Meta Platforms has agreed to acquire Manus, a Singapore-based developer of general-purpose artificial intelligence agents, marking another major step in the social media company’s aggressive push to build a large-scale AI business. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.Manus, which launched its first AI agent earlier this year,…

Global markets opened Tuesday digesting a mix of defense contracts, economic data from South Korea, volatile commodity moves, and continued consolidation in the artificial intelligence sector. From Boeing’s major fighter jet order for Israel to Meta Platforms’ acquisition of fast-growing AI startup Manus, investors are weighing geopolitical risks alongside shifting…

India’s intake of Russian crude is set to mark its weakest month in three years, reflecting how tighter US sanctions are affecting India and Russia’s oil trade. December volumes are tracking lower despite some refiners returning to discounted barrels and expectations that purchases could rise again early next year, as…

The CAC 40 Index rose by ~12% this year and by nearly 20% from its lowest level in April when Donald Trump unveiled his reciprocal tariffs. This rebound coincided with that of other global indices, which are ending the year in the green. This article explores some of the top…

As the sun sets on 2025, the oil market is headed for its steepest annual decline since 2020, when COVID-19 had decimated demand. Often known as the “black gold”, oil has had a difficult year among the commodity complex due to concerns about a serious glut in the coming months. Against such…

Latin America is heading toward a pivotal year in 2026 as new US tariffs and rising oil output reshape the region’s economic and energy outlook.Analysts say a mix of relatively moderate trade barriers and expanding crude production could give some countries a competitive edge while creating headwinds for others.Alejandro Grisanti,…

China’s electric vehicle (EV) boom is losing momentum in 2025, with sales declining across major players and analysts warning that the intense price war is likely to persist. While overall adoption remains high, slowing domestic demand, rising market concentration, and shifting policy support are reshaping the world’s largest auto market.Sales…

Agricultural consultancy SovEcon has raised its forecast for Russian wheat exports for the 2025-26 marketing season, boosting the figure by 0.4 million metric tons (MMT) to a commanding 44.6 MMT. The revision comes as a direct result of the consistently robust pace of wheat shipments from the world’s largest wheat exporter,…

Russia’s pipeline gas exports to Europe plummeted by 44% in 2025, reaching their lowest level since the mid-1970s, driven by the closure of the Ukrainian route and the European Union’s ongoing phase-out of Russian fossil fuel imports, Reuters calculations showed on Tuesday.The European Union has made a firm declaration that…