AstraZeneca said it would establish drug manufacturing facilities in Guangzhou and Shanghai as well as a separate innovation centre in Shanghai, joining a group of foreign players building new plants in China amid geopolitical tensions The moves are part of a US$15 billion commitment the British firm pledged to make in the world’s second-largest drug market through 2030, unveiled during UK Prime M...
AstraZeneca said it would establish drug manufacturing facilities in Guangzhou and Shanghai as well as a separate innovation centre in Shanghai, joining a group of foreign players building new plants in China amid geopolitical tensions The moves are part of a US$15 billion commitment the British firm pledged to make in the world’s second-largest drug market through 2030, unveiled during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Beijing in January. China’s manufacturing capabilities, integrated supply chain and cost advantages were drawing multinationals to produce locally, said Zhang Jialin, head of China healthcare research at Nomura. “Beyond their long-term commitment to the China market, technical know-how and quality advantages are key considerations driving these companies to build here.” Advertisement On Thursday, AstraZeneca signed a memorandum of understanding with Guangzhou authorities to build a radioconjugate drug manufacturing site, which would produce next-generation cancer drugs for patients in China and the broader Asia-Pacific region, according to a statement on its website. The new facility will be in the Guangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone, a state-designated industrial district spanning 17.67 sq km in Huangpu district, east of the city centre. It will specialise in producing an actinium-225-based radioconjugate for prostate cancer treatment. A view of the AstraZeneca building in Macclesfield, central England on May 11, 2021. Photo: AFP Separately, AstraZeneca said it planned to build a cell therapy production base in Shanghai’s Lingang Special Area, a government-designated free-trade zone designed to attract advanced manufacturing and hi-tech industries, as well as an innovation centre at Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, a life sciences and tech hub in the Pudong district that is home to hundreds of pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
The European Central Bank will need to consider hiking interest rates as soon as next month if price pressures build further due to the Iran war, according to Governing Council member Joachim Nagel . “As things currently stand, it is conceivable that the medium-term inflation outlook could deteriorate and inflation expectations could rise on a sustained basis, meaning that a more restrictive monet...
The European Central Bank will need to consider hiking interest rates as soon as next month if price pressures build further due to the Iran war, according to Governing Council member Joachim Nagel . “As things currently stand, it is conceivable that the medium-term inflation outlook could deteriorate and inflation expectations could rise on a sustained basis, meaning that a more restrictive monetary-policy stance would probably be necessary,” he told Bloomberg on Friday. The Bundesbank president added that “more reliable data on this are already expected to be available by the next meeting of the ECB Governing Council in six weeks.” He recalled the last spike in prices , fanned by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, saying that experience “will play an important role in this context” — even if the ECB today “finds itself in a better starting position.” The remarks show the level of alarm as soaring energy prices due to the conflict in the Middle East threaten to drive inflation higher while dragging down economic expansion. While the ECB kept rates unchanged for a sixth meeting on Thursday, officials would be ready to raise borrowing costs on April 30 should fallout from the war push inflation too far above target, people familiar with the situation said. New ECB projections showed consumer prices will advance 2.6% in the euro area this year — far more than previously thought. In an extreme scenario in which disruptions to oil and natural gas supplies persist until late 2026, inflation would peak at 6.3% in the first quarter of 2027, it said. President Christine Lagarde nevertheless insisted that she and her colleagues are “both well positioned and well equipped to deal with the development of a major shock that is unfolding.” They’re determined to stabilize inflation at 2%, she said. The ECB’s meeting took place just hours after the conflict in the Middle East escalated , with Iranian missiles damaging the world’s largest liquefied natural gas export plant in Qa...
South Africa approved new import taxes to protect its steel industry after a probe found that cheap imports of some products from China and Thailand unfairly undercut local manufacturers. Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau authorized the tariffs recommended by the country’s International Trade Administration Commission, which first initiated its probe in 2024, according to a govern...
South Africa approved new import taxes to protect its steel industry after a probe found that cheap imports of some products from China and Thailand unfairly undercut local manufacturers. Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau authorized the tariffs recommended by the country’s International Trade Administration Commission, which first initiated its probe in 2024, according to a government notice issued Wednesday. South Africa imposed a duty of 74.98% on Chinese imports and 20.32% on shipments from Thailand, Business Day newspaper earlier reported . ITAC’s investigation found that structural-steel products from China and Thailand entered the southern African market at dumped — or below fair value — prices, “causing material injury” to the southern African industry. Steel producers and ore processors in Africa’s most industrialized economy — including ArcelorMittal SA ’s local unit — are idling operations and laying off thousands of workers, blaming high power prices and stiff competition from China.
The moment everything clicked for Lerone Murphy was when he was not given a title shot by the UFC. On a nine-fight win streak in the promotion, the Briton's stunning spinning elbow knockout of Aaron Pico in August put him in pole position to be the next challenger for Alexander Volkanovski's featherweight title. Murphy called for his shot, while Volkanovski agreed the 34-year-old deserved it. Inst...
The moment everything clicked for Lerone Murphy was when he was not given a title shot by the UFC. On a nine-fight win streak in the promotion, the Briton's stunning spinning elbow knockout of Aaron Pico in August put him in pole position to be the next challenger for Alexander Volkanovski's featherweight title. Murphy called for his shot, while Volkanovski agreed the 34-year-old deserved it. Instead, the UFC went in a different direction, with Volkanovski having to defend his belt in a rematch against Diego Lopes in February, who he had beaten 10 months prior. The decision was an eye-opener for UFC London headliner Murphy. Despite an unbeaten start to his 18-fight career and going viral with the knockout of Pico, he had been overlooked. Murphy chuckles wryly before adopting a more serious tone as he explains why he missed out. "It kind of woke me up to a lot of things, but I understand it," Murphy tells BBC Sport. "You have to understand it's an entertainment business. It shouldn't be that way but it is that way. " Instead Murphy has been pitted against Russian Movsar Evloev at UFC London on Saturday, in what on paper looks like a number-one contender fight. Even before a punch is thrown, Murphy's title credentials are being questioned by rival fighter Jean Silva, who claims he will be given the next shot at Volkanovski because he is more exciting. As Murphy's battle to secure his title shot goes on, BBC Sport spoke to fighters on the card about the UFC's potentially evolving matchmaking policy and why top contenders sometime get overlooked.
Expedia stock has been volatile after a strong rally. Valuation looks attractive, but margin concerns, macro risks, and rising short interest cloud the outlook.
Expedia stock has been volatile after a strong rally. Valuation looks attractive, but margin concerns, macro risks, and rising short interest cloud the outlook.
At least 16 US military aircraft have been lost since the start of the war with Iran, including 10 Reaper strike drones hit by enemy fire and a half-dozen other planes badly damaged in attacks or accidents. The most serious losses were because of accidents: three US F-15s downed by friendly fire in Kuwait, and a KC-135 tanker destroyed during a refuelling operation. All six crew members on the tan...
At least 16 US military aircraft have been lost since the start of the war with Iran, including 10 Reaper strike drones hit by enemy fire and a half-dozen other planes badly damaged in attacks or accidents. The most serious losses were because of accidents: three US F-15s downed by friendly fire in Kuwait, and a KC-135 tanker destroyed during a refuelling operation. All six crew members on the tanker were killed in the accident. Five other KC-135s were reportedly damaged by an Iranian missile strike while parked at an airfield in Saudi Arabia. Advertisement So far only the uncrewed Reapers have been brought down by Iranian defences, with at least nine being destroyed in the air, according to a person familiar with the matter. One was hit at an airfield in Jordan by a ballistic missile, people familiar with the matter said. A US F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet crashing in Kuwait on the third day of the war. Photo: UGC via AFP The other two Reapers were lost to accidents. The drones were meant to be “attritable” - flown in higher-risk areas because they do not carry pilots and were much cheaper to replace than a crewed plane.
(RTTNews) - Fuchs SE, a German supplier of lubrication solutions, reported Friday slightly higher profit and sales revenues in fiscal 2025 amid the challenging geopolitical perspective and negative currency effects. Further, the firm raised dividend, and issued fiscal 2026 outlook, expecting growth in EBIT and sales revenues. Stefan Fuchs, Chairman of the Executive Board, stated, "2025 was a chall...
(RTTNews) - Fuchs SE, a German supplier of lubrication solutions, reported Friday slightly higher profit and sales revenues in fiscal 2025 amid the challenging geopolitical perspective and negative currency effects. Further, the firm raised dividend, and issued fiscal 2026 outlook, expecting growth in EBIT and sales revenues. Stefan Fuchs, Chairman of the Executive Board, stated, "2025 was a challenging year from a geopolitical perspective. In addition to numerous wars, US customs policy was a particular challenge. In our home market of Germany, high energy prices and a struggling automotive industry with declining sales had a negative impact. In addition, many currencies relevant to us depreciated against the euro." In fiscal 2025, earnings after tax grew 1 percent to 306 million euros from last year's 302 million euros. Earnings per Ordinary share grew 2 percent to 2.33 euros from 2.29 euros last year. Earnings per Preference share improved to 2.34 euros from 2.30 euros a year ago. EBIT was 435 million euros, slightly higher than 434 million euros a year earlier. Sales revenues improved 1 percent to 3.563 billion euros from prior year's 3.525 billion euros. In the year, Europe, Middle East, Africa revenues edged up 1 percent from last year to 2.048 billion euros. Asia-Pacific and North and South America sales revenues grew 2 percent each. Further, for 2025, FUCHS will propose to the Annual General Meeting a further 5 percent increase in the dividend to 1.23 euros per preference share and 1.22 euros per ordinary share. Looking ahead for fiscal 2026, the company projects EBIT of around 450 million euros and sales of around 3.7 billion euros. The expected growth mainly is based on the assumption that all regions will contribute through volume-driven organic growth The company noted that global economic uncertainty due to trade conflicts, tariffs and geopolitical tensions continues to impact the market environment. For more earnings news, earnings calendar, and earnin...
BlackJack3D/E+ via Getty Images The fund posted returns of 1.47% (Institutional shares) and 1.51% (Investor A shares, without sales charge) for the fourth quarter of 2025. Structured products, European credit, and agency mortgages were the main contributors to performance, while duration positioning (management of interest rate sensitivity) detracted. Duration decreased, with the majority of its p...
BlackJack3D/E+ via Getty Images The fund posted returns of 1.47% (Institutional shares) and 1.51% (Investor A shares, without sales charge) for the fourth quarter of 2025. Structured products, European credit, and agency mortgages were the main contributors to performance, while duration positioning (management of interest rate sensitivity) detracted. Duration decreased, with the majority of its positioning held in the “belly” and long end of the yield curve, while some exposure was rotated into the front end. The allocations to securitized products and emerging market debt increased, and positioning in agency mortgage-backed securities and U.S. investment grade credit decreased. We continued to favor high-quality securitized and high yield credit exposure, along with emerging market debt. Contributors The fund's positioning in securitized products contributed to performance, driven by both tighter spreads and the attractive income generated from this segment of the market. Similarly, European credit was beneficial for the carry potential when swapped back to the U.S. dollar. Agency mortgages were additive as the allocation to higher coupons benefited from attractive carry and convexity profiles that limited unwanted interest rate swings in an environment of subdued rate volatility. Detractors Duration positioning detracted, particularly the fund's exposure to the front and belly of the yield curve. This portion of the curve sold off in October due to investor perceptions of a hawkish Federal Reserve (Fed). Further insight During the quarter, the fund's top-line duration decreased slightly, though it continued to hold the majority of its positioning in the belly and long end of the yield curve. We meaningfully added to the front end of the curve and trimmed some long-end exposure on expectations that the Fed will cut interest rates by more than what has been priced in. Outside the United States, we continue to favor European and U.K. duration given our continued con...
With $75 billion in annual revenue, defense contractor Lockheed Martin (LMT 0.74%) is literally the world's largest pure-play defense stock. And now it's time to watch Lockheed Martin get even bigger. This week, Reuters reported that the government of Greece is preparing to spend massively to upgrade its military after watching neighboring Cyprus suffer multiple attacks from Iranian drones and bal...
With $75 billion in annual revenue, defense contractor Lockheed Martin (LMT 0.74%) is literally the world's largest pure-play defense stock. And now it's time to watch Lockheed Martin get even bigger. This week, Reuters reported that the government of Greece is preparing to spend massively to upgrade its military after watching neighboring Cyprus suffer multiple attacks from Iranian drones and ballistic missiles. Total spending on the defense program could exceed 4 billion euros (about $4.6 billion). At least 1 billion of that -- $1.15 billion -- would go directly to Lockheed Martin to pay for upgrading 38 F-16C fighter jets into the modern F-16 Vipers. The F-16 Viper (aka F-16V) boasts improved bomb load, better radar, better computers, and -- importantly -- the ability to integrate its data feeds with fifth-generation fighters such as Lockheed's own F-35 Lightning II. To date, Greece has ordered 20 F-35s from Lockheed, with options to buy 20 more. You get an F-16! And you get an F-16! Lockheed Martin's F-16 is hands down the most popular fighter jet in the world. According to aviation news site FlightGlobal, fully 15% of all fighter jets on Earth (2,102 planes in active service) are Lockheed Martin F-16s. Greece alone owns 152 of them, but has upgraded only about 40 to F-16Vs -- meaning this week's $1.15 billion deal could expand to as much as $3.5 billion as Greece continues to upgrade the fleet. Nor is Greece the only country upgrading its air force with F-16s. Aerospace Global News reports that Greek neighbor Bulgaria and nearby Slovakia are buying F-16Vs. Ukraine, Romania, and Argentina are all buying used F-16s that might be upgraded later (by Lockheed Martin). Turkey is both buying new and upgrading existing F-16s. Long story short, even if the F-35 -- called Lockheed's "trillion-dollar warplane" for the amount of orders it's expected to collect in total -- is the future for Lockheed Martin, the aerospace giant is also making bank by selling and upgrading th...
Key Points Greece is preparing to spend $1.2 billion upgrading older Lockheed Martin F-16s. Greece also has orders in for 20 to 40 of Lockheed's newer F-35 stealth fighter jet. The F-16 is the world's most popular fighter jet, and the F-35 might soon be second. 10 stocks we like better than Lockheed Martin › With $75 billion in annual revenue, defense contractor Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is lite...
Key Points Greece is preparing to spend $1.2 billion upgrading older Lockheed Martin F-16s. Greece also has orders in for 20 to 40 of Lockheed's newer F-35 stealth fighter jet. The F-16 is the world's most popular fighter jet, and the F-35 might soon be second. 10 stocks we like better than Lockheed Martin › With $75 billion in annual revenue, defense contractor Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is literally the world's largest pure-play defense stock. And now it's time to watch Lockheed Martin get even bigger. This week, Reuters reported that the government of Greece is preparing to spend massively to upgrade its military after watching neighboring Cyprus suffer multiple attacks from Iranian drones and ballistic missiles. Total spending on the defense program could exceed 4 billion euros (about $4.6 billion). At least 1 billion of that -- $1.15 billion -- would go directly to Lockheed Martin to pay for upgrading 38 F-16C fighter jets into the modern F-16 Vipers. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » The F-16 Viper (aka F-16V) boasts improved bomb load, better radar, better computers, and -- importantly -- the ability to integrate its data feeds with fifth-generation fighters such as Lockheed's own F-35 Lightning II. To date, Greece has ordered 20 F-35s from Lockheed, with options to buy 20 more. You get an F-16! And you get an F-16! Lockheed Martin's F-16 is hands down the most popular fighter jet in the world. According to aviation news site FlightGlobal, fully 15% of all fighter jets on Earth (2,102 planes in active service) are Lockheed Martin F-16s. Greece alone owns 152 of them, but has upgraded only about 40 to F-16Vs -- meaning this week's $1.15 billion deal could expand to as much as $3.5 billion as Greece continues to upgrade the fleet. Nor is Greece the only country upgrading its ai...