

From low-quality computer-written books flooding the market to potential copyright violations, publishing is the latest industry to feel the threat from rapid developments in artificial intelligence.

Old guard Massa vs outsider Milei: a battle for two Argentinas

Argentina is heading to a runoff presidential election race between Economy Minister Sergio Massa, who has overseen record inflation, and the chainsaw-wielding, TikTok-savvy outsider Javier Milei.

Anxious Argentines vote for way out of economic shambles

Argentines voted Sunday in a presidential election dominated by fury over decades of economic decline and record inflation that has propelled libertarian outsider Javier Milei to the front of a tight race.

'Uncertainty' as Argentines vote, seeking elixir for economic ills