Tech News

Asian markets struggle as traders unmoved by US inflation data

Asian markets were mixed Thursday as investors shrugged at data showing US inflation fell further but only marginally, suggesting the Federal Reserve still had much to do in its battle against rising prices.. Asia saw similar action, with Hong Kong and Shanghai edging slightly higher as data showed below-forecast Chinese inflation that indicated the nation's economic recovery was still struggling, though it gave the central bank room to provide some stimulus.

Wed, May 10, 2023 2 mins read

Tech News

Streaming giants battle for anime supremacy

From R-rated sci-fi to teen biker gang adventures, streaming platforms are locked in an intensifying battle for dominance in one of the entertainment sector's hottest and most lucrative mediums: anime.. - Breaking open the market - Last year, Disney+ announced exclusive streaming rights to season two of smash-hit teen biker gang saga "Tokyo Revengers", part of a lucrative deal with publishing giant Kodansha.

Wed, May 10, 2023 4 mins read

Tech News

Disney Plus sheds subscribers for second straight quarter

Subscribers to Disney Plus fell for the second straight quarter, the company said on Wednesday, though it stemmed financial losses as it competes with Netflix for viewers.. Total subscribers to Disney Plus fell to 157.8 million, the Burbank, California-based group said, with the company losing $659 million in its streaming unit, though this was not as bad as expected.

Wed, May 10, 2023 2 mins read

Tech News

Crises from Ukraine to banking await G7 finance ministers

Support for war-torn Ukraine will top the agenda at G7 finance talks on Thursday, but ministers and central bankers will also weigh concerns from banking uncertainty to US debt default fears.. "With the EU Commission now supporting US leadership here, further serious G7 agreement and action will come," he said ahead of the Niigata talks, which Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko will join virtually.

Wed, May 10, 2023 2 mins read

Tech News

Google answers ChatGPT challenge with Bard expansion

Google on Wednesday said it is opening Bard, a rival to Microsoft-backed ChatGPT, to 180 countries as it expands use of artificial intelligence across its platform.. - Google's announcement came a week after rival Microsoft expanded public access to its generative artificial intelligence programs, which are powered by models made by OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. The AI-enhanced features of the company's Bing search engine and Edge internet browser became open for anyone.

Wed, May 10, 2023 2 mins read

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Germany says controversial Chinese stake in Hamburg port to go ahead

The German government said Wednesday that it would allow a Chinese firm to buy a stake in a Hamburg port, after the terminal was classed as critical infrastructure.. The government controversially gave the go-ahead in October for state-owned Chinese shipping giant Cosco to buy up to a 24.9-percent stake in the Tollerort container terminal in Hamburg.

Wed, May 10, 2023 1 mins read

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Climate maths 'doesn't add up' without carbon capture: COP28 chief

The Emirati oil chief leading this year's UN climate talks said Wednesday the world must get "serious" about new emission-capturing technology, rather than focussing only on replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy.  . But greenhouse gas emissions from existing fossil fuel infrastructure will still push the world beyond 1.5C unless the costly and emerging carbon capture and storage technologies are utilised, the IPCC said.

Wed, May 10, 2023 3 mins read

Tech News

US consumer inflation eases but price pressures remain

Consumer inflation in the United States nudged down only slightly in April, the Labor Department said on Wednesday, despite strong efforts to cool the economy and rein in price increases.. In April, hiring in the United States picked up pace while unemployment remained low, although analysts pointed to a longer-term downward trend.

Wed, May 10, 2023 2 mins read

Tech News

Shell wins legal case over Nigeria oil spill

Britain's highest court ruled Wednesday it was too late for people in Nigeria's Niger delta region to lodge pollution claims against energy giant Shell after a huge oil spill more than one decade ago.. Shell faces a separate ongoing legal case in Britain, after the Supreme Court ruled in February 2021 that more than 50,000 people in the Niger delta region can make pollution claims in English courts.

Wed, May 10, 2023 2 mins read

Tech News

Toyota full-year net profit beats forecast

Top-selling automaker Toyota said Wednesday that its full-year net profit beat expectations and projected better sales and revenue for the year ahead as supply chain disruptions ease.. It said it expects full-year net profit to increase five percent for the year ahead to 2.58 trillion yen on "improvements in semiconductor supply and the efforts of production sites".

Wed, May 10, 2023 3 mins read