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Equities rallied Monday on hopes that the US government shutdown could be nearing an end after reports said lawmakers had reached a deal to break the record-breaking 40-day impasse.The prospect of a resumption of operations in the world’s biggest economy helped temper lingering worries about extended tech valuations amid talk of an AI bubble following this year’s eye-watering rally.Investors have been growing increasingly concerned about the financial impact of the shutdown, which saw several government services halted and air travel disrupted heading into the Thanksgiving holiday.A University of Michigan survey last week showed a decline in consumer sentiment in November compared with October.A group of Democrats in the Senate sided with Republicans in a procedural vote on the deal Sunday evening —  clearing the way for a formal debate — after reaching a bipartisan agreement to fund operations through January.The Senate will have up to 30 hours to debate before the measure is expected to be passed.Once it clears the Senate, it needs approval from the Republican-controlled House of Representatives before going to President Donald Trump for his signature.The vote came after weeks of wrangling over health care subsidies, food benefits and Trump’s firings of federal employees.The US president told reporters “it looks like we’re getting close to the shutdown ending”.Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune said: “After 40 days of uncertainty, I’m profoundly glad to be able to announce that nutrition programmes, our veterans, and other critical priorities will have their full-year funding.”Lawmakers said the deal would restore funding for food stamps, reverse Trump’s firings of thousands of federal workers and assure a vote on extending health care subsidies. “There is a growing sense of urgency to reach a compromise,” wrote National Australia Bank’s Rodrigo Catril.”The economic consequences are mounting: the Congressional Budget Office estimates the shutdown could shave 1.5 percentage (annualised) points off quarterly GDP growth by mid-November”.Optimism for an end to the standoff helped equities higher in Asia.Tokyo and Hong Kong each rose more than one percent and Seoul piled on three percent. There were also gains in Shanghai, Sydney, Bangkok, Taipei, Manila and Wellington, though there were losses in Singapore.London, Paris and Frankfurt rallied at the open.The reopening would allow officials to resume the release of key economic data, including on the labour market, which is a key gauge for the Federal Reserve as it considers whether to cut interest rates again next month.Traders have been forced to use private data to get an idea about the state of the economy, with a report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas last week showing US layoffs hit the highest level in 22 years in October.That boosted talk of another rate cut, though several key members of the central bank have said their main concern is stubbornly elevated inflation, rather than jobs.Chris Weston at Pepperstone said: “Markets currently price a 67 percent chance of a December rate cut.”However, recent comments from non-voting Fed members (Beth) Hammack and (Lorie) Logan — both suggesting they wouldn’t have supported the October cut — hint at a higher bar for additional easing.”The next wave of Tier 1 data, once government operations resume, will be critical for December expectations.”Investors also took heart in a further easing of China-US tensions after Beijing on Monday said it would suspend for one year “special port fees” on US vessels “simultaneously” with Washington’s pause on levies targeting Chinese ships.While markets are on the up at the start of the week, sentiment has been dented of late by concerns that stocks are overvalued and doubts over tens of billions of dollars in new artificial intelligence investments.- Key figures at around 0815 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 1.3 percent at 50,911.76 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.6 percent at 26,649.06 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 4,018.60 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 9,742.26Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1570 from $1.1563 on FridayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3157 from $1.3160Dollar/yen: UP at 154.06 yen from 153.46 yenEuro/pound: UP at 87.94 pence from 87.86 penceWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.8 percent at $60.22 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.7 percent at $64.06 per barrelNew York – Dow: UP 0.2 percent at 46,987.10 (close)

China said Monday it would suspend sanctions against US subsidiaries of Hanwha Ocean, one of South Korea’s largest shipbuilders, as a fragile trade truce between Washington and Beijing continued to take shape.The United States and China have been involved in a volatile trade and tariff war for months, but agreed to walk back some punitive measures after leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump met last month in South Korea.The year-long suspension of measures against Hanwha, effective from November 10, was linked to the US halting port fees it had levied on Chinese-built and operated ships, China’s commerce ministry said in an online statement.”In light of this (US suspension)… China has decided to suspend the relevant measures” for one year, the statement said.China had imposed sanctions on five US subsidiaries of Hanwha in October, accusing them of supporting a US government “Section 301” investigation that found Beijing’s dominance of the shipbuilding industry unreasonable.Organisations and individuals in China had been banned from cooperating with Hanwha Shipping LLC, Hanwha Philly Shipyard Inc., Hanwha Ocean USA International LLC, Hanwha Shipping Holdings LLC and HS USA Holdings Corp.Hanwha announced a $5 billion investment in Philly Shipyard, in the US city of Philadelphia, in August.

Shein opened its first physical store worldwide in Paris under the eye of riot police, as the French government said it was suspending the Asian e-commerce giant’s online platform following outrage over its sale of childlike sex dolls.Hundreds of shoppers streamed into Shein’s permanent physical store on the sixth floor of the BHV department store, a landmark that has stood across from Paris City Hall since 1856.Police patrolled the street and put up barriers, keeping nearby protesters from approaching the waiting shoppers. Soon after the launch of the shop, the French government said it was suspending the Shein digital platform until the company complied with French legislation.Despite an uproar in the couture capital over the Asian brand’s fast fashion business model and its environmental impact, the first shoppers queued for hours outside the luxury department store.Some of the crowd — ranging from older couples to mothers with young kids and trendy 20-somethings — said they arrived out of curiosity, while others pointed to the brand’s affordability.”Times have changed, generations have changed,” Mohamed Joullanar, a 30-year-old who already buys from Shein online, told AFP.”I’d never thought of going to BHV before,” the Moroccan masters student told AFP. “I always heard it was expensive, luxury products. But now, thanks to Shein, I’m here.”Hammani Souhaila bought a 16.49-euro ($18.93) T-shirt for her 17-year-old daughter at the store but expressed regret that the Shein items sold at BHV were “more expensive than online”.- ‘Crimes against children’ -Nearby children’s rights activists staged a protest.”We protect Shein and the culture of crimes against children while survivors of childhood sexual violence with their signs are pushed aside,” protester Caroline Di Ruzza from Mouv’Enfants, an association for the protection of children, told AFP.Leftist political groups gave speeches and distributed flyers, including one denouncing “suspected forced labour” and “pollution”, and urging passersby to sign a petition against Shein’s presence in the Paris store.Shein, which was founded in China in 2012 but is now based in Singapore, has faced criticism over working conditions at its factories and the environmental impact of its ultra-fast fashion business model, among other concerns.Its arrival in France has been opposed by politicians, unions and top fashion brands.Just days before the planned opening, a new controversy erupted over the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein’s platform. The discovery triggered a new political outcry and the opening of a judicial investigation against Shein, and also rival online retailer AliExpress, over the sale of the sex dolls.But the queues still formed despite the uproar. “The dolls didn’t stop me from coming,” said Fatima Mriouch, a 48-year-old education worker.  On Wednesday, the government said it was moving to suspend the Shein website in France “for the time necessary for the platform to demonstrate to the public authorities that all of its content is finally in compliance with our laws”.The retailer said it wanted dialogue with the French authorities, and separately said it was suspending products from third-party sellers in France.- Man arrested over childlike doll -In a new development, prosecutors said a man was arrested in southern France after ordering a childlike sex doll from China.The parcel did not come from Shein, prosecutor Jean-Luc Blachon told AFP.The man, who was taken into custody, had previously been convicted of sexual assault and “admitted to having ordered the doll for sexual purposes”, prosecutors said.Shein has already pledged to “fully cooperate” with French authorities over the probe into the retailer, and announced it was imposing a ban on all sex dolls.Frederic Merlin, the 34-year-old director of the SGM company that operates BHV, has said he considered pulling the plug on the partnership with Shein but later changed his mind.Merlin, who expressed hope that Shein will help increase footfall at the department store, made an appearance at the entrance shortly before the official opening. Shein is also scheduled to open five shops in other French cities, including Dijon, Grenoble and Reims.ole-hrc-sw-as/sjw/phz/jhb

Asian e-commerce giant Shein Tuesday pledged to “cooperate fully” with French judicial authorities after an uproar over it selling childlike sex dolls, and said it was prepared to disclose the names of people who bought them.The controversy comes as the ultra-fast fashion giant is set to open its first bricks and mortar store in the world, in the prestigious BHV department store in central Paris on Wednesday.”We will cooperate fully with the judicial authorities,” Shein’s spokesman in France, Quentin Ruffat, told RMC radio, adding the company was prepared to share the names of those who have bought such dolls.”We will be completely transparent with the authorities,” he said.”We will put the necessary safeguards in place to ensure that this does not happen again,” Ruffat added.The Paris prosecutor’s office said it had opened investigations against Shein, and also rival online retailer AliExpress, over the sale of sex dolls.The probes were also for distributing “messages that are violent, pornographic or improper, and accessible to minors”, the office told AFP.The investigations were launched after France’s anti-fraud unit reported on Saturday that Shein, a Singapore-based company which was originally founded in China, was selling childlike sex dolls.French media published a photo of one of the dolls sold on the platform, accompanied by an explicitly sexual caption.The pictured doll measured around 80 centimetres (30 inches) in height and held a teddy bear.Ruffat described what had happened as “serious, unacceptable, intolerable.”He chalked up the sale of the dolls to “a malfunction in our processes and governance”.- ‘Who can stop it?’ -On Monday, Shein announced it was imposing a “total ban on sex-doll-type products” and had deleted all listings and images linked to them.  Shein’s meteoric rise has been a bane for traditional retail fashion companies and, even before the uproar over the dolls, the arrival of Shein in the fashion capital had sparked controversy.Critics fear that Shein will further hurt stores in France that have had to lay off staff or close.”Shein in France. Who can stop it?” left-leaning French daily Liberation said on its front page.Frederic Merlin, the 34-year-old director of the SGM company that operates BHV, has been criticised for partnering up with Shein, which has been accused of unfair competition, environmental pollution and poor working conditions.Merlin admitted on Tuesday that he considered pulling the plug on the partnership with Shein after the latest uproar.”It’s despicable,” he told broadcaster RTL.”I find it sickening to know that we can freely sell this kind of stuff on the internet,” Merlin added.But he said he had reconsidered, adding that Shein’s stance and readiness to cooperate with the French authorities “convinced me to continue”.He said he was confident about the Shein products that will be sold at the department store, and denounced a “general hypocrisy” surrounding Shein and its “25 million French customers”.He expressed hope that the Asian giant would help increase footfall at the department store.- ‘Shein has to pay’ -Shein is also scheduled to open several shops in Galeries Lafayette department stores run by SGM in other parts of France.But the Galeries Lafayette group has refused to be associated with Shein.On Tuesday, it ended a partnership with SGM, likely meaning it will withdraw its name from seven such department stores in France, including in the cities of Dijon and Grenoble, the group and SGM said.The mayor of Dijon, Nathalie Koenders, deplored Shein’s upcoming arrival in her city, calling on legislators and European institutions to take action.On Monday, an association fighting to protect children from all forms of violence staged a protest in front of the BHV department store in Paris.”Shame on Shein,” one of the signs read.”Shein has to pay, politically speaking,” said Arnaud Gallais, co-founder and president of the Mouv’Enfants association.egu-ac-jul-as/ah/rl/jhb

Asian e-commerce giant Shein said Monday it was banning sex dolls from sale on its sites globally after French authorities condemned it for featuring ones resembling children.France’s finance minister had threatened to ban the retailer from the country if it resumed selling the childlike dolls, just days before it opens its first physical store in Paris.The Paris prosecutors’ office said it had opened investigations against Shein, and also rival online retailer AliExpress, over the sale of sex dolls.The probes were also for distributing “messages that are violent, pornographic or improper, (and) accessible to minors”, the office told AFP.The investigations were launched after France’s anti-fraud unit reported on Saturday that Shein was selling “childlike” dolls of a likely pornographic nature.French daily Le Parisien published a photo of one of the dolls sold on the platform, accompanied by an explicitly sexual caption.The pictured doll measured around 80 centimetres (30 inches) in height and held a teddy bear.Shortly after the fraud watchdog’s statement, Shein announced the dolls had been withdrawn from its platform and it had launched an internal inquiry.It later announced, in a statement on Monday, that it was imposing a “total ban on sex-doll-type products” and had deleted all listings and images linked to them. A spokesperson told AFP the ban applied globally.”These publications came from third-party vendors, but I take personal responsibility,” said Shein’s chief executive Donald Tang.- French warning -France’s finance Minister Roland Lescure had warned Monday he would move to ban the company from the French market if the items returned online.”These horrible items are illegal,” he told the BFMTV broadcaster, promising a judicial investigation.Shein said it was setting up a dedicated team to ensure the “integrity” of content on the sales platform.France’s high commissioner for childhood, Sarah El Hairy, said several websites were being investigated, after French media reported Chinese shopping platform AliExpress sold the same dolls.AliExpress said it had immediately removed the items from its website.The anti-fraud office said in a statement later Monday that it was taking legal action against AliExpress for selling “child-porn-style dolls”.- Shein store in Paris -Shein is due on Wednesday to open its first physical store in the world inside the prestigious BHV Marais department store in central Paris, a move that has sparked outrage in France.Frederic Merlin, the director of the company that owns BHV, said selling the childlike dolls was “unacceptable”, but on Monday defended his decision to allow Shein into the department store.”Only clothes and items conceived directly by Shein for BHV will be sold in store,” he said.Shein, a Singapore-based company which was originally founded in China, has faced criticism over working conditions at its factories and the environmental impact of its ultra-fast fashion business model.Some brands have pulled their products from BHV Marais since the announcement.France has already fined Shein three times in 2025 for a total of 191 million euros ($220 million).Those sanctions were imposed for failing to comply with online cookie legislation, false advertising, misleading information and not declaring the presence of plastic microfibres in its products.The European Commission is also investigating Shein over risks linked to illegal products, while EU lawmakers have approved legislation aimed at curbing the environmental impact of fast fashion.

Stock markets mostly retreated Friday as the prolonged US government shutdown dragged on investor sentiment, along with worries about an AI bubble dismissed by President Donald Trump.Large tech names that have propelled major US equity indices to repeat records throughout 2025 were under pressure most of the day, although some big names inched into positive territory late in the session.US stocks finished Friday’s session mixed, with the Dow and S&P 500 narrowly positive, while the Nasdaq ended lower.But equity markets have hit resistance in recent days amid concerns that stocks are overvalued and doubts over tens of billions of dollars in new AI investments that have been announced.The worries include that “data centers might not be profitable in the near future.” said Tom Cahill of Ventura Wealth Management, who also emphasized the drag from the record-length government shutdown.”There are several data points that suggest that the labor market is really cooling and with all the uncertainty around the government shutdown and tariffs, that’s probably going to continue to weigh on hiring,” Cahill said.But Trump on Friday rejected talk of any AI bubble.”No, I love AI. I think it’s going to be very helpful,” Trump said in response to an AFP reporter about whether there is an AI bubble.”It’s truly going to be the future, and we’re leading the world.”US stocks got a boost late in the session on a revised offer from Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer that could end the shutdown, although leading Republicans quickly rejected the proposal.Investors have pointed to the shutdown as a source of unease because of the lack of government data. But analysts said there is also rising worry about the economic impact as well.”The longer this lasts the more damage it does,” said Art Hogan of B. Riley Wealth Management.”We’re at the point where investors are starting to realize it is causing real damage.”The shutdown is denting consumer sentiment, according to a University of Michigan survey that showed a decline in November compared with October.”With the federal government shutdown dragging on for over a month, consumers are now expressing worries about potential negative consequences for the economy,” said surveys director Joanne Hsu.The University of Michigan data came a day after a report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas showed US layoffs hit the highest level in 22 years last month.Investors have been forced to use private data as a guide to the state of the world’s biggest economy because of the lack of official data.The shutdown also forced the cancelation of hundreds of flights on Friday after Trump’s administration ordered reductions to ease the strain on air traffic controllers who are working without paMarkets were also pressured by official data showing China’s exports fell in October for the first time in eight months as trade tensions flared in the weeks before Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump reached a detente.London’s top-tier FTSE 100 index was dragged down by double-digit falls in the share prices of online property business Rightmove and British Airways owner IAG following earnings updates that undershot market expectations.- Key figures at around 2115 GMT -New York – Dow: UP 0.2 percent at 46,987.10 (close)New York – S&P 500: UP 0.1 percent at 6,728.80 (close)New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.2 percent at 23,004.54 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.6 percent at 9,682.57 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.2 percent at 7,950.18 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 0.7 percent at 23,569.96 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.2 percent at 50,276.37 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.9 percent at 26,241.83 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.3 percent at 3,997.56 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1563 from $1.1547 on ThursdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3160 from $1.3137Dollar/yen: UP at 153.46 yen from 153.06 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 87.86 pence from 87.90 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.4 percent at $63.63 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.5 percent at $59.75 per barrelburs-jmb/des

A leading German auto supplier said Friday that it had received permission to export Nexperia chips from China again as Chancellor Friedrich Merz hailed “positive signals” of de-escalation in a dispute that has alarmed carmakers.Dutch officials in September effectively took control of the Netherlands-based chipmaker Nexperia, whose Chinese parent company Wingtech is backed by Beijing.China responded by banning re-exports of the firm’s chips, triggering warnings from automakers of production stoppages as the components are critical to onboard electronics.But Beijing announced at the weekend it would exempt some chips from the export ban, reportedly part of a trade deal agreed by President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump.Aumovio, which supplies components like sensors and displays to top automakers, said it had “received an export license from the Chinese government to export Nexperia chips”.”We received the written confirmation yesterday,” a spokeswoman for the group, until recently part of Continental, told AFP.Speaking to reporters at climate talks in Brazil, Merz said that Germany and the Netherlands had held talks with China on the issue.”There are positive signals that the deliveries can start again,” Merz said, adding that “This could happen in the coming hours.””I am confident after speaking to the Dutch prime minister that this will work,” he added.While relatively simple technology, Nexperia’s semiconductors are vital for the electronics in modern, technology-packed vehicles. The chips are made in Europe but then sent to China for finishing, before being re-exported to clients in Europe and other markets.Volkswagen, Europe’s biggest carmaker, had warned of production stoppages if the crisis dragged on, while smaller firms were reported to be preparing to cut working hours.The Netherlands cited national security concerns when it moved to take control of Nexperia and accused the firm’s CEO of mismanagement.China had also accused the United States of getting involved in the case — Washington last year put Wingtech on a list of corporations viewed as acting contrary to US national security.

Stock markets tumbled Friday as fears of an AI bubble deepened a tech selloff, with investors also rattled by weak economic data and a prolonged US government shutdown.The tech-heavy Nasdaq index was down almost two percent near midday on Wall Street, with shares in the world’s most valuable company, AI chip designer Nvidia, shedding more than four percent.”It’s one thing for equity markets to suffer a general pullback, as happened during the Trump Tariff Tantrum in April,” said David Morrison, analyst at Trade Nation financial services firm.”But it’s quite another to see stocks at the vanguard of AI development getting trashed. What adds to concerns is that there has been no obvious catalyst for the selloff,” he added.Massive investments in artificial intelligence have fuelled a tech rally this year, but some investors fear the valuations are now too high, sparking a selloff this week.”Some analysts warn that this year’s artificial-intelligence-led rally has finally come to a halt,” said Forex.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada.”Others suggest markets needed to cool down anyway with indices racing to record highs without much pause and new stimulus,” he added.Investors were also rocked by data showing US consumer sentiment dipped in November to its lowest level since mid-2022.The University of Michigan’s index of consumer sentiment dropped by six percent this month, preliminary estimates indicate, to a reading of 50.3 from October’s 53.6 figure.It came a day afer a report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas showed US layoffs hit the highest level in 22 years last month.Investors have been forced to use private data as a guide to the state of the world’s biggest economy because the longest-running US government shutdown has closed numerous departments.The shutdown also forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights on Friday after President Donald Trump’s administration ordered reductions to ease the strain on air traffic controllers who are working without pay.While the latest jobs figures came a day after news that private hiring had increased, it sparked concerns about the labour market and put pressure on the Fed to cut borrowing costs for a third successive meeting in December.However, comments from central bank officials suggested another reduction was not certain, echoing boss Jerome Powell’s warning last week.Markets were also pressured by official data showing China’s exports fell in October for the first time in eight months as trade tensions flared in the weeks before Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump reached a detente.London’s top-tier FTSE 100 index was dragged down by double-digit falls in the share prices of online property business Rightmove and British Airways owner IAG following earnings updates that undershot market expectations.- Key figures at around 1640 GMT -New York – Dow: DOWN 0.6 percent at 46,616.29 pointsNew York – S&P 500: DOWN 1.1 percent at 6,646.42 New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 1.9 percent at 22,621.37London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.6 percent at 9,682.57 Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.2 percent at 7,950.18Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 0.7 percent at 23,569.96Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.2 percent at 50,276.37 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.9 percent at 26,241.83 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.3 percent at 3,997.56 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1576 from $1.1548 on ThursdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3165 from $1.3135Dollar/yen: UP at 153.05 yen from 153.04 yenEuro/pound: UP at 87.83 pence from 87.91 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.3 percent at $63.56 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.3 percent at $59.63 per barrelburs-bcp-lth/tw

Stock markets fell Friday on renewed fears of an AI bubble, a weak US job market and a prolonged US government shutdown.Wall Street opened lower, with shares in US chips designer Nvidia down 1.6 percent and fellow tech giant Palantir shedding 0.5 percent after a selloff the previous day.”It’s one thing for equity markets to suffer a general pullback, as happened during the Trump Tariff Tantrum in April,” said David Morrison, analyst at Trade Nation financial services firm.”But it’s quite another to see stocks at the vanguard of AI development getting trashed. What adds to concerns is that there has been no obvious catalyst for the selloff,” he added.Massive investments in artificial investments have fuelled a tech rally this year, but some investors fear the valuations are now far too high, sparking a selloff this week.”Some analysts warn that this year’s artificial-intelligence-led rally has finally come to a halt,” said Forex.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada.”Others suggest markets needed to cool down anyway with indices racing to record highs without much pause and new stimulus,” he added.Investors were also rattled by a report from outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas showing US layoffs hit the highest level in 22 years last month.The report found that this year had been the worst for layoffs since 2020, when the labour market was decimated by the pandemic.Investors have been forced to use private data as a guide to the state of the world’s biggest economy because the longest-running US government shutdown has closed numerous departments.The shutdown also forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights on Friday after President Donald Trump’s administration ordered reductions to ease the strain on air traffic controllers who are working without pay.While the latest jobs figures came a day after news that private hiring had increased, it sparked fresh concerns about the labour market and put pressure on the Fed to cut borrowing costs for a third successive meeting in December.However, comments from central bank officials suggested another reduction was not certain, echoing boss Jerome Powell’s warning last week.Fed Cleveland chief Beth Hammack said she remained “concerned about high inflation”.Chicago Fed boss Austan Goolsbee told CNBC he was concerned about making decisions during the shutdown without full data.Markets were also pressured by official data showing China’s exports fell in October for the first time in eight months as trade tensions flared in the weeks before Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump reached a detente.London’s top-tier FTSE 100 index was dragged down by heavy losses to share prices of online property business Rightmove and British Airways owner IAG. They dropped 13 and eight percent respectively following earnings updates that undershot market expectations.- Key figures at around 1430 GMT -New York – Dow: DOWN 0.4 percent at 46,705.12 pointsNew York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.5 percent at 6,687.89 New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.7 percent at 22,886.73London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.9 percent at 9,644.01 Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.4 percent at 7,933.60Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 1.0 percent at 23,506.30Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.2 percent at 50,276.37 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.9 percent at 26,241.83 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.3 percent at 3,997.56 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1571 from $1.1548 on ThursdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3138 from $1.3135Dollar/yen: UP at 153.37 yen from 153.04 yenEuro/pound: UP at 88.08 pence from 87.91 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.9 percent at $63.92 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 1.0 percent at $60.02 per barrelburs-bcp-lth/jj

In a World War II bunker east of Frankfurt, a steel door weighing over four tonnes protects Germany’s largest reserve of rare earths, a treasure at the heart of rising geopolitical tensions.The exact location is confidential and the site is under close video surveillance. This is where Tradium, a German company specialised in trading rare earths, keeps thousands of barrels of the precious materials — almost all from China, the world’s biggest producer.The materials in the bunker — such as dysprosium, terbium and neodymium — are essential for the manufacture of crucial modern technology including smartphones, electric cars and wind turbines.Tradium, which employs fewer than 40 people, expects to reach a turnover of 300 million euros ($346 million) this year.In the midst of the US-China trade war, Beijing imposed restrictions in April on rare earth exports, making them subject to licenses with stringent conditions. China controls over 60 percent of rare earths mining and 92 percent of refined production worldwide, according to the International Energy Agency.Germany’s flagship automotive sector is especially affected by the restrictions because it is dependent on rare earth magnets.China’s dominance in the sector has left European industry highly exposed.Matthias Rueth, president and founder of Tradium, said that “nervousness is rising” among his clients.For one industrial customer, any further shortage of rare earths “could go as far as halting production”, he said.”Our Chinese suppliers are naturally not very happy either” and would prefer open trade, Rueth said, adding that the Chinese government’s decisions had “tied their hands”.”The rest of the world is currently in a dilemma. There’s a shortage of these raw materials, prices are exploding, and no one really knows how things will turn out.”- Restrictions remain – China’s dominance of the rare earths market goes back decades.According to Rueth, at least since the 1990s Chinese governments have looked at the materials as an asset on a par with the Middle East’s oil reserves.Europe has never created a comparable mining industry, said Martin Erdmann from the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR).He said Europe had preferred to “import these materials at lower cost from countries with less stringent environmental regulations”.The United States, which was the sector’s global leader until the 1990s, then “abandoned production for cost and environmental reasons, leaving China to dominate the market,” Erdmann told AFP. Although US President Donald Trump claimed that his agreement with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in late October meant the suspension of some of the restrictions related to rare earths, the reality is far less clear. According to Erdmann, “April’s restrictions remain” in place, with Beijing still requiring “mandatory licenses, which involve disclosing industrial secrets and proving that the material will not be used in defence industries”. Few European companies are able to accept these conditions.- ‘Already too late’ -About 15 years ago, Japan faced a similar rare earths crisis caused by difficulties with supply chains from China.In response, it developed alternative suppliers, notably in Australia, and built strategic reserves. For Europe, “it is crucial to learn the same lessons and invest massively,” said Erdmann. In 2024 the European Union adopted legislation to secure its supplies of 17 strategic raw materials.The Critical Raw Materials Act sets a 2030 target for at least 10 percent of rare earths consumed in the EU to be extracted within the bloc, along with 40 percent of necessary processing and 25 percent of recycling.However, meeting these targets will be complicated given that the rare earth market remains captive to “very low prices, probably deliberately maintained at this level” by Beijing, which aims to “prevent any profitable exploitation” outside China, said Erdmann. Rueth said that “our modern life entirely depends on these materials” but that finding an alternative when they become scarce “is very difficult”.Looking at the conundrum now faced by Europe to catch up in the race for critical rare earths, he said he has come to the gloomy conclusion that “it’s already too late”.