Business
Latest stories
Iran's economy has been battered but leaders still think Trump will blink first

In the heartland of Iran's famed carpet-making industry, manufacturing has ground to a near halt. Dairies struggle to find packages for milk and butter. Giant steel mills that once drove Iran's economy have gone silent. Hundreds of thousands have lost jobs, and millions more are at risk.

Over more than five weeks of bombardment, U.S. and Israeli strikes hit thousands of factories. The damage is reverberating across Iran's economy, threatening increasing waves of layoffs, even as Iranians face skyrocketing prices. The cost of chicken is up 75% the past month, and beef and lamb jumped 68%. Many dairy products have increased by half.

W140 Full Story
World shares are mostly higher and oil gains $2.50 as Iran talks remain in flux

World shares mostly gained and the price of Brent crude oil jumped $2.50 a barrel early Monday as talks on ending the war with Iran stayed snagged.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index hit a fresh record Monday after U.S. stocks ended last week with new highs.

W140 Full Story
Eurozone business activity falls on Mideast war

Business activity in the eurozone contracted for the first time in 16 months in April, as the war in the Middle East drove energy prices higher and disrupted global supply chains, a closely watched survey showed Thursday.

The Flash Eurozone purchasing managers' index (PMI) published by S&P Global, an important gauge of the overall health of the economy, registered a figure of 48.6 this month, down from 50.7 in March.

W140 Full Story
Iran official says Tehran receives first revenue from Strait of Hormuz tolls

A senior Iranian parliament official said on Thursday that Tehran has received the first revenue from tolls it imposed on the strategic Strait of Hormuz in its war with the United States and Israel.

"The first revenue received from the Strait of Hormuz tolls was deposited into the Central Bank account," said deputy speaker of parliament Hamidreza Hajibabaei, according to Tasnim news agency.

W140 Full Story
Russian oil to Slovakia resumes flowing through pipeline that crosses Ukraine

The flow of Russian oil to Slovakia through the Druzhba pipeline that crosses Ukraine has resumed, Slovak Economy Minister Denisa Saková said Thursday.

Hungary and Slovakia have been locked in an escalating feud with Ukraine since Russian oil deliveries to Hungary and Slovakia were halted in January.

W140 Full Story
UK inflation rises in March as prices at pump spike higher after Iran war

Inflation in the U.K. climbed in March after a sharp jump in prices at the pump in the wake of the disruption to energy supplies caused by the Iran war, official figures showed Wednesday.

The Office for National Statistics said the annual consumer price inflation rate increased to a three-month high of 3.3% from 3% the previous month. The rise was in line with market expectations.

W140 Full Story
France probes alleged illicit cash flight from Lebanon

France is investigating allegations that two Lebanese banks transferred billions of dollars out of the country despite strict capital controls during a financial crisis, a source close to the case and lawyers said Monday.

W140 Full Story
Oil prices jump and Wall Street slides with US, Iran clashing in Strait of Hormuz

Oil prices climbed more than 5% and Wall Street veered toward losses before the opening bell Monday as a standoff between Iran and the U.S. prevented tankers from using the Strait of Hormuz.

Futures for the S&P 500 also fell 0.5% while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 0.6%. Nasdaq futures also were off by 0.5%.

W140 Full Story
Xi tells Saudi prince passage through Hormuz 'should be maintained'

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a phone call on Monday that "normal traffic" through the vital Strait of Hormuz "should be maintained", state media said.

Xi also stressed in the call that China "advocates for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire", state broadcaster CCTV said.

W140 Full Story
Oil plunges 10% as Iran says Hormuz passage open during ceasefire

Oil prices plunged Friday after Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the vital Strait of Hormuz was "completely open" for commercial tankers and cargo ships during the U.S.-Iran ceasefire.

International benchmark Brent North Sea crude plunged 10 percent to $89.11 a barrel, after earlier falling five percent on U.S.-Iran peace deal hopes.

W140 Full Story