US, China wrap Paris talks on managed trade, agriculture deals

PARIS (Reuters) -- Top US and Chinese economic officials were ‌due to conclude talks in Paris on Monday, with potential areas of agreement in agriculture, critical minerals and managed trade that could be taken up by US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, sources familiar with the discussions said. The sources told Reuters that the "remarkably stable" talks led by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and ‌Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng would set in motion possible

2026-03-16 10:41:02:00

Meta planning sweeping layoffs

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- ‌Meta is planning sweeping layoffs that could affect 20 percent or more of the company, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Meta seeks to offset costly artificial intelligence infrastructure bets and prepare for greater efficiency brought about by AI-assisted workers. No ‌date has been set for the cuts and the magnitude has not been finalized, the people said. Top executives have recently signaled the plans to other senior leaders at Meta and told them t

2026-03-15 11:04:54:00

Iran's new supreme leader vows to keep Hormuz shut in defiant first remarks

Iran will fight on and keep the Strait of Hormuz shut as leverage against the United States and Israel, ‌new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday in the first comments attributed to him since he succeeded his slain father. Khamenei did not appear in person and the remarks were read out by a state television presenter. No images have been released of him since an Israeli strike at the start of the war that killed much of his family, including his father and wife. Thursday's statement

2026-03-13 09:26:13:00

Airlines raise fares as Middle East conflict lifts fuel costs

Some airlines in Asia and Europe raised fares, added fuel surcharges or adjusted schedules Tuesday as the Middle East conflict drove jet ‌fuel costs sharply higher and disrupted key air routes. Australia's Qantas Airways, Scandinavia's SAS and Air New Zealand were among the carriers that announced price increases, while others warned the crisis could threaten fuel supplies or force further schedule changes. Jet fuel prices, which were around $85 to $90 per barrel before US-Israeli strikes on Ira

2026-03-11 10:45:00:00

China exports surge into 2026 after record year

BEIJING (Reuters) -- China roared into 2026 with ‌exports far outstripping forecasts, fueled by red-hot electronics demand, putting the economy on track to top last year's record $1.2 trillion trade surplus and blunting the blow from the war in Iran. Outbound shipments from the world's second-largest economy grew 21.8 percent in US dollar ‌terms in the January-February period, sharply up from the 6.6 percent increase recorded in December and blowing past the median forecast in a Reuters poll of

2026-03-10 13:51:18:00

China consumer inflation sees quickest jump in three years

BEIJING (Reuters) -- China's consumer inflation accelerated to the highest in more than three years due to the effects ‌of the Lunar New Year holiday, while producer deflation persisted as weak demand remained a drag on an economy facing stiff external challenges. Policymakers have been trying to boost consumption over the past two years, but analysts say more needs to be done to address the supply-demand imbalance. The consumer price index ‌rose 1.3 percent year-on-year for the fifth month of g

2026-03-09 13:18:07:00

Trump sends Fed chair Warsh nomination to Senate

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday officially nominated former Federal Reserve Gov. Kevin Warsh to be the US central bank's next chair, the White House said, putting the president one step closer to installing a rate-cut-friendly Fed chief. But there are big hurdles both to Warsh's path back to the Fed and, once confirmed as Fed chair, his way forward to delivering the rate cuts Trump wants. Warsh, who would take over from Jerome Powell after his leadership term ends on May 15, would occupy

2026-03-05 10:23:34:00

Global oil, gas prices soar as Iran crisis disrupts production

LONDON (Reuters) -- Global oil and gas prices jumped Tuesday as the US-Israeli war on Iran ‌halted energy exports from the Middle East, with Tehran attacking ships and energy facilities, closing navigation in the Gulf and forcing production stoppages from Qatar to Iraq. The benchmark Brent Crude oil contract settled up $3.66, or up 4.7 percent, at $81.40 a barrel, its highest settlement since January 2025. European gas prices soared as much as 40 percent before paring gains, adding to a 40 perce

2026-03-04 11:36:26:00