Business

Alternative energy, intelligent vehicles highlighted in auto show in China

GUANGZHOU City, Guangdong Province,China (Reuters) — New, alternative energy vehicles and intelligent cars were the highlight of the Guangzhou International Auto Show in south China’s Guangdong Province. The ten-day auto show kicked off on Friday, with 1081 cars on display, including 47 cars that were open to the public for the first time and 25 concept cars. A total of 131 alternative energy cars were presented at the show, accounting for more than ten percent […]

Tesla unveils electric big-rig truck

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) — Tesla Inc on Thursday (November 16) unveiled a prototype electric big-rig truck, throwing itself into a new market even as it struggles to roll out an affordable sedan on which the company’s future depends. Chief Executive Elon Musk unveiled the big rig, dubbed the Tesla Semi, by riding the truck into an airport hangar near Los Angeles in front of an invited crowd of what Tesla said were potential truck […]

Google, Facebook join news organizations in ‘Trust Project’

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Google, Facebook and other tech firms joined global news organizations Thursday in an initiative aimed at identifying “trustworthy” news sources, in the latest effort to combat online misinformation. Microsoft and Twitter also agreed to participate in the “Trust Project” with some 75 news organizations to tag news stories which meet standards for ethics and transparency. “In today’s digitized and socially networked world, it’s harder than ever to tell what’s accurate […]

Siemens faces German union showdown over layoffs

by Daphne Rousseau with Tom Barfield in Frankfurt Agence France Presse BERLIN, Germany — Industrial conglomerate Siemens on Thursday announced thousands of job cuts worldwide, most of them in its fossil fuels division, with unions and politicians in its home country Germany particularly outspoken against the plans. A total of 6,900 workers are set to lose their jobs, around half of them in Germany, where Siemens also plans to close sites in the country’s economically […]

Philippine economy posts higher growth rate in 3rd quarter of 2017

QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Eagle News) — The Philippine economy was able to post a 6.9% growth rate during the third quarter of 2017. This is higher compared to the 6.7% growth rate of the 2nd quarter of 2017. According to National Statistician, Dr. Liza Grace Bersales, the industry sector posted the highest growth rate of 7.5%, followed by the service sector with a growth rate of 7.1%.

Subaru recalls 400,000 cars in Japan

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Subaru recalled nearly 400,000 vehicles from its domestic market on Thursday due to an inspection scandal — the latest to hit the beleaguered Japanese car industry. The recall concerns nine models, including a sports car that Subaru manufactures for Toyota, but vehicles sold overseas were not affected, a spokesman told AFP. Subaru admitted last month that uncertified staff had conducted vehicle inspections at two factories northwest of Tokyo. It said at […]

US stocks drop as weak oil prices drag down oil shares

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Wall Street stocks fell Wednesday on doubts about President Donald Trump’s tax cut proposal as weakness in oil prices dragged down petroleum-linked equities. Analysts expressed concern that an increasingly complex Capitol Hill debate on taxes could delay or derail the long-anticipated measure. The most recent idea in the Senate is to repeal the Obamacare individual mandate as part of the plan. “They are making their own progress, but at […]

Asia markets mostly up but traders on edge after losses

HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Most Asian markets edged up on Thursday after a recent sell-off across global markets but gains were tempered as the optimism that pushed equities to multi-year highs last week gives way to investor caution. Prices have been falling for much of the week as the sharp gains of October and early November led to profit-taking and worries about high valuations, while US lawmakers’ tax reform struggles are also dampening sentiment. […]

Oil prices extend losses in Asia after demand warning

SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — Oil prices tumbled more than one percent on Wednesday in Asia, extending the previous day’s sharp falls after the International Energy Agency warned of weakening demand. A recent rally had sent the commodity to two-year highs, fuelled by hopes producers will extend output cuts well into 2018 as well as escalating tensions between crude giants Saudi Arabia and Iran. But the Paris-based IAE said in a monthly report that it had […]

Famous French diamond sells for $15 million at auction

GENEVA, Switzerland (Reuters) — A famous diamond, linked to French royalty, was sold for nearly $15 million at auction in Geneva on Tuesday (November 14). “Le Grand Mazarin,” a 19 carats pink diamond, belonged to French crown for more than 200 years and was part of crown jewels. Another key sale at the auction was a 163 carat flawless D-colour emerald-cut diamond necklace, known as “Creation 1,” sold for $33,500,000. François Curiel, Christie’s’ Chairman Europe […]

Japan’s economy grew 0.3% in third quarter

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan notched up its seventh straight quarter of economic growth, official data showed on Wednesday, although the rate of expansion in the world’s third-biggest economy is slowing. Japanese gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.3 percent in the third quarter of the year, marking the longest string of gains for more than 16 years. However, the figure represented a slowdown from the second quarter, when the economy grew by 0.6 percent, as […]

Global markets falter on US tax cut doubts, oil glut fears

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Global stocks were pressured Tuesday by nagging doubts about US tax reform and worries about a petroleum glut. Equity markets fell in New York, Paris and Frankfurt and treaded water in London and Tokyo. Analysts fear the weakness of recent days could hearken a deeper pullback after a series of stock market records over the last month. There are signs “that markets are starting to look a little overextended,” […]