EU Scrutiny Intensifies as Google’s Spam Policy Sparks Competition Concerns Across Digital Publishing

Alphabet’s Google is facing renewed regulatory pressure in Europe as the European Commission opens a formal antitrust investigation into its spam-prevention policy, a move that underscores growing tensions between platform governance, algorithmic integrity and the economic stability of the news-publishing sector. The inquiry marks one of the most consequential tests yet of Europe’s Digital Markets…

Foxconn’s Strategic Pivot into AI Servers Drives 17 % Q3 Profit Rise

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. (commonly known as Foxconn), globally recognised for its role as a major contract electronics manufacturer, delivered a 17 % year-on-year increase in third-quarter net profit, underscoring how its deeper footprint in AI-infrastructure manufacturing is reshaping its business model. The performance reflects not only robust demand for artificial-intelligence servers but…

U.S. Auto Strategy Tightens as GM Drives Suppliers to Exit China in Pursuit of Supply-Chain Resilience

In a bold move signaling how seriously it views geopolitical and supply-chain risks, General Motors (GM) has instructed several thousand of its parts- and materials-suppliers to eliminate sourcing from China, setting a targeted deadline of 2027 for key items. While this directive spans raw-materials, components and basic parts, the bulk of its rationale centres on…

U.S. Trade Priorities Push Vietnam to Hammer Out Tariff Deal as Bilateral Imbalance Widens

Vietnam has entered a critical phase in its trade relationship with the United States, reportedly working to finalise a bilateral agreement that would reshape tariffs and market access. The move comes as Washington seeks to tackle the significant structural deficit it runs with Hanoi. Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son confirmed that talks are underway…

Tokyo Investor Alert: SoftBank Group Faces Share Slump as AI Funding Pressures Mount

Shares of SoftBank Group tumbled by as much as 10 % in Tokyo trading following the disclosure of a $5.8 billion sale of its stake in Nvidia Corporation. While the divestment alone triggered the market movement, the underlying narrative is far broader: SoftBank’s ambitious move into artificial intelligence—most notably through its escalating commitment to OpenAI—is…

Why SoftBank’s Massive Bet on OpenAI Drove Its Profit to $16.6 Billion

SoftBank Group’s second-quarter net profit of 2.5 trillion yen (approximately US$16.6 billion) signals more than just a good quarter—it reflects the culmination of a bold pivot into artificial intelligence (AI) led by its substantial investment in OpenAI. The gain is more than double the 1.18 trillion yen reported during the same period last year, underscoring…

Russia’s Shift to Homegrown Wines: How Sanctions, Tariffs and National Strategy Reshaped the Industry

Russia’s wine market is undergoing a profound transformation. Once brimming with French Burgundies, Italian Barolos and South American imports, supermarket shelves now showcase mainly Russian-made vintages. The shift, punctuated by Western sanctions after the invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, is not simply a consumer re-orientation—it embodies changing trade flows, protectionist impulses and a broader…