Trade Optimism Lifts European Markets as India Pact Reframes Growth Outlook While Dr Martens Stumbles

European equity markets moved higher as investors digested the implications of a sweeping trade agreement between the European Union and India, an accord widely framed as transformational for global commerce and long-term corporate earnings. The deal injected fresh optimism into regional markets already navigating a delicate balance between trade opportunity, earnings season uncertainty, and lingering…

HBM4 Becomes the New Battleground as Samsung Repositions Itself in the AI Memory Race

Samsung’s decision to begin production of its next-generation high-bandwidth memory chips marks a critical inflection point in the intensifying contest to supply the core components underpinning the global artificial-intelligence boom. The planned ramp-up of HBM4 manufacturing is not merely a routine technology upgrade, but a strategic move shaped by competitive pressure, customer concentration around AI…

Courtroom Reckoning Tests How Far Platforms Can Be Held Liable for Youth Harm

The decision to send Meta Platforms, TikTok, and YouTube to trial over youth addiction claims marks a pivotal escalation in the long-running debate over social media’s impact on mental health. For years, the issue has been litigated in academic studies, congressional hearings, and public campaigns. Now, it is moving into a courtroom setting where jurors…

Tariff Ultimatum and Strategic Alignment Drive Washington’s Warning to Ottawa

The threat by Donald Trump to impose a 100% tariff on Canadian goods marks a sharp escalation in North America’s trade politics, rooted less in immediate commercial flows and more in long-term strategic alignment. While the warning was triggered by Canada’s engagement with China, it reflects a deeper U.S. concern about how allies position themselves…

Trade Diversification and Strategic Hedging Drive India–EU Push for a Landmark Agreement

India and the European Union are moving toward what both sides have described as the “mother of all deals” at a moment when global trade is increasingly shaped by volatility, tariffs, and strategic realignment. The renewed urgency behind the negotiations reflects less a sudden convergence of economic interests and more a shared response to uncertainty…

Platform Power and Algorithmic Reach Anchored TikTok’s U.S. Success Long Before Its Ownership Crisis Was Resolved

TikTok’s survival in the United States was ultimately secured by a joint venture designed to defuse national security concerns, but by the time that deal materialised, the platform had already demonstrated something more fundamental: it was thriving economically, culturally and commercially despite years of political pressure. Far from limping toward rescue, TikTok entered its moment…

Supply Chain Frictions Expose Fragility in Intel’s Long-Awaited Revival

For much of the past year, optimism around Intel’s revival had been building steadily. Investors bet that a combination of renewed data-centre demand, government backing and strategic reset would finally allow the chipmaker to reclaim relevance after years of lagging behind rivals. That confidence faltered abruptly when Intel’s shares tumbled, exposing how deeply supply chain…

A New Phase for Gas Markets: How Surging LNG Supply in 2026 Reshapes Prices and Demand

Global energy markets are approaching a structural turning point as liquefied natural gas supply expands sharply in 2026, reversing the tight conditions that have dominated since the Ukraine war and reshaping pricing dynamics worldwide. What had been a seller’s market defined by scarcity, volatility, and geopolitical risk is evolving into one marked by abundance, competitive…

From Experimental Tool to Civic Infrastructure: How OpenAI Is Pushing AI Into Everyday Global Life

Artificial intelligence is no longer being framed by its leading developers as a niche technology for specialists or a productivity add-on for elite firms. Instead, it is increasingly positioned as foundational infrastructure—something closer to electricity, broadband, or public health systems than to optional software. That shift in framing sits at the heart of OpenAI’s global…

Export Engines Power China to Target Growth as Domestic Demand Remains Frozen

China’s economy reached its official growth target in 2025 by leaning heavily on an export surge that masked persistent weakness at home, underscoring a structural imbalance that Beijing has yet to resolve. While headline growth delivered reassurance to policymakers, the composition of that expansion revealed a widening divide between globally competitive manufacturers and a domestic…