China’s rapid embrace of robotics is reshaping everyday life and positioning the country as a global leader in advanced technologies. While the US remains focused on artificial intelligence (AI) chips only, China has already achieved dominance in robotics, clean-tech, and other strategic sectors, said Elizabeth Economy in a CNBC interview today. In fact, China is
The approach of 2026 is sharpening attention on one of the most consequential decisions in US economic policy: who will lead the Federal Reserve after Jerome Powell’s term ends in May. President Donald Trump has said he plans to announce his choice early next year, bringing to a head months of public criticism of Powell
Prediction markets have quietly emerged as the next big frontier in financial innovation, and it seems everyone is suddenly paying attention. Investors are pouring in, institutions are taking notice, and major platforms are viewing them not as a fad but as a fundamental shift in how belief, risk, and information interact. And the sudden rise
The US Federal Reserve could be on course for several interest rate cuts in 2026, even if a pause is more likely in January, Commerzbank AG said. The US labour market’s momentum has significantly stalled, with minimal job creation observed in recent months. The US labour market showed surprisingly weak growth in November, with the
Just weeks before Bulgaria prepares to adopt the Euro, its government is falling apart. Streets are full, parliament is paralysed, and the state is heading for yet another snap election. Bulgaria’s corruption crisis is not sudden. It is the logical outcome of years of unresolved power struggles, weak courts, and a public that no longer
The US Securities and Exchange Commission has said in a recent lawsuit that third-party Bitcoin mining hosting agreements may be classified under federal securities laws. The commission’s position surfaced during a Delaware lawsuit where the regulator had sued VBit Technologies and its founder Danh Vo for defrauding thousands of investors between 2018 and 2022 by
Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) will acquire a 20% stake in Shriram Finance Ltd for $4.4 billion, marking the largest cross-border investment ever in India’s financial sector, the Indian non-bank lender said on Friday. The transaction comes amid a sharp acceleration in foreign investment into India’s banking and financial services industry. Deal values in
The S&P 500 Index and its top ETFs, like VOO and SPY remained in a tight range in the past few months as jitters in the AI industry accelerated. It was trading at $6,775, a few points below the year-to-date high of $6,930. This article explores some of the top catalysts for the index and
Crypto exchange Coinbase has filed lawsuits against three US states over regulatory conflicts surrounding the classification of event contracts, as it hopes to secure federal protection for its newly launched prediction markets. Coinbase challenges state authority over prediction markets Per a Dec. 19 X post from the exchange’s chief legal officer Paul Grewal, Coinbase has
Italy’s competition authority has formally closed investigations into four major electric vehicle makers after securing commitments to improve how consumer information is presented. The probes targeted BYD, Tesla, Stellantis, and Volkswagen over concerns that buyers may not have been given sufficiently clear details about electric vehicle performance and battery-related conditions. Rather than imposing penalties, the