Chinese authorities are looking into a new stimulus and support plan for the semiconductor industry, according to Bloomberg, which is referring to sources. The proposed measures involve providing subsidies and other financial benefits to companies operating in this sector, which is seen as critical to China's efforts in competing with the United States in technology. The estimated total cost of...

OPEC has kept its prediction for oil demand increase in 2025 at 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) and at 1.38 million bpd in 2026, as stated in the organization's monthly report. In the most recent report, specialists kept their total oil demand projections steady: 103.84 million bpd for 2024, 105.14 million bpd for 2025, and 106.52 million bpd for 2026. Projections for global oil consumption...

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) increased its prediction for China's economic growth in 2025 to 5% from 4.8%, and for 2026 to 4.5% from 4.2%, the organization wrote in a statement. These projections reflect an enhancement from the October outlook owing to economic stimulus initiatives and tariffs on Chinese exports being lower than anticipated. The IMF predicts that average inflation in...

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has mandated that Airbus A320 operators in the nation perform extra inspections of door fasteners for any cracks, according to Bloomberg. The regulator revised the pertinent airworthiness directive upon finding new cracks near these components, deeming their status unsafe. The new inspection mandate will begin on January 13 and will impact 1,924...

British fund Yellow Cake, which focuses on uranium investments, anticipates a deteriorating supply-demand imbalance in the uranium market. The company acknowledges that short-term fluctuations will continue, but underlying factors indicate further price increases for uranium because of rising demand from energy firms and the expanding significance of nuclear energy worldwide. In its nine-month...

Fitch Ratings, an international ratings agency, has updated its forecast for global GDP growth for 2025, increasing it to 2.5% from the earlier estimate of 2.4% provided in September, as outlined in its December Global Economic Outlook (GEO). The agency projects that global economic growth will decelerate to 2.4% in 2026, which is slightly higher than the previous forecast of 2.3%. Global GDP...

Apple Inc. is set to surpass South Korea's Samsung Electronics in global smartphone shipments for the first time in 14 years in 2025, as reported by Counterpoint Research. The forecast indicates that Apple's iPhone shipments will reach 243 million units worldwide this year, compared to Samsung's approximately 235 million units. By the end of the year, Apple is expected to hold a 19.4% share of...

According to IDC, worldwide tablet shipments in Q3 decreased by 4.4% compared to the previous year, totaling 38 million units. The research firm stated in a report that after six straight quarters characterized by product updates and quicker replacement cycles, the tablet market is exhibiting signs of slowing down. This arises from considerable inventory accumulation, partly because of worries...

The European Commission has initiated three separate inquiries into Amazon Web Services (AWS), provided by Amazon.com Inc., and Azure, offered by Microsoft Corp., under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The DMA is designed to curb the dominance of major technology companies and promote fair competition for smaller businesses. One of these inquiries will examine if the DMA is adequately addressing...