Latest Business News
UN cuts global growth outlook amid tariffs and fiscal strains
The United Nations’ *World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026* projects **global economic growth of 2.7% in 2026**, slightly below 2025 and well under the pre‑pandemic average of 3.2%. The report warns that elevated U.S. tariffs, geopolitical tensions and tight fiscal conditions are clouding the outlook, even as easing inflation and monetary policy provide some support.
Large developing economies like China, India and Indonesia are expected to remain key growth drivers.
Higher U.S. tariffs hit Europe and Japan, reshaping trade flows
The UN forecasts **EU growth slowing to about 1.4% in 2026**, down from 1.5% in 2025, as higher U.S. tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty dampen exports. Japan’s exports, particularly automobiles, are also expected to stay constrained by U.S. tariffs and policy uncertainty, contributing to sub‑1% growth.
Economists note that a temporary truce and targeted tariff reductions have offered only limited relief to global trade.
U.S. stocks start 2026 with strong gains as small caps and defense lead
On Wall Street, the first trading sessions of 2026 have delivered the **second‑best start to a year on record**, with investors rotating into small‑cap shares. Defense stocks have outperformed while some large tech names have softened ahead of key U.S. tariff and labor‑market decisions that could move markets.
Strategists attribute gains to expectations of resilient earnings and eventual Fed easing despite ongoing policy uncertainty.
Venezuela oil sector reset draws top executives and activist investors
Nearly **20 major oil executives are meeting U.S. officials to discuss rebuilding Venezuela’s energy sector** as sanctions and political changes open the door to new deals. Separately, Paul Singer’s Elliott Management, through its Amber Energy unit, is poised to win control of Citgo in a forced sale tied to Venezuela’s debts, potentially gaining increased access to Venezuelan crude flows.
These moves could reshape regional oil supply chains and U.S. Gulf Coast refining.
Rio Tinto and Glencore revive talks to create world’s biggest miner
Rio Tinto has re‑entered talks with Glencore on a potential combination that would form the **world’s largest mining company** by value. News of the renewed discussions sent Rio Tinto shares lower intraday as investors weighed integration risks, regulatory scrutiny, and commodity‑cycle timing.
Analysts say any deal would significantly consolidate iron ore, copper and coal assets, with major implications for global metals pricing and supply.
AI hardware and investment boom continues as China weighs Nvidia chip imports
China is preparing to approve imports of Nvidia’s **H2O AI chips**, designed to comply with U.S. export controls, in a move closely watched by global tech and semiconductor investors. The UN notes that rapid advances in artificial intelligence are driving pockets of strong capital spending in some major markets, though the gains risk being unevenly distributed across countries and sectors.
Investors are positioning around both AI infrastructure demand and regulatory risk.
Cybersecurity M&A accelerates as ThreatModeler acquires IriusRisk
U.S. cybersecurity firm **ThreatModeler is acquiring competitor IriusRisk in a deal valued at over $100 million**, backed by growth investor Invictus. Management links the acquisition to surging demand for robust security practices as AI‑driven coding and software automation expand attack surfaces.
Industry observers expect further consolidation as enterprises prioritize threat‑modeling and cloud security tools.
Private data‑security unicorn Cyera triples valuation in new funding round
Data‑security startup **Cyera has raised a $400 million Series F round led by Blackstone‑managed funds, tripling its valuation to about $9 billion**. The company provides tools to automatically map and protect sensitive data across cloud environments, a capability investors see as critical as regulations tighten and AI models train on corporate data.
The deal underscores continued investor appetite for late‑stage cybersecurity and AI‑adjacent plays despite broader tech volatility.
Amazon tightens performance scrutiny for corporate staff
Amazon is asking corporate employees to **submit detailed documentation of three to five key accomplishments** to justify their roles and performance, according to internal communications. The move comes as large tech firms balance cost controls with selective hiring in AI and cloud, and as return‑to‑office policies and productivity tracking remain contentious.
Analysts view the measure as part of a broader push to align headcount more tightly with measurable business impact.
Physical AI and robotics touted as next manufacturing and services wave
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon told a recent industry event that **“physical AI” systems—AI‑powered robots and devices in the real world—are poised for massive adoption**, from factory floors to consumer products. Parallel forecasts for 2026 highlight robotics and automation as major growth areas, alongside heightened cybersecurity and digital health innovation.
Investors are watching chipmakers, industrial automation firms and AI‑robotics startups that could benefit from this shift.
Global cooperation under strain, but regional blocs strengthen economic ties
The World Economic Forum’s **Global Cooperation Barometer 2026** finds that overall global collaboration has held roughly steady but its structure is changing amid geopolitical tension and conflict. While traditional multilateral mechanisms are under pressure, regional cooperation frameworks are in relatively better shape, influencing how trade, investment and supply‑chain decisions are made.
Business leaders are being urged to build resilience through diversified sourcing and deeper regional partnerships.