BUSINESS

Asian equities mostly fell Wednesday as investors fret over Donald Trump's ever-changing trade policies amid increasing concern that his tariffs could send the US economy into recession.

South Korean automaker Kia told AFP Tuesday it had not approved an advertising campaign that featured one of its electric vehicles with a bumper sticker denigrating rival Tesla owner Elon Musk.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will buy a "brand new Tesla" to show support for his top campaign donor and advisor, Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Elon Musk said X was hit Monday by a major cyberattack, raising questions as to whether the politically divisive billionaire is being targeted or his decision to gut staff at what was once Twitter is haunting the social network.

Three former top executives from French video game giant Ubisoft, the maker of "Assassin's Creed" and "Far Cry", went on trial on Monday accused of psychologically and sexually harassing employees for nearly a decade.

The Japanese owner of 7-Eleven said Monday it had agreed to jointly explore store sell-offs with a Canadian rival to address antitrust concerns ahead of a potential merger.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday delayed some tariffs targeting Canada and Mexico, leading Ottawa to halt an upcoming wave of countermeasures -- offering a reprieve to companies and consumers after blowback on financial markets.

Indonesia approved local certificates for more than a dozen Apple products on Friday, the industry ministry said, moving the tech giant a step closer to having a ban lifted on iPhone sales in Southeast Asia's biggest economy.

China's exports grew slower than expected in the first two months of the year, official data showed Friday, as a deepening trade war with the United States piles on economic malaise.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday establishing a "Strategic Bitcoin Reserve," forcefully endorsing a currency once shunned as a tool for money launderers.

After an outcry from Detroit, President Donald Trump has granted one-month tariff exemptions on most auto imports from Canada and Mexico, underscoring the continued clout of US carmakers.

Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC's plan to invest $100 billion in the United States was a "historic moment" for Taiwan-US ties, the island's President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday.

Asian stocks climbed on Thursday as investors welcomed US President Donald Trump's auto tariff delay and were expecting China to announce a large stimulus package.

China vowed to fight a trade war with the United States "to the end" on Thursday, as tariffs from Washington buffeted the global economy and threatened to hit Beijing's lagging growth.

The Japanese owner of 7-Eleven announced on Thursday a raft of new measures to fend off a takeover by a Canadian rival, including a huge share buyback and an IPO of its US unit.

The shock entrance of DeepSeek in the race to develop advanced artificial intelligence has put the world on notice as to China's innovation prowess, a high-ranking Beijing official said Thursday.

The summit featured several meetings with the participation of 18 speakers, and saw the attendance of more than 400 leaders, decision-makers and entrepreneurs from the Arab world and China.

This partnership will enhance travel convenience between Abu Dhabi and Spain, while also improving connectivity between Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia. Passengers will benefit from smoother, more seamless travel across these key regions.

Apple said on Monday it will spend more than $500 billion in the United States over the next four years and hire 20,000 people, with President Donald Trump quickly taking credit for the announcement.

Hong Kong and Singapore are the front-runners in a push by Asian governments to become cryptocurrency hubs as they look to capitalise on the global resurgence of the sector thanks to the support of US President Donald Trump.

Chinese tech giant Alibaba said Monday it will spend more than $50 billion on artificial intelligence and cloud computing over the next three years, a week after co-founder Jack Ma was seen meeting President Xi Jinping.

The World Trade Organization's entire mission is overseeing global trade, but US President Donald Trump's tariff offensive has left it adrift.

Nissan shares surged 11 percent Friday after a report said a Japanese group including a former prime minister plans to ask US electric vehicle giant Tesla to invest in the automaker.

Japanese inflation accelerated in January, further pressuring households as prices excluding fresh food rose 3.2 percent on-year, government data showed Friday.

Mercedes-Benz said Thursday it planned hefty cost cuts after its 2024 profits plunged by almost a third amid a slump in China and weak electric car sales, as Germany's auto sector reels.

Renault confirmed on Thursday it defied headwinds in the car industry by boosting revenue and attaining record profitability in 2024 thanks to the success of its new line up of vehicles, although net profit sank as it scaled back its partnership with Nissan.

Donald Trump said Wednesday his administration was "looking at alternatives" to Boeing following delays in delivering two new models of the US presidential Air Force One plane.

The applicant must be a qualified professional in the field they plan to explore in the UAE. Additionally, they must have a passport valid for at least six months, health insurance coverage within the UAE, and a confirmed ticket for onward travel or departure from the country.

US President Donald Trump expanded his offensive against trading partners on Tuesday, threatening 25 percent tariffs on imported cars, and similar or higher duties on pharmaceuticals and semiconductors.