Hong Kong customs has seized about 10,000 suspected counterfeit football jerseys and other unlicensed goods worth an estimated HK$64 million (US$8 million) ahead of the World Cup finals in June. During the 19-day operation code-named “Dawnbreaker”, conducted by the Customs and Excise Department, three people aged 25 to 56 were also arrested on suspicion of violating the Trade Descriptions Ordinanc...
Hong Kong customs has seized about 10,000 suspected counterfeit football jerseys and other unlicensed goods worth an estimated HK$64 million (US$8 million) ahead of the World Cup finals in June. During the 19-day operation code-named “Dawnbreaker”, conducted by the Customs and Excise Department, three people aged 25 to 56 were also arrested on suspicion of violating the Trade Descriptions Ordinance. The operation cracked down on 37 cases between March 9 and 27 involving cross-boundary...
tum3123/iStock via Getty Images Emerging market economies recorded a sharp upswing in manufacturing costs during March, as the outbreak of war in the Middle East led to widespread increases in the price of fuel, transport and other commodities, as well as a rise in US dollar-denominated import prices. The latest PMI data showed that overall emerging market manufacturing input prices rose at the fa...
tum3123/iStock via Getty Images Emerging market economies recorded a sharp upswing in manufacturing costs during March, as the outbreak of war in the Middle East led to widespread increases in the price of fuel, transport and other commodities, as well as a rise in US dollar-denominated import prices. The latest PMI data showed that overall emerging market manufacturing input prices rose at the fastest rate in close to four years, with marked accelerations observed in parts of Latin and Central America, Southeast Asia and Central Europe. Emerging market manufacturing cost pressures accelerate in March The seasonally adjusted Emerging Markets Manufacturing PMI Input Prices Index rose sharply in March, climbing to its highest since June 2022 and signalling a marked increase in input costs across global emerging economies. Although the rate of inflation was less sharp than observed over developed markets, the uptick in price pressures compared to February was similarly steep. Of the 16 emerging market economies where manufacturing sector PMI data are available, 14 reported an acceleration of input price inflation in March. Some of the fastest overall rises in input costs were seen in Latin and Central American economies, such as Brazil and Mexico, but marked upswings in Input Prices Index readings were also recorded in countries across Central Europe and Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Czech Republic, Poland and the Philippines. Comments analysis highlight impact of war on supply side Analysing the qualitative data provided by panellists to our global PMI surveys helps us to understand the extent to which the Middle East conflict shaped economic conditions in March. Comments showed that manufacturers faced increases in costs for a number of items, primarily oil, as well as oil-intensive inputs such as fuel, plastics and rubber. Shipping bottlenecks have also resulted in some manufacturers facing higher freight prices, as well as delays in input deliveries. Manufactu...
The Philippine Coast Guard unveiled on Thursday its first dedicated command centre in the Spratly island chain, a flashpoint in the disputed South China Sea that has been the site of repeated confrontations with Chinese vessels. The headquarters of a newly established coastguard district, formerly overseen from neighbouring Palawan, will cover an area of about 68,000 sq km (26,000 sq miles). A jou...
The Philippine Coast Guard unveiled on Thursday its first dedicated command centre in the Spratly island chain, a flashpoint in the disputed South China Sea that has been the site of repeated confrontations with Chinese vessels. The headquarters of a newly established coastguard district, formerly overseen from neighbouring Palawan, will cover an area of about 68,000 sq km (26,000 sq miles). A journalist travelling to the new command centre on Thitu Island, known as Pagasa in the Philippines,...
designer491/iStock via Getty Images Global government bond markets experienced a widespread sell-off in March amid geopolitical risks, persistent inflation dynamics and fiscal concerns. Central banks across the Americas, Europe and Asia largely held interest rates steady, citing uncertainty over the broader economic outlook. Against this backdrop, 10-year benchmark bond yields experienced double-d...
designer491/iStock via Getty Images Global government bond markets experienced a widespread sell-off in March amid geopolitical risks, persistent inflation dynamics and fiscal concerns. Central banks across the Americas, Europe and Asia largely held interest rates steady, citing uncertainty over the broader economic outlook. Against this backdrop, 10-year benchmark bond yields experienced double-digit basis point increases during the month. Those for the UK registered their highest levels since the 2008 financial crisis, closing March 69 basis points higher at 4.92%. The Bank of England maintained its base rate at 3.75%, after cutting it six times since August 2024. Similarly, the European Central Bank kept interest rates unchanged, reaffirming its commitment to stabilizing inflation at 2% in the medium term. In Germany, the inflation rate is expected to be +2.7% in March, up from 1.9% in February. The German 10-year Bund yield climbed 36 basis points to finish the month at 3.01%, while its French and Italian counterparts rose by 50 and 63 basis points to close at 3.73% and 3.91%, respectively. Roderick Joniaux, Head of European Government and Supranational Products at Tradeweb, said, “In a month of intense yield movements, European government bond markets continue to be focused on fiscal trajectories and growth prospects. Weaker economic data and concerns over the longer-term impact of energy price fluctuations are adding complexity to the policy outlook.” In the U.S., consumer confidence fell to 53.3 in March from 56.6 in February, reflecting increasing uncertainty among households. The Federal Reserve held rates at 3.5% to 3.75%, balancing still-elevated inflation expectations with emerging signs of labour market cooling and softer growth. The yield on the U.S. 10-year Treasury ended March nearly 36 basis points higher at 4.32%. Japanese government bond yields rose 24 basis points over the month, closing at 2.35%. The headline S&P Global Japan Manufacturing Purch...
Galp Energia SGPS SA has agreed to acquire an onshore wind portfolio in Spain from Helia Funds in a transaction valued at €320 million ($373 million), as Portugal’s largest oil company accelerates efforts to diversify its clean energy portfolio beyond solar. The deal, which consists of 17 wind farms, will lift Galp’s total installed renewable capacity to around 2 gigawatts, according to a regulato...
Galp Energia SGPS SA has agreed to acquire an onshore wind portfolio in Spain from Helia Funds in a transaction valued at €320 million ($373 million), as Portugal’s largest oil company accelerates efforts to diversify its clean energy portfolio beyond solar. The deal, which consists of 17 wind farms, will lift Galp’s total installed renewable capacity to around 2 gigawatts, according to a regulatory filing on Thursday. Helia Funds is backed by Plenium Partners and Bankinter Investment. The move comes as European energy companies recalibrate their transition strategies, expanding renewables while still relying on oil and gas profits. Iberia has emerged as a key growth market for renewable energy, driven by strong solar and wind resources, government-backed auctions and relatively smoother permitting. Galp’s remains heavily weighted toward solar, as the company works to integrate wind and battery storage to boost efficiency and returns. Thursday’s announcement is also the latest in a string of deals and potential transactions in recent months. In January, the company said it was in talks with the owners of Spain’s Moeve over a possible combination of their Iberian filling station networks and refining assets. A month earlier, Galp agreed to swap offshore oil licenses in Namibia with TotalEnergies SE to advance exploration in the southern African nation. While the Portuguese company has been stepping up investment in clean energy, the bulk of its earnings still comes from upstream oil production and refining. Galp’s net income rose 20% to €1.15 billion ($1.3 billion) in 2025, according to its earnings report . The deal with Helia Funds is expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2026, Galp said in Thursday’s filing.
Seven & i Holdings Co. will delay a public listing of its US convenience-store business planned for later this year, the Nikkei reported, triggering a 5.7% drop in the shares of the convenience-store operator. Chief Executive Officer Stephen Dacus had been seeking to revamp the company’s business in the US, including a leadership reshuffle and an overhaul of its US convenience store operations, ai...
Seven & i Holdings Co. will delay a public listing of its US convenience-store business planned for later this year, the Nikkei reported, triggering a 5.7% drop in the shares of the convenience-store operator. Chief Executive Officer Stephen Dacus had been seeking to revamp the company’s business in the US, including a leadership reshuffle and an overhaul of its US convenience store operations, aimed at preparing the unit for a public listing later this year. The reported delay suggests that the overhaul isn’t progressing well enough to justify an initial public offering of the unit, which was slated for late 2026. Seven & i’s stock is down around 8% this year. “The current macro backdrop, characterized by elevated oil prices and heightened geopolitical uncertainty, introduces incremental execution risk to Seven & i’s planned IPO,” Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Lea El-Hage wrote in a report before the Nikkei newspaper reported on the delay. North America and Japan account for roughly equal shares of convenience store profit. Seven & i is betting that success in Australia can provide a template for global expansion and a US turnaround. Read More: 7-Eleven Bets on Australian Stores to Show It Can Grow Globally The average price for regular gasoline in the US exceeded $4 a gallon in April for the first time since August 2022, according to the American Automobile Association, as the conflict in the Middle East disrupted one of the world’s key oil-producing regions. In the US, where its convenience stores are typically attached to gas stations, fuel purchases are a key driver of store visits and often leading to additional in-store spending. Seven & i is seeking to improve profitability in the US by closing money-losing stores and expanding locations that offer fast food. Restoring and sustaining customer traffic remains central to the the retailer’s growth strategy. Dacus has said the planned listing of its US unit hinges on a recovery in performance in the country whe...
Asian equity markets in red on Thursday after reports of Iran maintaining strategic control over the Strait of Hormuz, which pushed oil prices higher again, alongside continued attacks in the Gulf region despite the temporary truce. Gold prices steadied near $4,700 per ounce on Thursday following sharp swings in the previous session. WTI crude futures jumped more than 2% toward $97 per barrel on T...
Asian equity markets in red on Thursday after reports of Iran maintaining strategic control over the Strait of Hormuz, which pushed oil prices higher again, alongside continued attacks in the Gulf region despite the temporary truce. Gold prices steadied near $4,700 per ounce on Thursday following sharp swings in the previous session. WTI crude futures jumped more than 2% toward $97 per barrel on Thursday. The benchmark KOSPI fell more than 1% to around 5,790 on Thursday, snapping a four-day rally. The South Korean won hovered around 1,480 per dollar, edging lower from a four-week high in the previous session. Japan ( NKY:IND ) fell 0.58% to around 56,050 on Thursday, reducing earlier gains. The Japanese yen slipped toward 159 per dollar on Thursday. In March 2026, Japan's consumer confidence index decreased to 33.3 from a revised 39.7 in February. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama noted that recent market turmoil shows how quickly interest rates can change due to external volatility. China's ( SHCOMP ) fell 0.67% to below 4,000, while the Shenzhen Component fell 0.3% to 14,000 , and the offshore yuan held above 6.83 per USD, pausing near an over three-year high as investors weighed a fragile US–Iran ceasefire. Investors are focused on China’s upcoming inflation data due Friday. Hong Kong ( HSI ) fell 0.25% to 25,749 on Thursday, retreating from the previous session’s rally. India ( SENSEX ) fell 0.90% at 77,072 on Thursday, retreating from a recent rally and snapping a five-session winning streak as lingering geopolitical tensions weighed on sentiment. The Indian rupee eased to around 92.6 per dollar. Australia ( AS51 ) rose 0.08% to 8,920 in early Thursday trade. The Australian dollar held its recent gains to around $0.703. In the U.S. on Wednesday, all three major indexes ended higher as investors remained optimistic that two week ceasfire between Iran and US will last. U.S. stock futures declined on Thursday as oil prices recovered modestly, with uncer...
The Bank of Thailand will keep its interest rate at the current level “for as long as possible” to support the economy, even though inflation is set to accelerate due to the Middle East conflict, according to Governor Vitai Ratanakorn . “Inflation will definitely accelerate with oil price hikes and supply disruptions,” Vitai told reporters in Bangkok Thursday. “But we will refrain from raising the...
The Bank of Thailand will keep its interest rate at the current level “for as long as possible” to support the economy, even though inflation is set to accelerate due to the Middle East conflict, according to Governor Vitai Ratanakorn . “Inflation will definitely accelerate with oil price hikes and supply disruptions,” Vitai told reporters in Bangkok Thursday. “But we will refrain from raising the interest rate as long as possible because higher interest rate will not dampen inflation.” The BOT has slashed borrowing costs by a cumulative 150 basis points in an easing cycle that began in late 2024. In February, the Monetary Policy Committee unexpectedly cut the key rate by 25 basis points to 1%, the lowest level since September 2022. The next policy meeting is scheduled for April 29. The Southeast Asian economy is facing a double whammy this year from rising fuel costs following the Middle East conflict and ongoing global trade tensions. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told parliament on Thursday that his new government will prioritize measures to address economic challenges stemming from the war and help millions of people cope with rising living costs. Thailand’s economic growth this year could weaken to around 1.3% if there’s a quick resolution to the Middle East conflict, Vitai said. That’s lower than 1.9% predicted by Vitai before the start of the war. If the Middle East tensions prolonged until June, the rate of expansion will be 1.3%, he said.
Shanxi Securities: NVIDIA (NVDA.US) strategically invests in Marvell to expand the NVLINK ecosystem, highlighting attention on the domestic computing power IOD track. 富途牛牛
Shanxi Securities: NVIDIA (NVDA.US) strategically invests in Marvell to expand the NVLINK ecosystem, highlighting attention on the domestic computing power IOD track. 富途牛牛
In this article DAX Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Shares in Europe are poised to open in mixed territory on Thursday, as the fragile truce agreed between the U.S. and Iran already shows signs ofstrain. The U.K's FTSE 100 is set to open 0.4% higher, according to IG futures data, while France's Cac 40 is on course to open 0.2% lower. Germany's DAX 0.4% is expected to open lower. La...
In this article DAX Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT Shares in Europe are poised to open in mixed territory on Thursday, as the fragile truce agreed between the U.S. and Iran already shows signs ofstrain. The U.K's FTSE 100 is set to open 0.4% higher, according to IG futures data, while France's Cac 40 is on course to open 0.2% lower. Germany's DAX 0.4% is expected to open lower. Late on Wednesday, Iran's parliamentary speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf accused the U.S. of violating the ceasefire less than 24 hours after it was agreed. Ghalibaf highlighted Israel's continued attacks on Lebanon, a drone's entry into Iranian airspace and the denial of the Islamic Republic's right to enrich uranium./ U.S. military forces will remain deployed in and around Iran until Tehran fully complies with the "real agreement," President Donald Trump said Wednesday , warning that any breach would trigger a military response larger than anything seen before. Asian markets traded lower following the dispute. South Korea's Kospi was down 1.53%, while the small-cap Kosdaq declined 1.38%. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell by 0.77%, while the Topix was 0.78% lower. Thursday's moves follow a particularly strong session in Europe on Wednesday, when the pan-European Stoxx 600 index finished the day 3.7% higher. Antofagasta , Lufthansa , and Easyjet were among the biggest risers on the day, each gaining around 10%. Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.