AirAsia X Bhd. co-founder Tony Fernandes said he’s preparing to launch a new airline, betting that expanding while the aviation industry’s being roiled by high oil prices will pay off in the future. The new airline will be announced in the next month or two, Fernandes said in a video interview from Montreal late Wednesday. The low-cost Southeast Asian carrier group is moving some planes for the bu...
AirAsia X Bhd. co-founder Tony Fernandes said he’s preparing to launch a new airline, betting that expanding while the aviation industry’s being roiled by high oil prices will pay off in the future. The new airline will be announced in the next month or two, Fernandes said in a video interview from Montreal late Wednesday. The low-cost Southeast Asian carrier group is moving some planes for the business it’s starting, he said, without providing further details. The expansion would come on the heels of AirAsia’s multibillion-dollar order for what Prime Minister Mark Carney lauded as the largest purchase ever of Canadian-made commercial aircraft. The order, involving 150 Airbus SE A220 planes, is part of the businessman’s plans to expand AirAsia’s fleet with smaller, nimbler planes that will fly passengers to all corners of Asia. “Why waste a crisis? There are opportunities in a crisis,” Fernandes, 62, said. “We can’t control what happens in the Middle East, but we have to take a view that it’s not going to last for two years.” It’s a bold bet, even for a company that’s made unconventional choices before. The company’s decision to avoid hedging fuel costs has contributed to shares of AirAsia tumbling about 35% since the Iran war started, making it the worst performer on the Bloomberg World Airlines index during the period. Fernandes remained defiant on hedging fuel costs, predicting oil prices will eventually come back down. “Obviously people who hedge now are in the money, but over a longer period, hedging never really works,” Fernandes said. “So we continue to not hedge like many American airlines and we feel oil is bearish.” To help fund expansion, AirAsia is preparing to sell as much as $600 million in bonds and is in talks with Malaysian banks for “quite a large” refinancing loan that would bring down interest costs, Fernandes said. He’s also planning to meet with Canadian pension funds to attract investors, he said. Meanwhile, the airline is expecting short-term...
Earnings Call Insights: Paycom Software (PAYC) Q1 2026 Management View "First quarter results were solid as we continue to advance our full solution automation strategy, create greater client ROI achievement, and deliver the world-class service that makes us the best in our industry," said Chad Richison (Founder, CEO & Chairman of the Board), adding, "The 2026 plan that we laid out for you during ...
Earnings Call Insights: Paycom Software (PAYC) Q1 2026 Management View "First quarter results were solid as we continue to advance our full solution automation strategy, create greater client ROI achievement, and deliver the world-class service that makes us the best in our industry," said Chad Richison (Founder, CEO & Chairman of the Board), adding, "The 2026 plan that we laid out for you during our last call remains well on track." Richison emphasized product-led automation and AI adoption, saying, "Our full solution automation strategy is working, and solutions like Beti, GONE, and other automated decisioning capabilities are eliminating manual processes," and added, "Our AI solution, IWant, is accelerating speed to value for our clients by helping users get answers and complete work quickly without any necessary training in our software." Richison framed market opportunity and competitive positioning in share terms: "The opportunity ahead of us is large as we continue to serve approximately 5% of the addressable market." "We delivered strong first quarter results with total revenues of $572 million, up 8% over the comparable prior year period," said Robert Foster (Chief Financial Officer), adding that "adjusted EBITDA came in at $275 million, representing a 50 basis point year-over-year expansion to 48.2%." Foster detailed capital return and financing actions: "During the first quarter, we repurchased approximately 8.4 million shares... for a total of $1.06 billion," and "On May 4, the board approved a new $2 billion buyback authorization to replace our prior authorization." He also said, "In April, we replaced our previous revolving credit facility with a new 5-year, $2.125 billion credit facility, of which $675 million is currently drawn down." Outlook "Following our first quarter results, we are reaffirming our full year revenue and adjusted EBITDA guidance ranges," Foster said. "We expect total revenues to be between $2.175 billion and $2.195 billion," and "...
A dead poet’s cluttered mansion is the setting for a heady brew of magic, mystery and mushrooms “Man,” says one of Will Maclean’s characters on catching sight for the first time of the titular Solace House. “Gothic always tries too hard.” Here, perhaps, is a self-deprecating wink in a novel full of them – a novel that throws the (ancient, sinister, rusted taps coughing a disquieting red-brown liqu...
A dead poet’s cluttered mansion is the setting for a heady brew of magic, mystery and mushrooms “Man,” says one of Will Maclean’s characters on catching sight for the first time of the titular Solace House. “Gothic always tries too hard.” Here, perhaps, is a self-deprecating wink in a novel full of them – a novel that throws the (ancient, sinister, rusted taps coughing a disquieting red-brown liquid) kitchen sink at the problem of writing a good old-fashioned piece of gothic-flavoured weird fiction. The present of the novel – though as things proceed and what David Tennant’s Doctor Who would call “timey-wimey” stuff starts to happen, the phrase gets harder to sustain – is the summer of 1993. Alex Lane stays on alone in his university’s hall of residence after the other students take off for the holidays. He’s broke. He’s lonely. He’s a bit freaked out by a sinister pale boy who seems to be the only other student left on campus. He can’t go home because of an unspecified family trauma involving what he alludes to only as The Last Day and The Annihilator. And now he’s receiving warnings that he’s about to be kicked out and charged for overstaying. O, uncountable span I now surpass, Incessant grey hours, turgid. Noble opportunity wasted. Gone, alas! In nullity endless deserted. Continue reading...
Local, mayoral and parliamentary contests could upend political landscape as Reform, Greens and Lib Dems surge Polling has opened across England, Scotland and Wales in a series of local, mayoral and parliamentary contests – the biggest electoral test Keir Starmer and the Labour government have faced since the 2024 general election. As millions of people across Great Britain go to the polls on Thur...
Local, mayoral and parliamentary contests could upend political landscape as Reform, Greens and Lib Dems surge Polling has opened across England, Scotland and Wales in a series of local, mayoral and parliamentary contests – the biggest electoral test Keir Starmer and the Labour government have faced since the 2024 general election. As millions of people across Great Britain go to the polls on Thursday, party leaders are poised for a set of results that could fundamentally change the political landscape nationally in Scotland and Wales, and across local authorities in England. Continue reading...
The West Sussex village of Amberley, near Arundel, is easy to reach by train and offers great hiking in the national park, castles and a newly reopened pub with a focus on local food Wisteria and clematis hang from weathered cottage walls. Tulips and pink apple blossom spill out of several gardens. Thatched animals decorate the rooftops. There’s a Norman church, a medieval castle and an 80-hectare...
The West Sussex village of Amberley, near Arundel, is easy to reach by train and offers great hiking in the national park, castles and a newly reopened pub with a focus on local food Wisteria and clematis hang from weathered cottage walls. Tulips and pink apple blossom spill out of several gardens. Thatched animals decorate the rooftops. There’s a Norman church, a medieval castle and an 80-hectare (200-acre) nature reserve. Amberley is the kind of place people assume you can only reach by car, but the village has its own railway station with regular direct trains, along the scenic Arun Valley line , from Bognor, Horsham and London Victoria. This spring, the Black Horse pub reopened in Amberley. The new owners are the gourmet Gladwin brothers , Oliver and Richard, returning to their Sussex roots near Nutbourne Vineyards . Having founded five Local & Wild restaurants in London, the Black Horse is their first country pub and first place with rooms. Continue reading...
Labour is resigned to losses but which party its voters switch to will be crucial in shaping new political landscape Labour is braced for a brutal set of local, Scottish and Welsh election results that will define either the next phase of Keir Starmer’s prime ministership or bring about the end of it. Party strategists expect losses of close to 2,000 seats across England, Wales and Scotland but th...
Labour is resigned to losses but which party its voters switch to will be crucial in shaping new political landscape Labour is braced for a brutal set of local, Scottish and Welsh election results that will define either the next phase of Keir Starmer’s prime ministership or bring about the end of it. Party strategists expect losses of close to 2,000 seats across England, Wales and Scotland but the damage could be a lot worse. The danger for the prime minister is not whether Labour loses heavily but where those losses come from and who those voters turn to. Across England, Reform UK is hoping to turn public anger over immigration, living standards and distrust of Westminster into local power. In progressive cities, the Greens believe voters are ready to punish Labour from the left, while in parts of Blackburn, Birmingham and east London the independents are continuing to capitalise on anger over Gaza. Continue reading...
The iconic fashion photographer has been crowned a master at this year’s Photo London – a rare exhibition of his stunning work in the capital proves why Continue reading...
The iconic fashion photographer has been crowned a master at this year’s Photo London – a rare exhibition of his stunning work in the capital proves why Continue reading...
Partnership between top startup DeepL and Amazon comes amid concern about Silicon Valley’s monopoly over digital infrastructure AI companies in Europe risk losing their world-leading status in the field of machine translation, industry figures have said, after the decision by one of the continent’s leading startups to partner with Amazon’s cloud computing division provoked alarm. While businesses ...
Partnership between top startup DeepL and Amazon comes amid concern about Silicon Valley’s monopoly over digital infrastructure AI companies in Europe risk losing their world-leading status in the field of machine translation, industry figures have said, after the decision by one of the continent’s leading startups to partner with Amazon’s cloud computing division provoked alarm. While businesses in the EU have generally lagged behind the US and China in AI adoption, a small group of European companies have cornered the global market for high-quality machine translations for professional use. Continue reading...
(RTTNews) - Light & Wonder, Inc. (LNW), a games company, reported lower first-quarter earnings despite revenue growth, mainly due to higher operating expenses and interest costs.
(RTTNews) - Light & Wonder, Inc. (LNW), a games company, reported lower first-quarter earnings despite revenue growth, mainly due to higher operating expenses and interest costs.
A top online influencer in China who was fined 18.91 million yuan (US$2.6 million) for evading nine million yuan in taxes has attracted significant attention on social media. The case of Bai Bing, a food influencer with more than 40 million followers, was revealed by China’s State Tax Administration (STA) in late April, according to the media outlet CCTV. The authorities said that between 2021 and...
A top online influencer in China who was fined 18.91 million yuan (US$2.6 million) for evading nine million yuan in taxes has attracted significant attention on social media. The case of Bai Bing, a food influencer with more than 40 million followers, was revealed by China’s State Tax Administration (STA) in late April, according to the media outlet CCTV. The authorities said that between 2021 and 2024, Bai underpaid a total of 9.11 million yuan (US$1.3 million) of personal income tax,...
Statkraft delivered strong results in the first quarter of 2026, driven by significantly higher Nordic power prices despite lower production. In addition, there were improved results from Markets’ activities.
Statkraft delivered strong results in the first quarter of 2026, driven by significantly higher Nordic power prices despite lower production. In addition, there were improved results from Markets’ activities.
Statkraft leverte sterke resultater i første kvartal 2026, drevet av betydelig høyere nordiske kraftpriser, men lavere produksjon. En bedring i resultatene fra Marked bidro også til det sterke kvartalsresultatet.
Statkraft leverte sterke resultater i første kvartal 2026, drevet av betydelig høyere nordiske kraftpriser, men lavere produksjon. En bedring i resultatene fra Marked bidro også til det sterke kvartalsresultatet.
The European Central Bank said burgeoning private markets could support a push by politicians in the region to channel savings into investments needed to modernize the economy. While private markets “remain small” in the euro area despite growth in recent years, they can match the financing needs of riskier companies with long-term investors who can bear that risk, the ECB said in a report on Thur...
The European Central Bank said burgeoning private markets could support a push by politicians in the region to channel savings into investments needed to modernize the economy. While private markets “remain small” in the euro area despite growth in recent years, they can match the financing needs of riskier companies with long-term investors who can bear that risk, the ECB said in a report on Thursday. European leaders are building what they term a savings and investments union to help fund strategic priorities including defense, climate and technology while also offering higher returns for citizens. The ECB’s assessment of the chances for the industry come as investors fret over the opacity and liquidity of private credit. “Risk monitoring remains warranted,” the ECB said. It cited a deterioration in the quality of private credit, difficulties for buyout firms in exiting investments over valuation concerns and a move toward higher liquidity mismatch as private markets increasingly tap retail investors for funding. The ECB also said that companies with access to private market financing show “significantly” higher productivity levels than those that rely solely on banks. Still, for the median company, adding private markets to their financing mix “is associated with higher indebtedness and decreased capacity to pay interest,” the ECB said.
Is It Time For Von Der Leyen To Go? Via Remix News, Amidst continued fears regarding Putin attacking beyond Ukraine and economic uncertainty caused by the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Brussels is reportedly beginning to grumble, i.e., look for someone to blame and remove. Now, according to a report by Finnish public service media Yle, cited by Világgazdaság , voices are growing to re...
Is It Time For Von Der Leyen To Go? Via Remix News, Amidst continued fears regarding Putin attacking beyond Ukraine and economic uncertainty caused by the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Brussels is reportedly beginning to grumble, i.e., look for someone to blame and remove. Now, according to a report by Finnish public service media Yle, cited by Világgazdaság , voices are growing to remove the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. Several European leaders, as well as NATO officials, have long warned that Moscow may potentially attack NATO states, which is why there has been a continued push for support for Ukraine to prevail in its war with Russia. In the event of such a scenario, where Putin looks to further his ambitions and attack inside NATO, rapid and effective cooperation between European countries will be crucial, which is why, according to this recent report, some are wondering if von der Leyen is the right person for the job. One name that has been put forth for “European war leader” is Finnish president, Alexander Stubb, an independent known for seeking greater EU integration and a higher profile for the EU in international policymaking. The suggestion was also reportedly confirmed by defense expert Line Rindvig, who believes that the Finnish president may be particularly suitable for such a role. The Finnish president is even said to have served as a “quasi-European representative” on several occasions in discussions on support for Ukraine. Rindvig has actively been assisting Finland to boost its military defense capabilities in light of lessons learned from Ukraine. He says that the Nordic country is at the forefront of preparations in Europe, which he attributes in large part to Stubb’s diplomatic activity and international acceptance. He is, according to the expert, a good bet for leading broader European cooperation. Significantly, Stubb also enjoys good relations with U.S. President Donald Trump, which is key for tra...