Artificial intelligence is changing the economics of cybercrime by making some attacks faster to prepare, easier to personalise and cheaper to repeat. Tasks such as analysing software, drafting convincing fraudulent messages and examining publicly available information can increasingly be assisted by automated tools. The result is a security environment in which individuals and businesses may…
Procter and Gamble’s latest financial outlook highlights the growing difficulty of protecting profits when the cost of producing and transporting everyday consumer goods rises faster than a company can comfortably pass those increases on to customers. The company has maintained its full-year sales growth expectations, but a substantially larger forecast burden from commodities, energy and…
The prospect of a record-breaking stock market debut for Anthropic is confronting a familiar problem in technology investing: extraordinary revenue growth does not necessarily justify an extraordinary valuation. Investors who had considered valuing the artificial intelligence company at about $2 trillion are reassessing those expectations, with some now discussing a figure closer to $1.5 trillion.…
Global equity funds attracted fresh investment for a fourth consecutive week through October 14, as easing United States Treasury yields and expectations of strong corporate earnings encouraged investors to return to shares. Net inflows reached $20.01 billion, sharply higher than the $1.59 billion recorded in the previous week. Yet the broader buying trend concealed an…
Chinese automakers are increasingly treating Europe not merely as an export destination but as a manufacturing base essential to their long-term international ambitions. As European policymakers consider rules designed to strengthen local industry, Chinese manufacturers are accelerating plans to establish factories, develop regional supply chains and adapt their businesses to changing trade conditions. The strategy…
The sharp rise in American government bond yields has renewed debate over whether borrowing costs are returning to historically normal levels or signalling a more difficult financial environment. The chief executive of Bank of New York Mellon has argued that a 10-year Treasury yield around 5.25% is not unprecedented, suggesting that investors may have become…
Richemont’s reported discussions about joining a consortium seeking to acquire diamond producer De Beers highlight a strategic question facing the luxury jewellery industry: whether premium brands should exercise greater control over the natural diamonds that underpin their products. The Swiss luxury group, which owns Cartier and Van Cleef and Arpels, could gain greater influence over…
India’s negotiations with the United States have reached a critical stage, with New Delhi indicating that the first phase of a bilateral trade agreement is close to completion while insisting that the final arrangement must give Indian exporters a competitive advantage over rival suppliers. The position highlights a central feature of India’s trade strategy: securing…
A lawsuit challenging the use of artificial intelligence in McDonald’s franchise pricing has brought a fundamental competition issue into focus: when does software designed to improve commercial decisions begin to undermine independent pricing? The case alleges that an artificial intelligence-powered tool used within the restaurant chain allows franchisees to benefit from commercially sensitive information that…
Brazil’s presidential runoff presents a consequential choice about the country’s economic relationship with the United States, particularly over tariffs, critical minerals and industrial development. The contest between incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has placed competing approaches to international cooperation under scrutiny at a time when Washington is seeking more…
