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Quirino Mealha

Economy

US Treasury enlists banks to target Iranian money laundering schemes

The US Treasury has directed banks to intensify their monitoring of Iranian money laundering networks that enable funds from sanctioned oil. The move is part of the wider strategy to pressure Iran into a deal as negotiations stall.

Economy

Potato futures soar 700% in less than a month on Iran war speculation

Potato-linked financial contracts have risen over 700% in a few weeks, despite a current oversupply in Europe, due to speculative trading surrounding the volatile environment caused by the Iran war.

Economy

Oil tanker arrives in South Korea after leaving the Strait of Hormuz

A Malta-flagged tanker, carrying one million barrels of crude oil, has successfully reached the western coast of South Korea after passing through the Strait of Hormuz in mid-April.

Markets

How UK 30-year bonds reached the highest yield this century

Investors are demanding significantly higher returns to hold British debt as 30-year gilt yields reached levels not seen since 1998 this week. The surge represents a major challenge for the UK Treasury but why did it happen and what does it mean exactly?

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Business

Lufthansa hits record revenue as Iran war fuel costs eat into profits

The German airline group posted its highest-ever revenue in 2025 and improved its first-quarter results, but soaring jet fuel costs linked to the Iran war are forcing route cuts and pushing annual profit below initial forecasts.

Markets

Resilience amid ruins: Markets at record highs despite Iran war

Global indices in the US, Japan and South Korea have reached all-time highs despite the economic fallout from the ongoing Iran war. Investors are clearly looking past immediate geopolitical risks but what is driving the rally?

Business

HSBC profits dip while UniCredit's rise in latest earnings reports

HSBC reported a slight contraction in profits while Italy's UniCredit surpassed market expectations as banking institutions navigate a complex landscape defined by geopolitical tensions.

Business

Anthropic reportedly in talks to secure UK-based Fractile AI chips

Anthropic is reportedly in discussions to procure high-performance AI chips from Fractile, a London-based start-up. The agreement aims to diversify the hardware supply chain of the Claude creator, namely away from Nvidia.

Business

GameStop launches $56 billion takeover bid for e-commerce giant eBay

The gaming retailer GameStop has launched a surprise $56 billion (€47.8bn) bid to acquire the online marketplace eBay, marking a potential aggressive expansion into global e-commerce.

Economy

Fertiliser crisis caused by Iran war sparks global food security fears

The Iran war and the consequent blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a severe "fertiliser squeeze" as soaring energy costs and export disruptions push farmers' affordability to a four-year low.

Markets

Oil hits $126 wartime high as US–Iran standoff fuels supply fears

Oil markets face upward pressure on Thursday, with Brent crude briefly touching $126 as markets price in tensions in the negotiations between the US and Iran.

Markets

First Ukrainian companies added to London-listed reconstruction fund

For the first time Ukrainian equities have been included in a London-listed fund, which aims to channel investment into the nation’s eventual post-war reconstruction and current economic resilience.

Markets

Oil prices rise despite UAE exit from OPEC amid Iran ceasefire impasse

Oil markets are navigating a period of unprecedented volatility after the UAE announced its withdrawal from OPEC and the OPEC+.

Economy

Iran war to trigger largest energy price surge since 2022, report says

The World Bank’s latest Commodity Markets Outlook report predicts a 24% surge in energy prices this year as the Iran war delivers a historic shock to global supply chains.

Business

TotalEnergies ramps up refinery output to secure French fuel supply

TotalEnergies has maximised its output at the Gonfreville refinery to protect the French market from external supply shocks. The facility is operating at its limit to produce essential fuels as energy markets remain disrupted.

Economy

ECB rate dilemma: Eurozone growth stalls as Iran war fuels inflation

The European Central Bank faces heightened uncertainty ahead of next week’s rate decision, with President Christine Lagarde warning the "stop-start nature" of the Iran war is making the economic outlook harder to assess.

Business

Intel shares soar 20% as AI demand fuels first quarter earnings beat

Intel posted first-quarter results that beat expectations, sparking a 20% rise in its share price in after-hours trading. The US government's stake in the company, acquired under the Trump administration, is up nearly 300%.

Markets

Hair dryer trick behind €25,000 win? France probes Polymarket bet scam

Officials in France have launched an investigation into the potential compromise of national weather sensors after a series of anomalous temperature readings coincided with betting activity on Polymarket.

Business

EV sales spike nearly 50% in March amid Iran war energy shortage fears

EV growth in the EU is accelerating as Iran war disruption to the Strait of Hormuz tightens global oil and gas supplies, driving fuel price volatility.

Economy

Germany halves GDP forecast from 1% to 0.5% due to Iran war fallout

The German government has officially halved its economic growth forecast for 2026, citing the severe impact of energy shocks stemming from the Iran war. This revision reflects a significant cooling for Europe's largest economy.

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