Economy

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Xi heads to Europe to defend Russia ties
Xi heads to Europe to defend Russia ties
by  AFP

Xi Jinping heads to Europe on Sunday to defend China's "no limits" alliance with Russia, first to key Ukraine backer France, then to Serbia and Hungary, which have close ties to the Kremlin. - 'Eastern opening' - From France, Xi will head to Serbia, and then Hungary on May 8-10.

Luxury brands lure Chinese shoppers despite slowdown
Luxury brands lure Chinese shoppers despite slowdown
by  AFP

Sipping champagne and nibbling fried dumplings, Shanghai's rich and influential posed by Louis Vuitton signs at a runway afterparty –- a lavish affair designed to win customers in China's crucial market.

Spain's fashion and beauty group Puig poised for IPO
Spain's fashion and beauty group Puig poised for IPO
by  AFP

The iconic Nina Ricci, Paco Rabanne and Jean-Paul Gaultier labels make their market debut Friday as Spanish fashion and beauty group Puig begins trading on the Madrid stock exchange. Among its brands are Paco Rabanne, Nina Ricci, Charlotte Tilbury, Carolina Herrera and Dries Van Noten.

Turkey says suspending all trade with Israel
Turkey says suspending all trade with Israel
by  AFP

Turkey said Thursday it was suspending all trade with Israel until it allows aid to enter Gaza unhindered during its offensive against Hamas militants in the territory.

Record loss for Russia's Gazprom as European market closed
Record loss for Russia's Gazprom as European market closed
by  AFP

Russian energy giant Gazprom said Thursday it suffered a record annual loss last year as the European market was practically shut to its gas exports due to sanctions over Moscow's military operation in Ukraine. Exports to Europe have long been Gazprom's top earnings source, but following the start of the conflict in Ukraine European nations sought to reduce their reliance upon Russian natural gas.

US clears ExxonMobil deal, bars Pioneer ex-chief from board
US clears ExxonMobil deal, bars Pioneer ex-chief from board
by  AFP

US antitrust authorities cleared ExxonMobil's acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources under the condition that the shale producer's former CEO be barred from the company's board, regulators announced Thursday. In October, ExxonMobil announced the acquisition of the fellow Texas-based Pioneer for about $60 billion in a big bet on the Permian Basin, a key US shale region.

US trade gap wider than anticipated in March
US trade gap wider than anticipated in March
by  AFP

The US trade deficit was wider than analysts anticipated in March -- hovering close to the biggest in nearly a year -- with exports and imports both declining, according to government data published Thursday. For March, exports and imports were both lower.

Shell logs 'strong' quarter as earnings fall but top expectations
Shell logs 'strong' quarter as earnings fall but top expectations
by  AFP

British oil and gas giant Shell announced Thursday that first-quarter earnings fell but beat expectations in a "strong" performance, and unveiled another bumper stock buyback. Shell had already warned last month that it expected lower natural gas sales in the first quarter after a particularly strong performance in the final three months of 2023.