Business

Japan's finance minister will meet U.S. counterparts next week to discuss rare earth supplies and to set out Tokyo's concerns about China's recent export controls.

Market enthusiasm has risen after Donald Trump replaced Nicolás Maduro, but even with a recovery in oil output and a likely debt restructuring the country would probably need much higher oil prices to generate enough foreign currency to service its external debt.

Cambodian authorities said they arrested and extradited Chen Zhi to China after a joint investigation; he had been charged in the US in October over alleged internet-based cryptocurrency fraud.

Asian stock indexes and U.S. futures rose after broad gains on Wall Street, while oil prices eased early Tuesday following a Monday jump linked to the capture of Venezuela's president.

Hu Anyan, a former Beijing delivery driver, turned his experiences into the bestselling memoir I Deliver Parcels in Beijing, which has sold around two million copies since 2023 and reached international readers with an English translation released in October. The book recounts long hours, low pay and the unclear employment status faced by many of China's roughly 80 million gig workers.

Asian markets drifted lower while the dollar strengthened as investors awaited the U.S. December jobs report and a U.S. Supreme Court decision on the legality of President Trump's global tariffs.

BlueScope received a A$13.2 billion all-cash proposal from SGH and Steel Dynamics, a 27% premium to its share price, and the company has previously rejected earlier offers from Steel Dynamics.

Singapore will launch a Global Listing Board to allow a coordinated, single-prospectus listing on the Singapore Exchange and Nasdaq by mid-2026; the S$2 billion valuation threshold and relatively low trading turnover in Singapore could limit the number of eligible firms.

FIFA has agreed to let TikTok broadcast clips, select press conferences and training sessions through the end of 2026, and TikTok will be able to live‑stream parts of matches at the 2026 World Cup hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.

Brazil’s regulator ANP has told Petrobras it cannot resume drilling at the Foz do Amazonas basin until the company provides information on a leak of synthetic fluid; the leak was reported as 18 cubic meters and the regulator plans an inspection in February.

Major League Baseball said it can produce and distribute local telecasts for teams affected by payment and operational issues at the FanDuel regional networks, and Commissioner Rob Manfred said clubs can decide to move to MLB Media while they evaluate revenue options.

Chick-fil-A has added Frosted Sodas and floats that mix customers' choice of soda with Icedream, and is releasing four retro-inspired Classic Cups including a Golden Fan Cup with 3,000 winners set to receive free Chick-fil-A for a year.

Jorge Rodríguez, head of Venezuela's national assembly, said the government will release a "significant number" of Venezuelan and foreign prisoners but did not specify who or how many. He described the move as a gesture intended to seek peace.

The agriculture minister has said the department will meet laboratory costs for some bluetongue tests in the County Down Temporary Control Zone for a limited time, while farmers remain responsible for required test fees and high‑risk animals must still be tested before moving out.

Labour raised the threshold for inheritance tax on farms from £1m to £2.5m as a pre-Christmas U-turn, but farmers at the Oxford farming conference remained angry and staged protests.

A body believed to be that of 31-year-old Mark Counsell, who was reported missing after calling his family on Christmas Day, was reported found by Malaysian police on 7 January; formal identification is pending and the family have been informed.

Anta Sports has offered to buy the Pinault family's 29% stake in Puma, and sources say it has secured financing; talks have reportedly stalled and Artemis had expected offers to exceed €40 a share.

Berlin mayor Kai Wegner played tennis during a city-wide blackout and later acknowledged he had not been fully forthcoming; he is facing calls to resign.

Protesters gathered outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis after officials said an ICE officer shot and killed a 37-year-old woman, and state and federal leaders offered differing statements about ICE's presence.

LPL Financial has elected Somesh Khanna to its board as an independent director; Khanna is a senior advisor at McKinsey and executive co-chair of Apexon, and the article notes several recent corporate and financial updates for LPL.

Tesco said it now expects adjusted operating profit at the upper end of prior guidance and reported a 3.2% rise in underlying UK sales over the Christmas trading period.

EU ministers met in Brussels to restart talks on a free trade agreement with Mercosur nations, and officials said negotiations could continue with a possible signing in Paraguay on Jan. 12.

Greggs said subdued consumer confidence has left it on track for flat annual profits despite stronger Christmas sales, and its shares fell about 7.3% on the update.

Cambodia arrested and extradited Chen Zhi, who U.S. and U.K. authorities say led a transnational online scam network that exploited trafficked workers; the industry persists across Southeast Asia in many centers and is reported to have extracted large sums from victims worldwide.

Initial jobless claims rose by 8,000 to 208,000 for the week ending Jan. 3, and the four-week moving average was reported at 211,750.

BMW will introduce 10 new models in India this year, including electric vehicles and MINI models, and aims to raise local parts sourcing from about 50% to lower costs; the company sold a record 18,000 cars in India in 2025, up 14% year-on-year.

Ford and other employers report thousands of mechanic and skilled-trade openings that can pay up to $120,000, but firms say a shortage of experienced workers and long training timelines are keeping many roles vacant.

Maritime sources say the Palau-flagged tanker Elbus was struck by an unmanned drone in the Black Sea, prompting it to request Turkish coastguard assistance and anchor off Inebolu; no injuries or pollution were reported.

Farmers launched a 48-hour blockade of major highways across Greece to protest soaring production costs and a proposed EU-Mercosur trade deal; police allowed emergency traffic and the government announced concessions including cheaper electricity rates for farmers and fuel tax rebates.

A US judge found there is enough evidence for a jury to hear Elon Musk's claim that OpenAI shifted from its original nonprofit structure to a for-profit model, and set a trial for March.