Andrew Tilton, chief Asia-Pacific economist at Goldman Sachs, speaks to the South China Morning Post about the long-term future of China’s economy after the “two sessions” in Beijing and ahead of an expected Xi-Trump summit – all during an oil crisis sparked by the US-Israel war against Iran. SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in the Open Questions series. What impact will the oil shoc...
Andrew Tilton, chief Asia-Pacific economist at Goldman Sachs, speaks to the South China Morning Post about the long-term future of China’s economy after the “two sessions” in Beijing and ahead of an expected Xi-Trump summit – all during an oil crisis sparked by the US-Israel war against Iran. SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in the Open Questions series. What impact will the oil shock arising from the Iran war have on the growth of Asian economies this year? Asia is greatly...
France Approves Record Number Of Asylum Applications In 2025, Up 12% YoY Via Remix News, The latest data released by the National Court of Asylum reveals a historic statistical milestone: asylum grants in France have reached an unprecedented peak. In 2025, a record 78,782 individuals were granted asylum, marking a 12 percent increase over the previous year. The recognition rate has also climbed to...
France Approves Record Number Of Asylum Applications In 2025, Up 12% YoY Via Remix News, The latest data released by the National Court of Asylum reveals a historic statistical milestone: asylum grants in France have reached an unprecedented peak. In 2025, a record 78,782 individuals were granted asylum, marking a 12 percent increase over the previous year. The recognition rate has also climbed to an all-time high of 52.1 percent – or 47.1 percent when excluding unaccompanied minors. The initial stage of the asylum process is managed by the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA). If a claim is denied, applicants may appeal to the National Court of Asylum. While various forms of protection exist, the ultimate goal for many is the status of “refugee,” as it opens rights similar to those of the French in most areas, including social welfare, education, and housing. The asylum system remains highly accessible, despite President Emmanuel Macron saying year after year that France needs to reduce immigration, just as he did in 2023 . “Are we flooded with immigration? No. You cannot say that. But the current situation is not sustainable, and we need to reduce immigration significantly, starting with illegal immigration. We have a duty to deliver,” the French president said at the time. Polling shows the vast majority of French want a reduction in immigration, and even a majority of women want zero immigration , both legal and illegal. France already has the largest Muslim population in Europe, leading to serious cultural, societal, and even security problems . Unlike policies debated or implemented in nations like Italy or Denmark, which seek to reduce the ability for individuals to apply for asylum, France has very generous laws, including allowing those already present on French soil to apply for asylum directly. This creates a significant challenge for the state, as even when applications are denied, authorities have an extremely diffi...
In this article .STOXX50 SHELL-NL RYAAY Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT City workers in the La Defense business district of Paris, France, on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. Nathan Laine | Bloomberg | Getty Images Europe-listed shares opened sharply lower on Thursday, as fears of escalation in the U.S.-Iran war gripped global markets once again. Shortly after the opening bell, the pan-Euro...
In this article .STOXX50 SHELL-NL RYAAY Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT City workers in the La Defense business district of Paris, France, on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. Nathan Laine | Bloomberg | Getty Images Europe-listed shares opened sharply lower on Thursday, as fears of escalation in the U.S.-Iran war gripped global markets once again. Shortly after the opening bell, the pan-European Stoxx 600 was 1.2% lower, with most sectors and major regional bourses firmly in negative territory. Mining and tech stocks led losses, with their respective indexes losing 2.8% and 3%. In an address to the American people on Wednesday evening, U.S. President Donald Trump said he expected the war to last another two to three weeks, during which time U.S. forces will "hit" Iran "extremely hard." U.S. stock futures tumbled as Trump's speech drew to a close, reversing a rally seen in Wall Street's regular session on Wednesday. On Thursday morning, futures data pointed to a notably lower open for New York-listed stocks ahead of the opening bell. Stocks listed in Asia also reversed gains on Thursday as investors digested Trump's latest update. Oil prices surged in the wake of the president's address, with global benchmark Brent crude jumping more than 6% to trade at $107.98. Oil prices have skyrocketed since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, sparking retaliatory strikes across the Gulf from Tehran. Over the course of March, global benchmark Brent crude oil surged more than 60%, marking the biggest monthly price gain since records began in the 1980s. European stocks jumped on Wednesday ahead of Trump's address, after the president first said the war would be over within weeks. Investors are also reacting to reports on Thursday that the Trump administration is preparing new tariffs on pharmaceutical companies that have not made deals to guarantee low drug prices in the United States. Bloomberg first reported the news, citing anonymous sources. In corpor...
CAS Space, a leading Chinese commercial rocket maker, has filed for a listing on Shanghai’s tech-focused Star Market, joining a growing queue of private space companies seeking capital as Beijing steps up support for the sector. Founded in 2018 and incubated by the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the start-up plans to raise 4.18 billion yuan (US$600 million) to fund r...
CAS Space, a leading Chinese commercial rocket maker, has filed for a listing on Shanghai’s tech-focused Star Market, joining a growing queue of private space companies seeking capital as Beijing steps up support for the sector. Founded in 2018 and incubated by the Institute of Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the start-up plans to raise 4.18 billion yuan (US$600 million) to fund research and development of reusable heavy-lift rockets, spacecraft and liquid-fuel engines,...
For years, 4iG Nyrt has been a crown jewel of Viktor Orban ’s economy, a sprawling telecoms and defense powerhouse with a soaring stock price. But now the shares are plunging and sending perhaps the clearest signal yet that investors are preparing for the end of the Hungarian prime minister’s 16-year reign. The stock has collapsed about 50% from a 2025 peak, erasing part of a rally that at one poi...
For years, 4iG Nyrt has been a crown jewel of Viktor Orban ’s economy, a sprawling telecoms and defense powerhouse with a soaring stock price. But now the shares are plunging and sending perhaps the clearest signal yet that investors are preparing for the end of the Hungarian prime minister’s 16-year reign. The stock has collapsed about 50% from a 2025 peak, erasing part of a rally that at one point stretched to 500%, with the slide accelerating as opinion polls point to Orban’s losing this month’s election. The downfall marks a turning point for a company that became synonymous for the state’s economic ambitions and whose meteoric rise was built largely on public procurement contracts and government-brokered deals. Local traders now speculate that 4iG will face tougher scrutiny if a new administration sweeps into power after the April 12 ballot. “4iG is a textbook example of Hungary’s state-linked economic model,” said Jozsef Peter Martin, the director of anti-corruption think-tank Transparency International in Hungary. “Companies succeed not primarily through competition, but through access to state funding, contracts and regulatory support.” So the sudden loss of that backing would be a big blow to 4iG, Martin said. The firm has become the primary face of Orban’s strategic goals and ties with President Donald Trump ’s insiders, including billionaire Elon Musk and Richard Grenell , the US’s special envoy to the Balkans who became an adviser to 4iG last year. A representative for 4iG — whose name is an acronym of four I’s (international, innovative, IT and investment) — said the decline in the shares is due to “short-term market reactions driven by uncertainties” in domestic and global politics. Of course, opinion polls have often been wrong and there’s no certainty in the vote outcome, even as most surveys suggest a hefty opposition victory. Another reason for the selloff may be that investors have been pulling away from risky assets amid an escalating war in the ...