Latest News
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IAEA announces that repairs have been completed at Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Plant
The?U.N. The?U.N. The repairs were carried out in two separate locations: the switchyard at the Zaporizhzhya thermal power plant, which supplies electricity to the ZNPP via the backup 330 kV Ferosplavna-1?line, according to the agency. The Dniprovska Line has not been brought back to operation yet due to?extensive damages at its connecting substation. The International Atomic Energy Agency's Rafael Mariano Grossi stated in a statement that the line had been repaired but still needed to be brought back into operation. The agency stated that repairs to the substation are ongoing but not expected to be completed in the near future.
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Honda CEO apologizes for loss of company, gains investor support at annual meeting
Toshihiro Mibe, the chief executive of Honda Motor, received support from shareholders at the annual meeting held on Friday for his reappointment as a member of the Japanese automaker’s?board after apologizing to them for the poor financial performance. Honda has been forced to restructure its electric vehicle business, which cost more than $9 billion dollars in restructuring costs. It is also facing competition from Chinese competitors. Mibe apologized to shareholders at the beginning of the meeting for the concern and inconvenience caused due to the net loss in the financial results from the previous fiscal year. In addition to Mibe, Honda shareholders also approved 10 other nominees for the board, nine of whom were up for re-appointment, and one who was a new?director. Glass Lewis and ISS had advised that all directors be supported. Honda, amidst a rollback of EV subsidies, decided to write down its EV-linked debt. The market share for battery-powered vehicles in the U.S. was far below what the company had forecasted, Mibe explained. This meant that the planned models would require large incentives. Mibe stated that if the company had sold its planned EVs it "would have meant the automotive business staying in the negative for at least five, and possibly even seven years," adding that this would have created a very?critical situation within the company. REIGNATION CALLOUTS People familiar with the situation have said that Mibe's mishaps in recent months has attracted scorn from retired Honda executives. Former chief executive Nobuhiko Kawasmoto visited Tokyo headquarters in April and urged him to resign. Former?executives criticised Mibe's neglect of China, the largest auto market in the world, as well as its failed bets on EVs, which led to Honda's loss, and showed a growing dependency on the motorcycle division. A shareholder filed a motion near the end of the meeting calling for Mibe to be fired. However, the chief executive refused 'to put the matter to a vote.' He said that the topic was not on 'the agenda. Mibe stated that talks between Nissan Motors and Mitsubishi Motors regarding cooperation on next-generation vehicles technologies, which have been ongoing since mid-2024 are at an advanced level.
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French and Benelux stocks: Factors to watch
Here are some company news and stories that could impact the markets in France and Benelux or on individual stocks. AIR FRANCE KLM: The Franco-Dutch carrier?Air France KLM?has successfully issued EUR 500 million senior notes under?its EMTN Program?with a 5-year maturity and a fixed coupon annual of 4.250%. These notes will be used primarily to fund general corporate purposes. LE SLIP FRANCAIS: French underwear manufacturer Le Slip Francais plans to trade its shares on the Paris stock exchange on Bastille Day, July 14. Michelin: The French tire manufacturer Michelin plans to phase out its BFGoodrich tire factory in Tuscaloosa in early 2027. LVMH/MARIE BRIZARD/PERNOD - The head of Paris police announced on Thursday that Parisians would be prohibited from drinking alcohol in public starting at midday on Friday to curb health problems arising from the current heatwave in France and Europe. VINCI: French construction and concessions group Vinci has won a EUR210m ($238.98m) contract for the second building at the new 'Reims Hospital. EUR157m was allocated to Vinci Construction, and the project will last 45 months. Pan-European market data: European Equities speed guide................... FTSE Eurotop 300 index.............................. DJ STOXX index...................................... Top 10 STOXX ?sectors........................... Top 10 EUROSTOXX sectors...................... Top 10 Eurotop 300 ?sectors..................... Top 25 European pct gainers....................... Top 25 European pct losers........................ Main stock markets: Dow Jones ............... Wall Street report ..... Nikkei 225............. Tokyo ?report............ London report ........... Xetra ?DAX............. Frankfurt items......... CAC-40................. Paris items............ World Indices..................................... Survey of global bourse outlook ......... European Asset Allocation........................ News in a glance Top News ............. Equities.............. Main Oil Report ........... Main currency report .....
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Bangladesh calls on China to reduce the trade gap
?Bangladeshi Premier Minister Tarique Rahman?met?with Chinese president Xi Jinping on?Friday in?Beijing, where he urged a reducing of the trade deficit, diversification exports, and China's assistance in implementing major projects in his country. Rahman began a three-day visit to China on Wednesday. It is his first trip since becoming prime minister. Dhaka wants to strengthen its ties with China. It is one of the largest trading partners and development financiers. Rahman's visit is also of a broader diplomatic nature, as he seeks to maintain a balance between ties with Beijing and New Delhi. He was seen to be closer to India than his predecessor Sheikh Hasina. While relations between Dhaka & New Delhi have improved since Rahman's appointment, there are still disagreements. Rahman said that China could diversify Bangladesh's exports in order to reduce Bangladesh’s trade deficit. According to a report from a media pool, Rahman stated that "we request China to import our fresh mangoes, jackfruits, guavas, aquatic products such as?raw leather and jute products, and pharmaceutical products." He added that Bangladesh needed China's help in "implementing our major signature projects as well as upgrading and modernising our existing industrial unit," Bangladesh joined China's Belt and Road Initiative, Xi Ji's flagship development and infrastructure strategy aimed at connecting Asia with Africa and Europe in 2016. China is willing and able to support Bangladesh in importing more high-quality products, supporting Chinese companies in investing in Bangladesh and expanding cooperation in emerging industries like new energy, digital economy, and artificial intelligence. State media reported that Rahman met Premier Li?Qiang Thursday, where they signed several cooperation agreements to strengthen bilateral ties. Bangladesh owes China $6,2 billion according to World Bank data. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in Beijing has also lent another $2.3 billion. Delhi has only lent $1.6 billion to its neighbor. Data from the American Enterprise Institute shows that Chinese companies have invested an additional $7.7 billion in Bangladesh's Energy Sector. Around half of this amount was spent on energy. Chim Lee is a senior analyst with the Economist Intelligence unit in Beijing. Lee explained that Bangladesh was a challenge because it didn't offer the same type of logistics corridor as Central Asia or Myanmar. Reporting by Joe Cash, Farah master and the Beijing Newsroom. Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman & Lincoln Feast.
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Honda CEO apologizes for loss of company, gains investor support at annual meeting
Toshihiro?Mibe, Honda Motor's Chief Executive Officer,?won the support of shareholders at its annual meeting on?Friday after apologizing to them for their poor financial performance. Honda wants to recover from strategic mistakes after posting its first annual loss for'seven decades' last month. The company was hurt by $9 billion in restructuring costs and competition from Chinese competitors. Mibe told shareholders that the financial results of the previous fiscal year had a net loss. Honda shareholders also approved 10 other nominees for the board, including nine directors who were up for reappointment, and one new director. (Reporting and editing by Thomas Derpinghaus; Daniel Leussink)
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Taiwan and Japan are affected by torrential rains caused by a passing storm
Tropical storms passing through Taiwan caused torrential?rains? that shut down southern Taiwan, forcing more than 5,000,000 people to miss work or school. Japan also issued flood and landslide alerts. The outer bands of Typhoon Mekkhala - now a tropical storm - are bringing heavy rains to some parts of Taiwan. This is especially true in Kaohsiung and Tainan in the south. On Friday, the governments of three Taiwanese regions with more than five million residents ordered all offices and schools to close. Flooding in Tainan caused a section of main north-south rail line to be closed. Japan also experienced heavy rains and strong winds, resulting in high-level alerts for flooding, landslides and swollen riverbeds. 2.2 million residents were ordered to evacuate. The Japan Meteorological Agency has warned of heavy rainfall across western Japan, caused by a stationary seasonal front and warm moist air that feeds into it. According to the Japanese land ministry, more than 200 flights have been cancelled, and dozens of trains lines have been halted. Many expressways were also closed. Toyota closed a factory located in Kyushu, a southern region, on Thursday afternoon. The decision to resume production for the second shift was expected later. No casualties were reported in Taiwan but authorities are evacuating 200 residents of two townships in Hualien County, which is downstream from a barrier lake that's rapidly filling up in the mountains. When?rocks or landslides, or other natural blockages create a dam across the river, usually in a valley. This dam blocks and holds back water. It can even stop natural drainage. In Hualien, another barrier 'lake' breached during Super Typhoon Ragasa and unleashed a wall of mud and water into homes. Rain will continue to fall over Taiwan for the next few weeks, but it should gradually decrease. Taiwan relies on the summer and fall typhoon seasons to replenish its reservoirs following a typically dry winter. Reporting by Ben Blanchard, Chang-Ran Kokiya and KantaroKomiya in Tokyo. Editing by Shri Navaratnam & Christopher Cushing.
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Southern Taiwan rail line and southern Taiwan shut down by torrential rain caused by a passing typhoon
A typhoon passing through southern Taiwan caused torrential rains, forcing more than 5 million people to miss work or school. Flooding also cut off a section of the main rail line. While Typhoon Mekkhala is currently over the Ryukyu islands in southern Japan, it did not directly landfall on Taiwan. However, its outer bands brought heavy rains to some parts of the island. All three governments, where more than 5 million people reside, have ordered that offices and schools be closed on Friday. The separate high-speed rail line did not report any problems, but a section of Tainan's main north-south line was closed due to severe flooding. Authorities in Hualien County on Taiwan's East Coast are evacuating almost 200 residents of two townships in the mountains below a barrier lake that is rapidly filling. When rocks, landslides, or other natural obstructions form a dam across a stream, usually in a valley, they block and hold back the water, hindering, or even stopping, "natural drainage". In a different part of Hualien, 19 people were killed last year when a barrier lake burst its banks due to Super Typhoon Ragasa. The wall of water and mud that engulfed homes was caused by the breach. It is predicted that rain will continue to fall over Taiwan at least for the next week. However, it will gradually ease. Taiwan relies on a traditional summer and fall typhoon to replenish its reservoirs following a typically dry winter. (Reporting and editing by Shri Navaratnam.)
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FedEx Freight predicts a revenue growth of up to 6% for the rest of 2026
FedEx Freight announced on Thursday that it expects its revenue to 'rise between 4% and 6% in the seven months leading up to December 31, while adjusted operating income will grow between 0.8% and 7.5%. This comes just weeks after completing a'separation? from parent FedEx Corp. FedEx Freight, based in Memphis, is the leading provider of LTL (less-than-truckload) services. Multiple shipments, from multiple customers, are transported on one truck and then routed via a network service centers where they're transferred to other trucks that have similar destinations. Freight trucking firms have reported?improved industrial demand, citing U.S. manufacturing activity that?grew for the past five months and reached a four-year peak in May. As regulatory measures tightened the supply, freight rates have increased in recent months. The company provided goals for a period of seven months to reflect the fact that the fiscal year ended in May, but now aligns with the calendar. The company's revenue grew 4.8% in the fourth quarter ended May 31 to $2.4 billion, mainly due to higher fuel surcharges and increased weight of shipments. According to LSEG, the revenue exceeded analysts' expectations of $2.26billion. FedEx Freight was spun-off from FedEx in June,?when the company also made its trading debut. The quarter-adjusted operating income fell by 23.9% due to costs associated with?its separation of FedEx, lower shipments, and higher wages. FedEx Freight expects adjusted operating income between June and the end of December 2026 to be in the range of 605 million to 645 million dollars, up from $600 million for a year ago. The company expects to earn $2.4-$2.6 per share in the period June-December. Reporting by Nandan Mandyam in Bengaluru and Apratim Sarkar; editing by Shahal Kuber and Sahal Muhammad
Trump's trade battle with China in 2025
U.S. president Donald Trump targeted China, the top economic rival with a cascade tariff order on billions in imported goods. The orders were aimed at narrowing an enormous trade deficit, bringing manufacturing back and crippling the trade of fentanyl.
The reverse chronological timeline below shows the U.S. - China trade war in this year.
U.S. trade representative Jamison Greer said that after China announced it would expand its rare earth export controls, the U.S. had reached out to China via phone but Beijing declined. China calls the new U.S. Tariffs hypocritical and defends its export controls.
Trump re-starts the trade war on October 10, imposing additional tariffs of 100% on China’s U.S. bound exports and new export controls by November 1, including "any critical software". This ends an uneasy truce between both countries that was reached in August.
Trump has said that there is no reason for him to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, but he also did not cancel the meeting. They are expected to meet again in South Korea, on the sidelines the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum later this month.
Trump says that the United States may also impose export controls for Boeing parts in response to China's export restrictions on rare earth minerals.
China has launched an antitrust investigation against U.S. chip manufacturer Qualcomm for its acquisition of Israeli chip designer Autotalks.
China Announces
Port fees
On Oct. 14, the U.S. will begin charging port fees for vessels owned, operated, constructed, or flying the flag of America. This is a response to U.S. charges on ships with ties to China that began on the same date.
October 9 - China expands
Export controls
The government has tightened its control over rare earths by including five additional medium to heavy elements as of Nov. 8 and adding extra scrutiny to semiconductor users.
Grab and dominance
The critical minerals that are key to the energy transformation
Trump Administration Proposals
Ban
Chinese airlines are preventing American airlines from flying above Russia on routes between the United States and China, claiming that the shorter flight times put American carriers at an unfair disadvantage.
Trump hopes to discuss soya beans with Xi, but warns that the U.S. could halt a significant share of its imports from China.
U.S. lawmakers demand a broader ban on chipmaking equipment going to China following a bipartisan report that found Chinese chipmakers purchased $38 billion worth of sophisticated gear in the past year.
Trump's October 1st statement
Soybeans
When he meets Xi, this will be a main topic of conversation. China has drastically reduced U.S. purchases of soybeans, a move Trump has called a negotiating tactic.
Greer said that around 55% of tariffs applied to Chinese imports is a "good state-of-the-art" but the U.S. wanted bilateral trade to be more free. However, she did not indicate any immediate moves towards lowering Trump’s tariffs.
U.S. Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent said aircraft engines, parts and chemicals could be a powerful tool for the United States to use in negotiations with China.
The first time since 2019 that a group of U.S. House of Representatives lawmakers visited China to talk, is on September 21. The group said to Premier Li Qiang that both the largest economies in the world need to "break the ice" and increase engagement.
September 19 - Trump & Xi have a phone call. Trump says they made progress in a TikTok deal and will meet in South Korea in six weeks to discuss illicit drugs, trade and Russia's conflict in Ukraine.
China has said so
Welcome to the new year
Commercial negotiations on TikTok according to market rules.
China announces that it will review TikTok’s technology exports, and its intellectual property licensing. It calls the framework agreement reached "win-win".
15 September - U.S. & China reach a framework deal to transfer TikTok under U.S. control. This decision will be confirmed by Trump and Xi in a phone call later this week.
Bessent states that the Trump administration won't impose tariffs on Chinese products over Russian oil imports, unless European countries first impose tariffs.
September 14 - Bessent, China's Vice Premier He Lifeng and the Spanish government lead a fourth round in Madrid of discussions to discuss trade relations as well as TikTok’s impending divestiture deadline.
Trump and his administration ask the G7, EU, and NATO to put pressure on China to impose tariffs between 50% and 100% in order to stop Russian oil revenues.
U.S. and China extend tariff truce by another 90 days.
August 10 - Trump asks China to quadruple their soybean purchases from the U.S., as the expiration date of the trade truce is approaching on August 12.
U.S. begins issuing licenses to Nvidia for exporting H20 chips to China on August 8.
Bessent is "optimistic", according to Bessent, about the future.
After two days of discussions in Stockholm, U.S. officials and Chinese officials agreed to extend their 90-day truce on tariffs. The talks were described as constructive by both sides, but there was no significant breakthrough.
U.S. Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick announced that Nvidia will resume sales of their advanced AI H20 chip to China in the U.S. rare earths negotiations, reversing an export ban by the U.S. in April.
Trump threatens to impose an additional 10% on countries that he says are aligning themselves with "Anti-American Policies" of BRICS. This includes China.
Bessent reports that the U.S. has resolved its issues with China regarding rare earth minerals, magnets and shipments into the U.S.
On June 11-12, some Chinese rare earths producers will begin receiving export licenses. Trump claims that the trade truce has been re-established.
The U.S.A. and China have a second round of negotiations in London, and they reach an agreement on a framework.
June 5, Xi and Trump have a phone call lasting an hour.
Trump claims that China has violated the Geneva agreement to reduce tariffs and Chinese restrictions on vital minerals exports. China denies the accusation and says that U.S. has introduced a number of "discriminatory restrictive measures" against China.
The U.S. will begin "aggressively," revoking Chinese student visas on May 28-29. The order also instructs a wide range of companies to cease shipping semiconductors, software design and aviation equipment into China.
Beijing and Washington have trade talks in Geneva over the weekend, May 10-12. Both sides issued a joint declaration agreeing to a 90 day pause in tariffs.
Tariffs between the U.S. and China were reduced to 10%, from 125%. China has also agreed to remove non-tariff measures that have been imposed on the United States by China since April 2.
Nvidia reveals that U.S. officials informed them that their H20 chip will require an export license for China.
China raises its levies to 125% on U.S. imports, calling the Trump tariff strategy "a joke". It also said it would ignore any future U.S. "numbers games with tariffs".
China announced that it would immediately limit imports of Hollywood movies on April 10.
China increases levies on U.S. imported goods to 84%. It also added 12 U.S. firms to a list of companies that are prohibited from exporting dual-use products, and six more to the "unreliable entity" list. This allows Beijing to take punitive measures against foreign entities.
The U.S. has increased tariffs on Chinese imports from 84% to 125%. China warns citizens not to travel to the U.S.
April 8: The U.S. increases tariffs on all Chinese imports from 34% to 84%.
April 4: China announces that it will impose retaliatory duties of 34% on U.S. imports starting April 10, and that export restrictions on rare earths will be implemented. About 30 U.S. companies, mostly involved in the defence industry, were subject to restrictions.
Beijing has also suspended shipments of sorghum and poultry and bone meals from certain U.S. companies.
Trump increases global trade friction by imposing "liberation day tariffs" on April 2. He announced a 10% baseline for all imports as well as significantly higher duties against some countries. Trump will impose 34% tariffs on all Chinese products, which will take effect on the 9th of April.
From May 2, the Trump administration will also end duty-free access to low-value shipments of goods from China and Hong Kong (known as "de minimis exemptions").
China retaliates with a 10-15% levied on U.S. agricultural exports. This affects about $21 billion of U.S. imports. Beijing has also placed export and investment restrictions on 25 U.S. companies, citing national security concerns. It also banned the import of genetic sequencers made by U.S. medical device maker Illumina.
March 4 - U.S. increases tariffs by 20% on all Chinese imports due to fentanyl.
China responds to the U.S. companies with a variety of measures, including Google, farmers and Calvin Klein's owner.
Beijing will also begin imposing levies on February 10 of 10% for some autos and crude oil, and 15% for imports of US coal and LNG. Beijing also restricted the exports of five metals that are used in defence, clean-energy and other industries.
Trump imposes a 10% tariff on all goods imported from China, and 25% on those imported from Mexico and Canada to demand that they reduce the flow of illegal immigrants and fentanyl into the U.S.
January 21: A day after taking the oath of office, Trump threatens a 10% punitive tariff on Chinese imports citing the fentanyl coming from China. Reporting by Liz Lee, Shi Bu and Jacqueline Wong; Editing by Ronojoy Mazumdar and Jacqueline Wong
(source: Reuters)