Business

Business · 13 October 2026

Berlin’s ‘Made‑in‑Europe’ Panic Triggers Call for EU Trade‑Defense Super‑Shield

Etienne Marlow, Brussels desk

Facing mounting import pressure from China, Germany is urging the EU to grant stronger trade‑defence powers to safeguard its key industries.

Business · 13 October 2026

IMF upgrades UK growth outlook as Burnham’s maiden budget flags 2027 energy price rise

Iris Quay, London desk

The IMF has nudged the UK’s growth forecast higher just as Prime Minister Andy Burnham prepares his inaugural budget, which already signals higher household energy bills and rates in 2027. Markets react with cautious…

Business · 13 October 2026

Bed‑bug scare grounds Qantas Rome‑Perth Dreamliner

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

Qantas cancelled flight QF6 on the Rome‑to‑Perth route after passengers on an earlier leg complained of bed‑bug bites. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was sent for an extra‑cleaning regimen, prompting a flurry of indus…

Business · 13 October 2026

Election fog turns NZ economy into a waiting room, with businesses holding their breath (and their coffee cups)

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

As the election draws near, companies across the country have slipped into a holding pattern, pausing investments and even their coffee breaks while politicians debate the future.

Business · 13 October 2026

Europe’s Love‑Hate With Cheap Chinese Cars: Shoppers Snap Up Deals, Regulators Hit the Brakes

Noor Hale, World desk

European buyers are increasingly snapping up low‑cost Chinese vehicles while policymakers scramble to slow the influx.

Business · 13 October 2026

Paris Motor Show Becomes Chinese Parade, Western Makers Whisper to Their Engines

Etienne Marlow, Brussels desk

The 2026 Paris Motor Show sees Chinese manufacturers dominate the floor, leaving Western brands to wonder if they should have brought a translator.

Business · 13 October 2026

Retirement Riddle: How Your Income Decides the Size of Your Social Security Check

Noor Hale, World desk

Social Security’s trust fund is projected to run short by 2032, meaning benefits will be trimmed. The cuts won’t be uniform – they’ll depend on how much retirees earned before they stopped working, as illustrated…

Business · 13 October 2026

Leicester City Owners Call In the Bid‑Book: Thai Investors Invite New Hands After a Decade of Glory

Iris Quay, London desk

Thai owners of Leicester City have asked potential buyers to submit offers this week, marking an exit ten years after the club’s Premier League triumph.

Business · 12 October 2026

Trump's Diesel Deal: A Midterm Fuel Fumble

Noor Hale, World desk

A plan to import diesel from Russia announced weeks before the U.S. midterm elections has sparked criticism from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers.