Japan’s economy grew at an annualized rate of 2.1% in the first quarter, surpassing expectations, though analysts warned that the fallout of the Iran war could hamper future expansion. The strong results were driven by rising US-bound exports and sturdy domestic consumption, the latter thanks to a temporary cash handout ...
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Standard Chartered to slash workforce by 15% over AIStandard Chartered to slash workforce by 15% over AI
Banking giant Standard Chartered will cut 15% of its workforce by 2030 as its use of AI increases. The UK-headquartered company, which has large offices in China, India, Malaysia, and Poland, said it was boosting automation, but would move some affected staff into new roles. Several other banking and tech ...
AI industry’s tight-knit leadership class reinforcedAI industry’s tight-knit leadership class reinforced
Google DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis was reported to be an early investor in Anthropic, a revelation underscoring the concentration of power at the top of the AI industry. Former DeepMind researchers have founded more than a dozen companies since 2021, while Hassabis’ co-founder Mustafa Suleyman is now CEO of Microsoft AI. ...
High-end art market rebounds with two mega salesHigh-end art market rebounds with two mega sales
Two pieces of art sold for more than $100 million, suggesting the top-end of the market is on the upswing after a years-long decline. The sale of a $181 million Jackson Pollock painting and a $108 million Constantin Brancusi sculpture, both belonging to the estate of former Condé Nast publisher ...
NextEra deal with Dominion sets up largest global utilityNextEra deal with Dominion sets up largest global utility
US power company NextEra Energy said Monday it was acquiring Dominion Energy in a deal that would create the world’s largest utility amid soaring AI-driven energy demand. In addition to providing scale — Dominion powers the world’s largest data center market, and the combined entity would be the world leader ...
Ryanair chief downplays Europe’s jet fuel supply concernsRyanair chief downplays Europe’s jet fuel supply concerns
A European airline chief said Monday he had “almost zero concerns” about a jet fuel shortage this summer, echoing oil companies that have downplayed dire warnings about supplies running out. Concerns of fuel shortages stemming from the Iran conflict had threatened to upend summer travel across the continent — the ...
Trump suspends planned Iran strikesTrump suspends planned Iran strikes
US President Donald Trump said Monday he is suspending planned strikes on Iran at the behest of Middle East allies who cited ongoing “serious negotiations” for a deal. Oil prices dropped, capping a day of wild swings: Prices dipped earlier after reports that Washington had offered to temporarily lift sanctions ...
US’ record energy exports drive up fuel prices at homeUS’ record energy exports drive up fuel prices at home
US energy exports have hit record highs, at the cost of higher fuel prices at home. The country shipped 14.2 million barrels of crude and products daily in April, equivalent to typically one out of seven barrels consumed globally, The Wall Street Journal reported: “No other nation in the world’s ...
Trump privately fumes over imperiled ballroom security moneyTrump privately fumes over imperiled ballroom security money
The Scoop President Donald Trump aired his displeasure with the Senate rules referee during a Monday call with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, criticizing her decision to block a filibuster-proof vote on security money for his East Wing renovation and ballroom, according to multiple people familiar with the conversation. The ...
Mubadala Energy backs $13B LNG project on US Gulf CoastMubadala Energy backs $13B LNG project on US Gulf Coast
Mubadala Energy backed a $13 billion liquefied natural gas export project on the US Gulf Coast, the latest sign of growing Arab Gulf interest in America’s energy industry. The LNG project in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, is expected to produce 9.5 million tons of LNG a year when it starts commercial ...