Indices

China's lithium price soars after Zimbabwe suspends export

China's lithium price surged on Thursday after Zimbabwe suspended raw mineral exports, sparking concerns over supply disruptions, at a time when growing energy storage demand is projected to drive a...

Naturgy warns $13 billion in Russian LNG purchase commitments may be hit by EU ban

Spain's Naturgy has 10.95 billion euros in Russian liquefied natural gas purchase commitments that may be affected from 2027 by a European Union ban on Russian LNG, its annual report showed. ...

Government spending lifts global debt to a record $348 trillion in 2025, says IIF

Global debt climbed to a record $348 trillion at the end of 2025, after nearly $29 trillion was added over the year in the fastest yearly build-up since the pandemic surge, a banking trade group...

TSX hits another record high as investors cheer bank earnings

Canada's main stock index rose to another record high on Wednesday as concerns about artificial intelligence disruption eased and solid bank earnings boosted financial shares. The...

OPEC+ to consider 137,000 bpd oil output increase for April, sources say

OPEC+ is likely to consider raising its oil output by 137,000 barrels per day for April, three sources with knowledge of OPEC+ thinking said as the group prepares for peak summer demand and a price...

FTSE 100 closes at fresh high after HSBC raises earnings target, miners surge

Britain's FTSE 100 closed at a fresh peak on Wednesday after HSBC lifted a key earnings target and miners hit new highs, as fading worries over AI's disruption to traditional businesses lifted global...

Indonesia may struggle to deliver on new US farm import promises, traders say

Indonesia could struggle to meet its pledge for a significant ramp-up of U.S. agricultural imports under its new trade deal, traders said, with the burden of vastly increasing U.S. soymeal purchases...

Angola's national oil company wants to diversify into critical minerals

Angolan state-owned oil company Sonangol said on Wednesday that it wanted to diversify into critical minerals as it reported lower net profit last year. Sonangol made net profit of more...

South African rand strengthens after finance minister lays out budget

South Africa's rand strengthened on Wednesday, after the minister of finance laid out the 2026 national budget.  At 1336 GMT, the rand traded at 15.8550 against the dollar, about 0.8%...

Takeaways from Trump's State of the Union address to Congress

President Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, a potentially pivotal moment as the White House seeks to firm up support among Republican...

Oil settles little changed, supply worries persist despite large US crude stock build

Oil prices settled largely unchanged on Wednesday as a much larger-than-expected U.S. crude stock build did not do much to calm jitters about the threat to oil supply from potential military conflict...

Yen under pressure after Takaichi report; Aussie higher on inflation

A wobbly yen was pinned near a two-week low on Wednesday after a report that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had told the central bank chief she had reservations about future rate hikes, while a...

South Korea's KOSPI stock index tops 6,000 for first time

South Korea's benchmark KOSPI stock index topped the 6,000-mark on Wednesday for the first time on a chipmaker rally led by artificial intelligence optimism. The KOSPI opened the...

Nikkei set to breach 60,000 milestone by mid-2027 on earnings growth, foreign inflows

Japan's Nikkei share average will probably gain only marginally through June before it pushes past the key psychological 60,000 mark by the middle of next year, a Reuters poll of equity strategists...

Top Chinese chipmakers plan to boost advanced chip output, Nikkei reports

China's top chipmakers, including SMIC and Hua Hong Semiconductor, are aiming to boost their output of advanced semiconductors to meet burgeoning artificial intelligence demand, Nikkei said on...

Trump boasts of stock market rally, promises $1,000 retirement savings contributions

U.S. President Donald Trump boasted of stock market gains in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday and pledged that the government would contribute to workers' retirement savings, while saying...

UK farmers demand continued access to crop chemicals in EU pact

Britain's farmers must be allowed to keep growing gene-edited crops and using plant protection products currently banned in the European Union if the UK strikes a new pact with the bloc, the president...

EU faces transition period with US after Trump tariff move, says EU trade chief

The European Union is facing a transitional period of a few months in relations with the U.S. after President Donald Trump's new import surcharge, which threatens to undermine the trade deal the two...

Sacked Congo state miner Gecamines chiefs opposed Virtus-Chemaf takeover, sources say

The Democratic Republic of Congo replaced the CEO and chair of state miner Gecamines in part because of their opposition to U.S.-backed Virtus Minerals' plan to buy cobalt and copper producer Chemaf,...