Thomas Barnet

With AI, Meta wants to replace advertising agencies such as Publicis and WPP

Meta is accelerating its transformation into an artificial intelligence giant by targeting the advertising world. According to the Wall Street Journal, the California-based group plans to entrust its entire advertising process—from creation to targeting—to its own AI tools by the end of 2025. This small revolution sent Publicis and WPP shares down on the stockmarket on Monday.

02 June 2025 at 11:03 pm AEST

Is BYD a giant with feet of clay?

Yesterday's spectacular slump in BYD's share price—down 8.6% in Hong Kong—appears to be an alarm bell. Admittedly, the company remains one of the undisputed champions of Chinese electric vehicles, although its commercial offensives are weighing on margins and leading to a price war that is worrying even the Chinese authorities.

27 May 2025 at 05:22 pm AEST

Tesla sales continue their freefall in Europe (-49%)

Tesla's sales in Europe plunged 49% in April 2025 compared to April 2024, even as registrations of 100%-electric cars rose 27.8% over the period, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). The update of the Model Y was not enough to restore the image of the American brand, which continues to lose momentum in Europe.

27 May 2025 at 05:10 pm AEST

OnlyFans: in talks for an $8bn sale

Fenix International, the parent company of OnlyFans, is in advanced negotiations to sell the platform to a consortium of investors led by the American company Forest Road Company, Reuters has learned. The deal, which remains confidential, would value OnlyFans at around $8bn, according to three sources close to the matter. This is the first time that this amount and the name of the potential buyer have been mentioned publicly.

23 May 2025 at 06:02 pm AEST

Precious metals: gold wakes up but leaves platinum to shine

Gold prices resumed their upward trend, reaching their highest level in over a week. This rebound is fueled by the weakening US dollar and the continuing climate of political and economic uncertainty. An ounce of gold was trading at around $3,320 early on May 22.

22 May 2025 at 06:57 pm AEST

Oil prices rise amid tensions between Israel and Iran

Oil prices rose more than 1% on Wednesday morning, boosted by reports of a possible Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. Such a scenario is reigniting fears about crude supplies in a region that is crucial to global production.

21 May 2025 at 07:08 pm AEST

Offshore wind power: Trump revives project in New York

Against all odds, the Trump administration has lifted the freeze that had paralyzed the Empire Wind project off the coast of New York for a month. The $5bn wind farm, led by Norway's Equinor, will eventually power half a million homes.

20 May 2025 at 07:43 pm AEST

China cuts rates for the first time in seven months

In China, the central bank has pulled a new tool out of its bag. Faced with a recovery that is slow to materialize, the authorities have lowered their key interest rates—a first since October. The one-year and five-year rates have each been cut by 10 basis points, to 3% and 3.5% respectively.

20 May 2025 at 07:40 pm AEST

UBS faces regulatory crackdown in Switzerland

UBS has not yet finished digesting its takeover of Credit Suisse. In addition, the Swiss bank expects to suffer a serious setback on the regulatory front. Bern is working on a reform that could require it to raise up to $25bn in additional capital, according to Bloomberg.

20 May 2025 at 05:44 pm AEST

Defense, trade, Erasmus… London and Brussels ready to patch things up

The UK is preparing to make the biggest readjustment to its relationship with the European Union since Brexit. This aims to strengthen cooperation on trade and defense in order to revive the British economy and reinforce security on the continent.

19 May 2025 at 06:47 pm AEST

In Europe, defense is rebounding on the back of German budget promises

Proactive statements by German political leaders regarding their country's military spending have revived a defense sector that was emerging from three declines in four sessions in Europe.

15 May 2025 at 07:41 pm AEST

Republicans divided over Trump's tax plan

The Republican majority in the House of Representatives began debating Donald Trump's tax plan on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, although internal tensions threaten its adoption. The plan aims to extend the tax cuts of the first term, at an estimated cost of $3.72 trillion over ten years, in addition to increasing military and security spending.

14 May 2025 at 12:34 am AEST

Venezuelan oil disguised as Brazilian crude to circumvent US sanctions

Traders have quietly re-designated over $1bn worth of Venezuelan oil shipments bound for China as Brazilian over the past year, according to two maritime tracking companies, internal documents, and four industry sources. This scheme allows these players to avoid US sanctions while reducing logistics costs.

12 May 2025 at 06:57 pm AEST

Qatar ready to offer Trump a 747

The Trump administration plans to accept a Boeing 747-8 donated by the Qatari royal family, which would be used as a temporary presidential aircraft, according to a source close to the matter. This exceptional gift, worth around $400m, would then be donated to Trump's presidential library at the end of his term.

12 May 2025 at 06:49 pm AEST

LVMH: Alexandre takes the lead amongst the Arnaults

Alexandre Arnault, one of Bernard Arnault's five children, has been given a high-risk mission: to revive Moët Hennessy, LVMH's worst-performing division, amid a tense trade war and declining sales. This is a daunting challenge for the 33-year-old son of the luxury goods magnate, and one that could well weigh heavily in the race to succeed him at the helm of the $280bn giant.

12 May 2025 at 05:54 pm AEST

Puma shows its claws (a little)

The sports brand Puma announced a decline in its profit margin in the first quarter, while sales remained virtually stable. The company is continuing its cost-cutting efforts to try to improve its performance in a challenging business environment.

08 May 2025 at 07:28 pm AEST

AP Moller Maersk confirms its targets but expects weaker container traffic in 2025

The Danish shipping giant lowered its forecast for global container market growth for 2025 on Thursday, citing heightened economic and geopolitical uncertainties. However, the group is maintaining its profit forecast for the year unchanged.

08 May 2025 at 05:21 pm AEST

Toasters, alarm clocks, game consoles… Here's how China has invaded American homes.

The New York Times published a very informative article after reviewing detailed US import data. This aimed to show which everyday products will inevitably become more expensive due to the tariffs imposed on China. At the top of the list are toasters, alarm clocks, and strollers. These trends are likely to be similar in Europe.

28 April 2025 at 11:06 pm AEST

DoorDash set to acquire Deliveroo for £2.7bn.

British meal delivery specialist Deliveroo announced on Friday that it had received a takeover bid from US company DoorDash. Dated April 5, the proposal values Deliveroo at £2.7bn, or about $3.6bn.

28 April 2025 at 06:13 pm AEST

Automotive: sales up 2.8% in Europe in March thanks to electric vehicles

New car sales in Europe rose 2.8% in March, driven by a surge in registrations in the United Kingdom and Spain, according to data released Thursday by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). The increase comes as electric vehicles offset the decline in gasoline and diesel engines.

24 April 2025 at 05:26 pm AEST

SAP soars 10% after results

Germany's SAP Group has reported Q1 adjusted operating operating profit of E2.5bn for Q1, exceeding analysts' forecasts of E2.22bn, a consensus provided by the company. In the same period last year, SAP posted earnings of ?1.53bn.

23 April 2025 at 09:50 pm AEST