Business - Daily Politics

ASML, the Dutch semiconductor equipment giant, has reported a massive surge in quarterly orders, far exceeding market expectations, fueled by an insatiable global demand for artificial intelligence chips. The company’s fourth-quarter earnings for 2025 revealed that net bookings for its advanced lithography systems, essential for producing the world's most powerful semiconductors, hit a new record. This boom is directly tied to investments from major chipmakers scaling up production for AI data centres and next-generation computing.

Alongside the stellar financial results, which also showed a significant year-over-year increase in sales, ASML announced a strategic restructuring plan. This initiative includes cutting approximately 1,700 ...

The Competition Appeal Tribunal in London has ruled that a landmark £656 million collective action lawsuit against Valve Corporation can proceed. The case, representing up to 14 million UK Steam users, alleges the company has abused its dominant position in the PC gaming market.

Filed by digital rights campaigner Vicki Shotbolt, the lawsuit centers on two primary accusations. First, it claims Valve imposes restrictive terms on game publishers, preventing them from selling titles cheaper or earlier on rival platforms. Second, it argues that Steam’s requirement for users to purchase all additional in-game content through its platform effectively "locks in" consumers.

These practices, ...

Amazon is undertaking a major restructuring of its grocery business, announcing the closure of all its physical Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh store locations across the United States. The decision marks a significant strategic pivot for the retail giant as it exits from operating its own network of physical supermarkets and convenience stores.

This nationwide closure of underperforming locations is part of a broader effort to streamline operations and improve profitability in a highly competitive grocery sector. According to an internal memo from the company's grocery leadership, the restructuring will allow Amazon to concentrate resources on its most promising growth areas: ...

Gold prices have surged to a fresh all-time high, with bullion reaching a historic record as investors seek safety amid global market volatility and geopolitical uncertainty. The sharp climb in spot gold and gold futures reflects a broad flight to safety, with fragile investor sentiment and a mixed performance in global equities underpinning demand for the precious metal.

A key driver behind the rally is heightened economic uncertainty in China, which is fuelling significant safe-haven demand. Concerns over a growth slowdown, ongoing stress in the property sector, and yuan pressure are prompting capital flows into traditional stores of value. This dynamic ...

President Donald Trump has announced the suspension of planned tariffs on European goods, a move that follows the establishment of a framework agreement concerning Greenland. The decision, framed by Trump as a step toward resolving a protracted transatlantic dispute, signals a temporary de-escalation in trade tensions that had raised fears of a renewed US-EU trade war. The pivot is directly linked to progress in discussions over Greenland, which have shifted from earlier rhetoric about acquisition to a negotiated framework focused on resource access and strategic cooperation.

Central to this diplomatic and economic shift is Greenland's vast store of rare earth minerals, ...

In a strategic move to secure its industrial future, China is building what analysts call a "Copper Empire" in Shandong province. This plan, detailed in a report by the South China Morning Post and discussed in a video by Inside China Business (@Inside_China_Business), aims to create a key global hub for copper smelting and supply chain management. The initiative is a direct response to a chaotic global copper market, where record-high prices are driven not by industrial demand but by financial speculation and new US trade policies.

The core issue stems from recent US tariffs on copper. A 50% tariff on ...

Netflix has submitted an all-cash acquisition offer for Warner Bros. Discovery, a potential blockbuster deal that marks a significant escalation in streaming industry consolidation. This takeover bid, if successful, would create a dominant player in the global streaming market by combining Netflix's platform with Warner's extensive content libraries, film and television studios, and live sports programming. The move signals a strategic shift toward achieving greater scale and content control amid intensifying platform competition.

The proposed merger comes as Netflix reports substantial growth in its advertising business, with its ad-supported tier driving a notable boom in streaming advertising revenue. This diversification is ...

South East Water is facing renewed scrutiny after it emerged that its chief executive, David Hinton, could receive a bonus of up to £400,000 despite widespread supply disruptions that left thousands of customers without water.

The potential payout has drawn criticism from shareholders and customers following a series of outages across parts of south-east England. In recent months, burst mains and infrastructure failures have caused prolonged interruptions, with some households reporting days without running water. The incidents have added to public frustration at water companies already under pressure over reliability and performance.

According to company disclosures, the bonus forms part of a ...

Mortgage rate cuts are gaining pace across the UK, with lenders reducing fixed-rate deals in an effort to stimulate demand in the housing market. Several major banks have lowered rates following the Christmas period, reflecting increased competition and cautious optimism about borrowing conditions.

Among the lenders making changes is Barclays, which has trimmed rates on selected mortgage products to attract buyers and those looking to refinance. Industry analysts say the move signals growing confidence that interest rate pressures may be easing, even as affordability challenges remain for many households.

Data from Moneyfacts shows that the number of rate reductions has increased in ...

U.S. President Donald Trump has been encouraging American oil companies to consider large-scale investment in Venezuela’s vast but deteriorated oil industry, presenting what he calls a major economic opportunity following recent political developments. At a White House meeting, Trump urged executives from major firms including ExxonMobil, Chevron and ConocoPhillips to invest billions of dollars to rebuild infrastructure and boost production, promising “total safety” and U.S. protection for their operations.

Despite the administration’s push and discussion of potential contract incentives, many oil industry leaders have remained cautious. Some executives note that Venezuela’s political volatility, past expropriations and the need for legal ...