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Rice prices double in Japan as inflation accelerates
Rice prices double in Japan as inflation accelerates
by  AFP

Rice prices doubled last month in Japan as core inflation accelerated, official data showed Friday, posing a threat to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba ahead of July elections. In May, Japan's core inflation rate, which excludes volatile fresh food prices, hit 3.7 percent -- its highest level since January 2023 -- interior ministry data showed.

French state leads capital increase for satellite operator Eutelsat
French state leads capital increase for satellite operator Eutelsat
by  AFP

The French state will become the biggest investor in European satellite operator and Starlink competitor Eutelsat, leading a capital increase alongside private shareholders, the company said Thursday. Major shareholders stumping up alongside Paris were shipping giant CMA CGM, Indian telecoms operator Bharti Airtel and the FSP investment fund, owned by seven French insurance companies.

Trump extends deadline for TikTok sale by 90 days
Trump extends deadline for TikTok sale by 90 days
by  AFP

President Donald Trump announced Thursday he had given social media platform TikTok another 90 days to find a non-Chinese buyer or be banned in the United States. "I've just signed the Executive Order extending the Deadline for the TikTok closing for 90 days (September 17, 2025)," Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, putting off the ban for the third time.

How Trumponomics has shaken global markets
How Trumponomics has shaken global markets
by  AFP

US President Donald Trump has taken just a few months since his election to upend global financial markets with his economic policies. Trump's tariffs are the main culprit but the global reserve currency is also suffering from concerns about the size of the US debt -- exacerbated by a budget proposal from the president that many analysts say will be hugely expensive.

Swiss central bank cuts interest rates to zero percent
Swiss central bank cuts interest rates to zero percent
by  AFP

The Swiss National Bank cut interest rates to zero percent on Thursday as inflation cools and the franc strengthens, while the economic outlook has deteriorated. "The global economic outlook for the coming quarters has deteriorated due to the increase in trade tensions," the central bank said, adding that the outlook for Switzerland remained uncertain.