Economy

Where Things Stand in China-US Trade Tensions
Where Things Stand in China-US Trade Tensions

China has made good on its threats to retaliate in the escalating trade war with the United States, imposing tariffs on American imports of energy, cars and machinery parts. That came just minutes after a 10 percent tariff hike on Chinese goods, announced by US President Donald Trump on Saturday, came into effect. Here's the state of play in the ...

Tariffs: Gold Shines and the Euro Crashes
Tariffs: Gold Shines and the Euro Crashes

After a year marked by record highs, gold seems poised to continue its surge in 2025, as investors seek to shield themselves from global economic uncertainties. The trade policies of US President Donald Trump, particularly the new tariffs that could provoke a trade war, dampen economic growth and fuel inflation, will likely benefit gold. Gold ...

US stocks open sharply lower on Trump tariffs
US stocks open sharply lower on Trump tariffs

Wall Street stocks opened sharply lower Monday, joining most international equity bourses in falling after US President Donald Trump launched trade wars against Canada, Mexico and China. The tariffs, if maintained, are expected to prolong or worsen inflationary pressures, hitting growth. About 25 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones industrial ...

OpenAI Announces New 'Deep Research' Tool for ChatGPT
OpenAI Announces New 'Deep Research' Tool for ChatGPT

US tech giant OpenAI on Monday unveiled a ChatGPT tool called "deep research" ahead of high-level meetings in Tokyo, as China's DeepSeek chatbot heats up competition in the AI field. Artificial intelligence newcomer DeepSeek has sent Silicon Valley into a frenzy, with its supposed low cost and high performance prompting calls for US developers to ...

Japan 'deeply concerned' at global impact of Trump tariffs
Japan 'deeply concerned' at global impact of Trump tariffs

Japan is “deeply concerned” about the possible repercussions on global trade of US President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs targeting major trading partners Canada, Mexico and China, its finance minister said Sunday. Trump said Canadian and Mexican exports to the United States would face a 25 percent tariff starting Tuesday, while goods from ...

'Made in Lebanon:' When Local Takes Root
Social'Made in Lebanon:' When Local Takes Root

Wines, condiments of all kinds, baskets filled with honey, cakes and jams — stepping into Convivio in Antelias is like immersing yourself in the heart of Lebanese terroir. Since 2019, sisters Mirvat and Karine Sarkis have carefully curated the products they offer in their store. “When the economic crisis started, we decided to sell Lebanese ...

Decrease in Car Imports via the Port of Beirut in 2024
Figure of the weekDecrease in Car Imports via the Port of Beirut in 2024

Car imports through the port of Beirut have seen a significant -20% drop in the first eleven months of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023. From January to November 2024, a total of 41,135 cars were imported, down from 51,423 during the same period last year, reflecting a slowdown in the automotive import sector.  

Putin Approves Goldman Sachs' Russia Exit
Putin Approves Goldman Sachs' Russia Exit

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday gave the green light to investment bank Goldman Sachs to offload its Russian subsidiary, a highly symbolic departure amid the Western corporate exodus. The US bank, which was hired by the Kremlin in the 1990s to help attract foreign investors, announced plans to leave Russia in March 2022, just days ...

Global Air Travel Hits Record in 2024 as Post-Covid Recovery Continues
Global Air Travel Hits Record in 2024 as Post-Covid Recovery Continues

Air passenger transport hit a new record in 2024 as it surpassed the levels seen before the Covid pandemic dealt a severe blow to travel, the world's leading airline body said on Thursday. Expressed in the total distance passengers flew, traffic in 2024 rose 10.4 percent from the year before and was 3.8 percent higher than the previous record set ...

Syria Sanctions: EU's 'Carrot and Stick' Policy
Syria Sanctions: EU's 'Carrot and Stick' Policy

The 27-member European Union agreed on Monday on a "roadmap" to gradually ease sanctions on key sectors of the Syrian economy that were imposed under the former regime of Bashar al-Assad. However, the EU has ruled out any unconditional lifting of these measures. The process will be gradual and subject to strict conditions. In other words, the bloc ...

Tension Between Ministry of Energy and TotalEnergies
Tension Between Ministry of Energy and TotalEnergies

The relationship between the Lebanese Ministry of Energy and the French oil giant TotalEnergies seems to be on the brink of collapse. The issue lies in a report on the drilling of Block 9 that has not been submitted to the Lebanese authorities. In 2023, TotalEnergies announced the start of drilling in Block 9, off the Lebanese coast, as part of ...

Gold Price Hits New Record Over $2,791
Gold Price Hits New Record Over $2,791

The price of gold hit a new record Thursday, lifted by uncertainty over the economic policies of US President Donald Trump and the dollar's weakness following a disappointing US growth report. Around 15H25 GMT, gold was trading at $2,789.94 dollars an ounce, shortly after rising to just over $2,791 dollars, beating its previous record of ...