SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 23: Chairman and CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella speaks on stage during the Microsoft AI Tour at TikTok Entertainment Centre on April 23, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. Nadella, making his first visit to Australia since 2019, addressed business leaders, developers, and government representatives at the Microsoft AI Tour in Sydney on April 23, outlining a vision for Australia t...
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 23: Chairman and CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella speaks on stage during the Microsoft AI Tour at TikTok Entertainment Centre on April 23, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. Nadella, making his first visit to Australia since 2019, addressed business leaders, developers, and government representatives at the Microsoft AI Tour in Sydney on April 23, outlining a vision for Australia to become a critical hub for AI innovation rather than simply a consumer market for Microsoft's products. (Photo by George Chan/Getty Images) George Chan | Getty Images News | Getty Images Microsoft on Thursday announced a A$25 billion ($18 billion) investment into Australia's digital infrastructure which will see the technology giant partnering with Canberra on initiatives spanning cybersecurity, workforce upskilling, and artificial intelligence development. Touting its "largest ever" investment in Australia, Microsoft said it would expand adoption of its Azure cloud computing infrastructure in the country by more than 140% by the end of 2029. The partnership would also see Microsoft expanding existing collaborations with government entities like the Australian Signals Directorate — Australia's signals intelligence agency — and the Department of Home Affairs to secure critical infrastructure, as well as training three million Australians on the use of AI by 2028. Microsoft's Thursday agreement builds on a previous A$5 billion commitment to Australia in October 2023, which it said at the time was its "single largest investment" in 40 years operating in the country. "We want to make sure all Australians benefit from AI. Our National AI Plan is all about capturing the economic opportunities of this transformative technology while protecting Australians from the risks," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at a press conference where he was joined by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella as part of the Sydney leg of Microsoft's AI tour . Canberra has actively sought to expand ...
President Trump's Department of Justice sent a plane this week to Cuba to return a 10-year-old from Utah who is at the center of a custody fight involving the child's gender identity. (Image credit: Hannah Schoenbaum)
President Trump's Department of Justice sent a plane this week to Cuba to return a 10-year-old from Utah who is at the center of a custody fight involving the child's gender identity. (Image credit: Hannah Schoenbaum)
chachamal Asian equities struggled on Thursday, surrendering early gains in a volatile session. While strong technology earnings and record-breaking performance on Wall Street initially buoyed sentiment, persistent geopolitical friction in the Middle East ultimately forced investors to the sidelines. Gold prices fell toward $4,700 an ounce on Thursday. WTI crude futures climbed above $94 per barre...
chachamal Asian equities struggled on Thursday, surrendering early gains in a volatile session. While strong technology earnings and record-breaking performance on Wall Street initially buoyed sentiment, persistent geopolitical friction in the Middle East ultimately forced investors to the sidelines. Gold prices fell toward $4,700 an ounce on Thursday. WTI crude futures climbed above $94 per barrel on Thursday. The benchmark KOSPI climbed nearly 2% to around 6,530 on Thursday. The South Korean won traded near 1,480 per dollar. South Korea’s economy expanded by 1.7% QoQ in the first quarter of 2026, recovering from a 0.2% contraction in the previous quarter. Japan ( NKY:IND ) fell 0.69% to below 59,000 on Thursday, while the broader Topix Index also declined 1.2% to 3,700. The S&P Global Japan Manufacturing PMI rose to 54.9 in April 2026 from March’s 51.6, exceeding market expectations of 51.2. This marks the fourth consecutive month of growth in factory activity and the fastest rate since January 2022. Conversely, the S&P Global Services PMI decreased to 51.2 from 53.4, the lowest since May 2025. China's ( SHCOMP ) fell 0.15% to 4,098 on Thursday, while the Shenzhen Composite lost 0.4% to 15,117, and the offshore yuan Market attention has also turned to the April 27–30 session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, where lawmakers will review draft revisions to the Prison Law and consider other legislative changes. Hong Kong ( HSI ) fell 0.71% to 25,950 on Thursday, reversing gains from the previous session. India ( SENSEX ) fell 0.92% to 78,032 on Thursday, pressured by surging oil prices and escalating Middle East tensions. The Indian rupee slipped to around 94 per dollar, extending its losses to a three-week low. The HSBC India Manufacturing PMI rose to 55.9 in April 2026 from 53.9 in March, signaling a stronger improvement in factory conditions, flash data showed. The HSBC India Composite PMI rose to 58.3 in April 2026 from a final 57.0 in the pre...
A court has convicted an Italian man of human trafficking by tricking a Singaporean woman into sex work in Dubai, after rejecting his defence arguments attacking the victim. Achraf Arjaouy, 31, had claimed trial to one count of recruiting a person by means of deception for the purpose of sexual exploitation in Dubai. The victim’s identity is protected by a gag order. The prosecution’s case was tha...
A court has convicted an Italian man of human trafficking by tricking a Singaporean woman into sex work in Dubai, after rejecting his defence arguments attacking the victim. Achraf Arjaouy, 31, had claimed trial to one count of recruiting a person by means of deception for the purpose of sexual exploitation in Dubai. The victim’s identity is protected by a gag order. The prosecution’s case was that Arjaouy had targeted a woman he met on Tinder by pretending to be a wealthy pilot from Qatar who...
J Sainsbury Plc said profit could slip this year as Britain’s second-largest grocer faces higher costs and consumer uncertainty triggered by the conflict in the Middle East. The retailer forecast underlying operating profit from retail of between £975 million ($1.3 billion) and £1.075 billion, according to a statement Thursday. That compares to £1.025 billion in the 12 months ended Feb. 28. Sainsb...
J Sainsbury Plc said profit could slip this year as Britain’s second-largest grocer faces higher costs and consumer uncertainty triggered by the conflict in the Middle East. The retailer forecast underlying operating profit from retail of between £975 million ($1.3 billion) and £1.075 billion, according to a statement Thursday. That compares to £1.025 billion in the 12 months ended Feb. 28. Sainsbury’s is the latest British retailer to warn about the fallout of the Iran war, which has upended global shipping and energy markets and fueled inflation in the UK. Though the full impact is not clear — and much depends on how long the conflict lasts — it comes with household budgets already stretched.
Komthong Wongsangiam/iStock via Getty Images EssilorLuxottica ( ESLOF ) has acquired Faro, an Italian maker of high-precision CNC machinery for jewelry and eyewear production. This acquisition further strengthens EssilorLuxottica’s vertical integration by adding critical technological capabilities to the group. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. More on EssilorLuxottica ADR EssilorLux...
Komthong Wongsangiam/iStock via Getty Images EssilorLuxottica ( ESLOF ) has acquired Faro, an Italian maker of high-precision CNC machinery for jewelry and eyewear production. This acquisition further strengthens EssilorLuxottica’s vertical integration by adding critical technological capabilities to the group. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. More on EssilorLuxottica ADR EssilorLuxottica ADR (ESLOY) Q1 2026 Sales/Trading Call Transcript EssilorLuxottica: Turning Positive On Market-Share Gain (Rating Upgrade) EssilorLuxottica ADR 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses EU rollout slowed by battery, AI rules and supply constraints: report Highest and lowest quant-rated healthcare stocks above $10B cap after earnings season