Posts by Liam Redmond
Queues, price hikes and shortages as Asia battles fuel crunch
Disarray has been spreading after just days of war, and for many, the risks are rising [MUMBAI] From Thai farmers racing for diesel to Indian refinery executives monitoring the Persian Gulf through the night, energy buyers across import-dependent Asia are feeling the impact of a dramatic crunch. US and Israeli attacks on Iran have triggered…
Read MoreUS aluminium buyers hunt for alternatives as Iran war upends global supply
The Middle East supply turmoil comes at a particularly fragile moment for American aluminium consumers Published Sat, Mar 7, 2026 · 03:27 PM [NEW YORK] Aluminium buyers in the US are rushing to secure alternative supplies from Asia as the war on Iran disrupts a major foreign source, a development that threatens to hike the…
Read MoreCK Hutchison unit seeks US$2 billion in Panama ports dispute
The two ports are part of the Hong Kong conglomerate’s deal announced in March last year Published Sat, Mar 7, 2026 · 02:46 PM [LONDON] Panama Ports Company (PPC), a unit of Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings, filed an international arbitration against Panama seeking at least US$2 billion in damages over the Central American…
Read MoreChina’s PBOC extends gold buying as Middle East tension simmers
Some countries have also sold gold recently, but buying still outweighs sell-offs Published Sat, Mar 7, 2026 · 01:48 PM [SINGAPORE] China’s central bank bought more gold in February, extending its streak of purchasing to 16 months, as bullion climbs amid escalating Middle East tensions. Gold held by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) rose…
Read MoreNvidia sets US$4 million target cash bonus for CEO Huang under fiscal 2027 plan
The world’s most valuable company says that it expects fiscal first-quarter sales of US$78 billion, plus or minus 2% Published Sat, Mar 7, 2026 · 01:27 PM [BENGALURU] Nvidia has adopted a new variable compensation plan for fiscal 2027 that sets a target cash bonus of US$4 million for CEO Jensen Huang, according to a…
Read MoreUS launches US$20 billion reinsurance plan to ease Gulf oil trade
The strait carries about a fifth of global oil flows, as well as gas, fertiliser and other products Published Sat, Mar 7, 2026 · 01:13 PM [NEW YORK] The Trump administration announced a US$20 billion reinsurance programme aimed at reviving shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, where traffic has all but stopped amid the US…
Read MoreBoeing close to 500-jet order with Trump-Xi summit
Published Sat, Mar 7, 2026 · 12:11 PM [LOS ANGELES] Boeing is closing in on one of the largest sales in its history, a 500-aircraft order for 737 Max jets set to be unveiled when US President Donald Trump travels to Beijing for his first state visit to China since 2017, sources familiar with the…
Read MoreUS airlines brace for second year of turmoil as fuel costs surge
Published Sat, Mar 7, 2026 · 11:39 AM [NEW YORK] US airlines were preparing to put aside the chaos caused by US President Donald Trump’s tariffs this year and the ensuing plunge in travel demand. Instead, they face a second year of turmoil as jet fuel prices spike amid war in the Middle East. Jet…
Read MoreCrisis management for Singapore banks, fund managers in Dubai as conflict sparks anxiety among clients
[SINGAPORE] It has been a week of crisis management and client reassurance for private bankers in Dubai, as Iranian missile strikes tested confidence in the Gulf’s financial hub. Many fielded calls and text messages from anxious clients on asset safety and contingency plans after Iranian missiles pelted the city over the weekend, according to Singapore-based…
Read MoreIndonesia to block children under 16 from social media
Published Sat, Mar 7, 2026 · 10:55 AM [BANGKOK] Indonesia said on Friday (Mar 6) that it would bar anyone younger than 16 from access to social media, joining a growing list of countries that are enacting such restrictions in a bid to safeguard the well-being of children. “The rationale is clear: Our children face…
Read MoreOracle and OpenAI end plans to expand flagship data centre
Published Sat, Mar 7, 2026 · 10:32 AM [SAN FRANCISCO] Oracle and OpenAI have scrapped plans to expand a flagship artificial intelligence (AI) data centre in Texas after negotiations dragged on over financing and OpenAI’s changing needs. The collapsed talks created an opening for Meta Platforms to step in and consider leasing the planned expansion…
Read MoreSouth Korean EV battery maker SK lays off 958 workers in Georgia
The company says that it’s pursuing customers in the automotive and stationary storage space Published Sat, Mar 7, 2026 · 10:02 AM [NEW YORK] The battery unit of SK Innovation is laying off more than a third of the workforce at its plant in Georgia as the South Korean manufacturer navigates a slowdown in electric…
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