China’s new plan to get consumers spending again

China’s new plan to get consumers spending again

BEIJING, CHINA – NOVEMBER 6: Women wearing Qing Dynasty-style costumes take photos inside the Forbidden City on November 6, 2025, in Beijing, China. Cheng Xin | Getty Images News As Chinese households remain reluctant to spend on big-ticket goods, Beijing is leaning on a new lever to revive consumption: experiences and everyday services. China’s cabinet…

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Africa: UN Secretary-General Urges Global Reset As Military Spending Hits Record High

Africa: UN Secretary-General Urges Global Reset As Military Spending Hits Record High

Abuja — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has warned the world is at a critical turning point, urging global leaders to redirect priorities from war to peace as military spending reaches unprecedented levels. In his New Year video message, Guterres said the international community is grappling with deepening chaos and uncertainty marked by growing divisions,…

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BlackRock bets on ‘pick and shovel’ trade as AI spending frenzy still has legs

BlackRock bets on ‘pick and shovel’ trade as AI spending frenzy still has legs

Ben Powell, chief strategist for Middle East and Asia Pacific at BlackRock Investment Institute, at the Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) conference. Bloomberg | Getty Images The wave of capital pouring into artificial intelligence infrastructure is far from peaking, said Ben Powell, chief investment strategist for APAC at BlackRock, arguing the sector’s “picks and shovels”…

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Local online spending surges on Black Friday

Local online spending surges on Black Friday

Some online payment platforms and local banks reported double- and triple-digit growth in spending on Black Friday. South African consumers shopped their way to another strong performance over Black Friday 2025, with online spending surging past the 2024 bargain-hunting weekend period. Online payment platforms and local banks reported double- and triple-digit growth on some platforms,…

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AI spending boom hits overdrive

AI spending boom hits overdrive

A momentous week in the technology sector made it clear there is no sign the boom in building artificial intelligence infrastructure is slowing — despite the bubble talk. Nvidia, whose processors are the AI revolution’s backbone, became the first company to surpass US$5-trillion in market value. Microsoft and OpenAI inked a deal enhancing the ChatGPT…

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