Less than four months ago, President Donald Trump met with Qatar's leader, praised his magnificent palace, and signed a comprehensive defense agreement with the Gulf monarchy, a key ally that hosts the largest US base in the Middle East. Israel's surprise attack on Hamas leaders in Doha on Tuesday has shaken the relationship, angered Trump, and drawn strong condemnation from Doha and its Western allies. Ordered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and targeting the Palestinian militant group's political offices, the attack killed a Qatari security agent and five others, but failed...
The United States and the European Union agreed on a framework trade deal to end months of uncertainty for industries and consumers. The two sides aim to produce a joint statement to clarify what they have agreed to, but here are the main elements of the deal that will enter into force on August 1 through an executive order by President Donald Trump, according to EU officials: * BASELINE TARIFF RATE: Almost all EU goods entering the U.S. will be subject to a 15% baseline tariff. The 15% tariff is not added to any existing rates. * CARS: Cars and car parts will be subject to the 15%...
US job openings declined to 7.44 million in June from a revised 7.71 million in May, according to data released Tuesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The drop follows two consecutive months of gains and keeps the overall level within a consistent range observed over the past year, suggesting generally stable demand for workers. The figure came in slightly below the median estimate of 7.5 million in a Bloomberg survey of economists. This data is closely watched by the Federal Reserve as it evaluates the health of the labor market and its impact on inflation. Despite the monthly dip, the...
The Kremlin said it was "taking note" of Donald Trump's threat to sharply shorten Vladimir Putin's deadline to end his war in Ukraine, although it stressed that the Russian president was unlikely to change course. "I would like to avoid making any judgments" about Trump's statement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday. Russia continues the war and is also committed to resolving the conflict "and to ensuring our interests in this settlement," he said. Trump threatened on Monday to impose secondary sanctions within 10-12 days on countries buying Russian exports,...
US and Chinese officials began a second day of talks in Stockholm on Tuesday (July 29) to resolve a long-running economic dispute and de-escalate the escalating trade war between the world's two largest economies. The meeting may not have produced any immediate breakthroughs, but the two sides could agree to a 90-day extension of the tariff truce reached in mid-May. This could also pave the way for a possible meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later in the year, although Trump on Tuesday denied making any significant efforts to make it happen. The...
The European Union and the U.S. will form a "metals alliance" to counter the impact of subsidised Chinese production on global markets, as part of their ongoing trade deal, EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said Monday. Following extensive talks, both sides agreed that their steel and aluminium sectors face a common threat. Under the deal, EU metal producers will receive tariff-free or low-tariff access to U.S. markets through a quota system, replacing former 50% tariffs imposed under President Trump. The system is still being finalized. "It became very, very clear that if it comes to...
China's official NBS Manufacturing PMI increased to 49.7 in June 2025 from May's 49.5, matching market expectations while marking the third consecutive month of contraction in factory activity.
It...
Both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 hovered around the flatline on Friday, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of further developments in trade talks between US President Trump and Chinese...
Less than four months ago, President Donald Trump met with Qatar's leader, praised his magnificent palace, and signed a comprehensive defense agreement with the Gulf monarchy, a key ally that hosts...