Economy

The U.S. Supreme Court recently issued a ruling against a challenge to a tax on Americans who have invested in certain foreign corporations. The case involved Charles and Kathleen Moore, a retired couple from Redmond, Washington, who contested the tax on foreign company earnings that have not been distributed to shareholders. The 7-2 ruling upheld

European Union countries have come together to agree on a new package of sanctions against Russia in response to its ongoing war in Ukraine. This 14th package includes the first-ever restrictions on Russian gas, specifically targeting re-exports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in EU waters. While the package falls short of completely banning imports,

Tropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, has developed over the western Gulf of Mexico according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC). The storm is situated approximately 185 miles east of Tampico, Mexico, with sustained winds of 40 mph. Despite its current strength, Alberto is expected to weaken

The European Commission recently announced disciplinary steps against seven EU countries for running excessive budget deficits. The countries singled out are France, Belgium, Italy, Hungary, Malta, Poland, and Slovakia. These deficits are primarily attributed to the impact of the COVID pandemic and the energy price crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. France’s Budget

The Federal Reserve recently reported that production at U.S. factories increased by 0.9% in the month of May, surpassing the expectations of economists. This growth helped to recover from the declines seen in the prior two months. However, despite this positive growth, there are concerns about the sustainability of this momentum. Higher interest rates and

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) kept rates steady at 4.35% on Tuesday, in line with expectations. However, the bank warned about the need to remain vigilant against inflation risks. The decision had little impact on the Australian dollar, with the currency remaining relatively stable. The RBA seems poised to maintain this stance until there

Recently, China has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into imported pork and its by-products from the European Union. This move is believed to be targeted towards countries such as Spain, the Netherlands, and Denmark, in response to restrictions on its electric vehicle exports. The investigation, announced by China’s commerce ministry, will specifically focus on various pork

The European Central Bank policymakers have confirmed that there is currently no plan to discuss emergency purchases of French bonds, despite the recent turmoil in the French financial markets. The sell-off in French government bonds last week has raised concerns among investors, with the risk premium over safer German paper reaching levels not seen since

China Premier Li Keqiang made a quiet yet significant start to his four-day trip to Australia by visiting a South Australian winery and the Adelaide Zoo. During his visit to the zoo, Li announced that China would provide two new pandas to Australia after the current pair return to China later this year. The pandas,

In the lead-up to France’s surprise parliamentary election, both far-right and leftist parties are gaining momentum, putting pressure on President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist administration. The far-right National Rally party, led by Marine Le Pen, is currently leading in opinion polls but is not expected to win an absolute majority. The party has hinted at policies

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has managed to walk the fine line between pragmatism and conservatism since taking office in 2022. However, the recent G7 summit she hosted in southern Italy showcased her unwavering stance on issues close to her nationalist heart – particularly those related to family and reproduction rights. In the lead-up to

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed his willingness to consider Finance Minister Fernando Haddad’s spending cut proposals. However, he made it clear that any fiscal adjustments should not come at the expense of the poor. This suggests that the president is cautious about implementing measures that could further burden vulnerable populations in the