Ford Motor and the Canadian auto union Unifor have reached a tentative three-year labor agreement covering over 5,000 workers, a key development that could set the pattern for upcoming talks with GM and Stellantis.
South Korea's Kospi index is trading at a record-low forward price-to-earnings ratio of 6.4, as a 170% projected surge in corporate earnings, fueled by AI chip demand, has dramatically outpaced the market's 80% rally.
Wall Street analysts upgraded several key stocks, including T-Mobile, First Solar, and Occidental Petroleum, citing attractive valuations and improving company fundamentals.
Analysts at Goldman Sachs warn that a hawkish Federal Reserve outlook, potentially triggered by upcoming inflation data, poses a significant risk to U.S. equities, even as corporate earnings are expected to remain strong.
The Baltic Dry Index rose to 2,944, finishing the week up 8.4%, as a surge in the capesize vessel segment pointed to strong demand for industrial commodities like iron ore.
Aleko Elisashvili, a founder of the Citizens party, was convicted of attempted terrorism for trying to set fire to a court building in Tbilisi. The verdict comes amid growing concerns over democratic backsliding in the country and strained relations with the European Union.
The UN's top shipping agency has called on its member states to reject Iran's unilateral efforts to control vessel traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz. The move follows Tehran's creation of a new authority requiring permits for passage.
Russia has reportedly suspended all shipping through the Don-Azov channel, a critical artery for grain exports, following a Ukrainian attack on its vessels in the Sea of Azov.
A Qatari delegation is in Iran for talks aimed at de-escalating regional hostilities, according to Iranian media, a diplomatic effort reportedly coordinated with the United States.
