Hundreds of service stations across Australia have reported fuel shortfalls, as the war in the Middle East disrupts global supplies. At least 600 retail sites across the country have run out of at least one type of fuel, Energy Minister Chris Bowen told parliament on Tuesday. The shortages were mainly concentrated in the two most populous states, New South Wales and Victoria, where it affected abo...
Hundreds of service stations across Australia have reported fuel shortfalls, as the war in the Middle East disrupts global supplies. At least 600 retail sites across the country have run out of at least one type of fuel, Energy Minister Chris Bowen told parliament on Tuesday. The shortages were mainly concentrated in the two most populous states, New South Wales and Victoria, where it affected about 10% of total outlets. The near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz since the US and Israel first attacked Iran at the end of last month has cut off about a fifth of the world’s oil, tightening fuel supplies and sending prices soaring. With limited domestic refining capacity, Australia imports more than two-thirds of its gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. Its biggest supplier, South Korea, has already said it will cap some exports . On Tuesday, the government said it would lower diesel standards for the next six months to bolster domestic supplies, widening the range of prospective suppliers to include the US, Canada and Europe. Australia had 38 days of gasoline and 30 days of diesel left in reserves last week, after tapping stockpiles to meet surging demand . Prices of gasoline and diesel have both jumped , according to Australian Institute of Petroleum data, adding to economic pressures. Australia’s central bank last week raised its key interest rate for a second straight meeting amid efforts to tackle stubborn inflation. On Wednesday, Australia introduced legislation that will allow its antitrust watchdog to double penalties for false or misleading conduct and cartel behavior to a maximum of A$100 million ($70 million) per offense. The government had already increased penalties to a maximum of A$50 million — five times higher than what they were — amid reports that prices at the pump had outpaced gains in international benchmarks during the initial period of the Iran conflict.
Yuan bond issuance by foreign borrowers has surged in mainland China this month, eclipsing the momentum of such fundraising offshore and highlighting the appeal of a vast local market less affected by the Iran war. So-called panda bonds issued by overseas entities in China’s onshore market have more than tripled on year to 27.8 billion yuan ($4 billion) in March, set for a record for the month, da...
Yuan bond issuance by foreign borrowers has surged in mainland China this month, eclipsing the momentum of such fundraising offshore and highlighting the appeal of a vast local market less affected by the Iran war. So-called panda bonds issued by overseas entities in China’s onshore market have more than tripled on year to 27.8 billion yuan ($4 billion) in March, set for a record for the month, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The sales boom contrasts with the much slower growth seen in the larger offshore yuan debt market, where issuance plans have been disrupted worldwide since the Middle East conflict began. The divergence is a reminder of the Chinese onshore bond market’s relative immunity at times of external uncertainties, when overseas financing using the country’s currency is heavily influenced by global conditions. “Offshore markets are flexible but far more exposed to global shocks, while the panda bond market has proved itself to be a stable and resilient channel, an advantage the latest conflict has underscored,” said Lei Wang, head of research at S&P Global (China) Ratings. “That makes it an increasingly important consideration for global issuers in addition to the cheaper funding costs.” High-profile panda bond issuers this month included first timer BNP Paribas SA and repeat borrower United Overseas Bank Ltd. , each raising five billion yuan last week. “The onshore yuan market benefits from a larger and more established domestic investor base, which can provide deeper liquidity even during periods of global volatility, such as the current situation in the Middle East,” said Chin Chin Koh, UOB’s head of group central treasury, research and customer advocacy. Chinese financial institutions bought 78% of UOB’s latest panda note, up from 38% in 2019 and 65% in 2024 when the bank sold its debut and second yuan bonds in China, Koh said, adding that such domestic investors usually provide stickier demand and more stable liquidity. Yuan Funding Hits Record $2...
In this article .HSI .N225 .AXJO Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - MARCH 05: A currency dealer works in front of an electronic screen showing South Korea's benchmark stock index (KOSPI) in a foreign exchange dealing room at the Hana Bank headquarters on March 05, 2026 in Seoul, South Korea. The latest flare-up in the Iran conflict has hammered export‑reliant mark...
In this article .HSI .N225 .AXJO Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - MARCH 05: A currency dealer works in front of an electronic screen showing South Korea's benchmark stock index (KOSPI) in a foreign exchange dealing room at the Hana Bank headquarters on March 05, 2026 in Seoul, South Korea. The latest flare-up in the Iran conflict has hammered export‑reliant markets in South Korea and Japan, knocking benchmark indexes sharply lower on fears that surging energy costs and a prolonged hit to risk appetite could undercut corporate earnings and growth across Asia's trade‑driven economies. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images) Han Myung-gu | Getty Images News | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets looked set for a largely higher open on Wednesday, with comments from U.S. President Donald Trump pointing to potential talks with Iran lifting sentiment, even as Tehran has denied any direct negotiations with Washington. Speaking at the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump said the U.S. and Iran were "in negotiations right now" and suggested Tehran was keen to strike a peace deal, adding he had stepped back from threats to target Iranian energy infrastructure "based on the fact we're negotiating." Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose over 1.26% in early trade. Japan's Nikkei 225 was poised to jump, with the Chicago contract at 53,180 and the futures contract in Osaka at 53,030 compared to the index's previous close of 52,252.28. However, the Hong Kong Hang Seng index futures were at 24,972 compared with the index's last close of 25,063.71. Oil prices were lower in early Asia trading hours. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 3.92% at $88.73 per barrel. Overnight in the U.S., the S&P 500 pulled back, giving back some of the sharp gains seen in the previous session, as crude prices rose again while the Iran war moved further into its fourth week. The broad market index lost 0.37% and ended at 6,556.37, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 84.41 ...
去年 9 月底，Sora 2 上线的第一天，OpenAI CEO Sam Altman（山姆·奥特曼）就把自己的 cameo 权限向所有人开放。很快，他被做成各种荒诞 AI 表情包在社交媒体疯传。 网友玩得不亦乐乎，社交媒体上「AI 视频元年」的口号铺天盖地。 七个月后，他亲手签了 Sora 的死亡通知书。 网友还是懂玩梗 据《华尔街日报》报道。奥特曼在内部信中宣布： Sora 视频平台将全面停运...
去年 9 月底，Sora 2 上线的第一天，OpenAI CEO Sam Altman（山姆·奥特曼）就把自己的 cameo 权限向所有人开放。很快，他被做成各种荒诞 AI 表情包在社交媒体疯传。 网友玩得不亦乐乎，社交媒体上「AI 视频元年」的口号铺天盖地。 七个月后，他亲手签了 Sora 的死亡通知书。 网友还是懂玩梗 据《华尔街日报》报道。奥特曼在内部信中宣布： Sora 视频平台将全面停运。不只是那个消费端 app，开发者 API、ChatGPT 里的视频生成功能，统统砍掉。干净利落，不留余地。 就在刚刚，Sora 官方也在 X 平台上发文告别： 我们将与 Sora 应用说再见。对于所有使用 Sora 创作、分享并围绕它建立社区的大家：谢谢你们。你们用 Sora 创作的内容意义重大，我们知道这个消息令人失望。 我们很快将分享更多信息，包括应用和 API 的时间表，以及保存你们作品的细节。 – Sora 团队 这大概是 AI 行业过去一年里，最戏剧性的情节。 一个 AI 视频模型杀手的速生速死 回到去年 9 月，Sora 的发布可以说是 OpenAI 最高调的一次产品秀。 它不是一个简单的视频生成工具。OpenAI 给它设计了社交 feed 流，用户可以用 AI 生成视频、发布、互相观看。 本质上，这是一个 AI 原生的短视频社区。奥特曼本人亲自下场玩梗，鼓励用户把他剪进各种流行文化的名场面里。 排场拉满了，市场反响也是真实的。Sora 上线不到五天，下载量就突破了 100 万，一度冲上苹果 App Store 榜首。 开局阶段，用 Sora 生成《海绵宝宝》《皮卡丘》等知名 IP 视频的创作者们引发了一阵狂欢。 但问题从一开始就埋下了。 据《华尔街日报》报道，Sora 上线时，OpenAI 内部就有员工对这个项目消耗的算力规模感到「惊讶」，因为彼时完全没有明确的用户需求验证，公司却已往里砸了大量计算资源。 换句话说，这是一个老板觉得该做的产品，而用户真正的持续需求，始终没有被验证。 数字不会说谎，上线后，这种担忧也逐渐变成了事实。硅谷风投机构 a16z 合伙人 Olivia Moore 在社交媒体上晒出一张 SensorTower 的监测截图： Sora APP 的 30 天用户留存率仅为 1%，60 天留存率直接归零。 奥特曼自己后来也承认，大量用户主要用...
Funtap/iStock via Getty Images Market review US equities rose in 4Q25 amid a complex mix of optimism about growth driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and growing concerns about profitability, spending, and macroeconomic uncertainty. While enthusiasm for AI investments remained a defining theme, investor scrutiny increased as questions emerged regarding return on investment, balance sheet levera...
Funtap/iStock via Getty Images Market review US equities rose in 4Q25 amid a complex mix of optimism about growth driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and growing concerns about profitability, spending, and macroeconomic uncertainty. While enthusiasm for AI investments remained a defining theme, investor scrutiny increased as questions emerged regarding return on investment, balance sheet leverage, and the sustainability of elevated capital expenditures. Macroeconomic conditions showed signs of moderation. Labor markets weakened, with the unemployment rate rising to a four-year high in November, alongside a wave of high-profile layoffs across technology and consumer-oriented companies. Consumer behavior remained uneven: while retail sales exceeded expectations, supporting resilience narratives, Visa ( V ) reported that growth in holiday spending was driven primarily by ecommerce and electronics. The Russell Midcap® Index rose 0.16% for the quarter, with healthcare, materials, and information technology (IT) among the strongest contributing sectors, while real estate, communication services, and utilities posted the weakest results. Source: Bloomberg, unless otherwise indicated. Within the Fund In 4Q25, Nomura Mid Cap Income Opportunities Fund Institutional Class shares underperformed the Fund's benchmark, the Russell Midcap Index. Dividend income was a positive for the Fund but was not enough to overcome underperformance from stock selection compared with the benchmark during the period. Negative stock selection in industrials was the primary detractor during the quarter with adverse stock selection in consumer discretionary and materials also detracting. While sector allocation was a positive factor, it was not sufficient to overcome negative stock selection, which was the main detractor from performance. Within sector allocation, the Fund's significant overweight of the materials sector contributed but not enough to overcome adverse stock selection in the sector...
"Emergencies" Requiring Coal Plants To Stay Open Need Not Be Imminent, DOE Tells Court By Ethan Howland of UtilityDive The U.S. Department of Energy’s secretary has broad authority under the Federal Power Act to declare emergencies to keep power plants from retiring, and those emergencies don’t have to be imminent, DOE told a federal appeals court last week in response to challenges over its order...
"Emergencies" Requiring Coal Plants To Stay Open Need Not Be Imminent, DOE Tells Court By Ethan Howland of UtilityDive The U.S. Department of Energy’s secretary has broad authority under the Federal Power Act to declare emergencies to keep power plants from retiring, and those emergencies don’t have to be imminent, DOE told a federal appeals court last week in response to challenges over its orders keeping a Michigan coal plant online. “The statute’s text grants the Secretary discretion to determine that an emergency exists,” DOE said in a March 17 brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. “This expressly includes a sudden increase in demand, a shortage of generation facilities, or other causes.” U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright speaks during a meeting with oil and gas executives in the East Room of the White House on Jan. 9, 2026, in Washington, D.C. DOE’s secretary has broad authority under the Federal Power Act to declare emergencies to keep power plants from retiring, the department told a federal appeals court on March 17, 2026 The brief is the DOE’s first defense in court of the 90-day emergency orders it began issuing last year to prevent fossil-fueled power plants from retiring. So far, the orders have targeted six power plants — all but one coal-fired — totaling about 4,300 MW. Generally, in those orders, DOE said the power plants need to keep running to prevent blackouts in the face of rising electric demand. The DOE has not allowed any of those orders to lapse, using its authority under the Federal Power Act’s section 202(c) to issue new 90-day orders when the old ones expire. The brief was in response to challenges brought against the DOE over its May 23 order directing Consumers Energy to continue running the 1,407-MW, coal-fired J.H. Campbell power plant in West Olive, Michigan, past its May 31 retirement date. The department has renewed that order three times since. Piles of coal can be seen at Consumers Energy's ...
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor says the women's game needs "more respect" after her side have a goal controversially disallowed in their Women's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Arsenal.
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor says the women's game needs "more respect" after her side have a goal controversially disallowed in their Women's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Arsenal.