Oil and gas major Shell Plc reported Thursday higher profit and adjusted EBITDA in its first quarter, while revenues and other income edged down amid weak production. Separately, Shell announced the commencement of a $3.0 billion share buyback programme. In London, the shares were losing around 2.8 percent. In pre-market activity on the NYSE, Shell shares were down 1.7 percent
Consumer products major Colgate-Palmolive Co., while reporting weak profit and higher net sales in its first quarter, on Friday maintained fiscal 2026 earnings and sales growth outlook. Meanwhile, the firm trimmed gross profit margin guidance. In pre-market activity, the shares were gaining around 3.1 percent.
Walt Disney Co. reported Wednesday lower net profit in its second quarter, while segment operating income increased with higher revenues. Further, the media and entertainment major updated its fiscal 2026 outlook, and maintained fiscal 2027 earnings growth view. The company also said it is targeting at least $8 billion in share repurchases in fiscal 2026.
The service sector in Japan continued to expand in April, albeit at a slower pace, the latest survey from S&P Global revealed on Friday with a services PMI score of 51.0. That's down from 53.4 in March, although it remains above the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction. Where...
South Korea posted a current account surplus of $37.33 billion in March, the Bank of Korea said on Friday - up from $23.19 billion in February. The goods account saw a $35.07 billion surplus as exports increased by 56.9 percent to $94.32 billion and as imports increased by 17.4 percent to $59.24 billion,...
Taiwan will on Friday release April figures for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a light day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. In March, imports were up 38.3 percent on year and exports jumped an annual 61.8 percent for a trade surplus of $21.27 billion. Malaysia will provide March...
US Air Force'S F-22 Raptor fighter jets have arrived at Kadena Air Base, the American air base in Japan, marking the latest fighter rotation supporting operations across the Indo-Pacific region. While deployed to the Keystone of the Pacific, the F-22s will operate alongside heavy, reconnaissance, and fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft assigned to the Air Force's 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base, s
A U.S.-led resolution to defend freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is set to be introduced for voting in UN Security Councilin the coming days. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that at President Donald Trump's direction, the United States, alongside its Gulf partners Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar, drafted the resolution. The draft res
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Pope Leo this week. Announcing his visit, the State Department said Rubio will travel to Rome for a three-day tour beginning Wednesday to advance bilateral relations with Italy and the Vatican. Secretary Rubio will meet with Holy See leadership to discuss the situation in the Middle East and mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere, it added.
Asian stock markets are a sea of red on Friday, following the broadly negative cues from Wall Street overnight, amid renewed uncertainty and re-escalation of the Middle East conflict after Iran created a new agency to formalize its control over the Strait of Hormuz and reports of fresh clashes between the U.S. and Iran. This revived concerns of crude oil prices and global inflation.
The Thai Stock market has finished lower in two of three trading days since the end of the four-day winning streak in which it had rallied almost 40 points or 2.7 percent. The Stock Exchange of Thailand now sits just above the 1,505-point plateau and it may take further damage on Friday. The global...
The Indonesia stock market has finished higher in four straight sessions, advancing more than 215 points or 3 percent along the way. The Jakarta Composite Index now rests just above the 7,170-point plateau although it's expected to open in the red on Friday. The global forecast for the Asian markets...
Following the rally seen over the two previous sessions, stocks may show a more modest move to the upside in early trading on Thursday. The major index futures are currently pointing to a slightly higher open for the markets, with the S&P 500 futures up by 0.2 percent. Optimism about a peaceful end...
The Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration has issued a proposed rule that would allow specific categories of critical infrastructure sites to apply for restrictions on drone operations around their facilities. Restrictions - which would be submitted and approved via a new FAA...
Geopolitical conditions might continue to influence investor sentiments on Thursday. In response to the U.S. proposal for ending the Middle East conflict, Iran might be sharing their response today. Early signs from the U.S. Futures Index suggest that Wall Street might open moderately up. In...
With methane emissions from energy sector near record highs, tried-and-tested abatement measures could make 200 billion cubic meters of natural gas available annually, new IEA analysis shows. Methane emissions from fossil fuels remained at very high levels in 2025, with no sign they are declining globally, according to the International Energy Agency's latest tracking update. Although some countr
Planet Fitness, Inc. (PLNT) shares tumbled 32.91 percent to $42.91, down $21.05 on Thursday, despite the company reporting higher first-quarter earnings and revenue.
May 01, 2026 15:54 ET Central banks dominated the economics news flow this week with almost all major ones announcing their latest policy decisions and many boosted expectations for a rate hike in June. In other news, several countries released the preliminary data for first quarter economic growth. In the U.S., comments by Fed Chair Jerome Powell were also in focus as his term ends this month.
Overall cryptocurrency market capitalization has decreased around 1 percent in the past 24 hours as markets anxiously wait for the outcome of the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran to end the Middle East conflict.
The White House says the Trump Administration's Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) drug pricing policy framework to address the major differences in drug prices and contributions to the pharmaceutical innovation enterprise across developed countries is expected to generate $529 billion in domestic savings in the next 10 years across all markets. The Trump Administration has so far reached voluntary MFN pr
The May FDA calendar appears relatively light. The upcoming regulatory milestones include a potential label expansion of argenx SE's VYVGART, and an additional indication for Daiichi Sankyo Company and AstraZeneca plc's cancer therapy Enhertu, among others.
Norway's central bank raised its benchmark rate unexpectedly by a quarter-point on Thursday as the war in the Middle East pushed up inflation and raised substantial uncertainty about the economic outlook. The Monetary Policy and Financial Stability Committee of Norges Bank decided to raise the policy rate to 4.25 percent from 4.0 percent.
The Philippine economy expanded at the slowest pace in five years in the first quarter amid declining investment, weaker household spending and exports. Gross domestic product grew 2.8 percent on a yearly basis in the first quarter, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Thursday. This followed a 3.0 percent expansion seen in the fourth quarter and marked the weakest expansion since the first q
German factory orders grew at a faster pace in March as manufacturers rushed to secure raw materials ahead of potential future price increases and supply shortages. Factory orders increased 5.0 percent in March compared to February's revised growth of 1.4 percent, Destatis reported Thursday. The monthly increase significantly outpaced the 1.0 percent forecast.
Payroll processor ADP released a report on Wednesday showing private sector employment in the U.S. jumped by more than expected in the month of April. The report said private sector employment shot up by 109,000 jobs in April after climbing by a downwardly revised 61,000 jobs in March. Economists had expected private sector employment to grow by 85,000 jobs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has urged all Americans aboard the hantavirus-hit cruise ship to follow the guidance of health officials as the Trump Administration works to bring them home safely. In a statement issued on Wednesday, CDC said the Administration is closely monitoring...
Three people have died and three others are ill following suspected cases of hantavirus infection on a cruise ship in the Atlantic, the World Health Organization reported. WHO noted that one case of the rodent-borne disease has been confirmed so far and there are five additional suspected cases. WHO...
A hantavirus-hit Dutch cruise ship is reportedly sailing to Spain's Canary Islands to medically evacuate two crew members to make sure that they receive urgent medical care. A third person who had contact with the diseased German passenger will also be evacuated, media reports say. Hantavirus victims...
James Murdoch is currently in talks to buy assets from Vox Media, which includes New York magazine and its podcast division. This deal could total more than $300 million, according to some insiders.
CVS Health Corp. on Wednesday reported higher profit and revenues in its first quarter and raised fiscal 2026 outlook. According to the health solutions major, the updated outlook reflects increases in the Health Care Benefits and Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness segments. In pre-market activity, CVS shares were gaining around 4.7 percent
Indian shares edged lower in cautious trade on Friday as fresh U.S.-Iran clashes in the Strait of Hormuz jolted hopes for a deal to end the 10-week conflict and reopen the crucial waterway. The benchmark BSE Sensex was down 545 points, or 0.7 percent, at 77,299 in early trade, while the broader NSE...