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In China, AI glasses let the wearer pay in shops with just a glance at a QR code and a voice command, as a growing number of companies look to conquer both growing domestic and overseas markets.Interest in smart eyewear is soaring worldwide after more than a decade of stalled promise, with advances in artificial intelligence sparking a fresh boon for the sector.US giant Meta is the clear market leader, but a host of Chinese companies — from behemoths like Alibaba and Xiaomi to start-ups like Rokid and XREAL — have their sights set on catching up.”China’s advantages are self-evident,” Rokid CEO Misa Zhu told AFP after a recent launch in the eastern city of Hangzhou.”The ecosystem and its supply chain are all in China, and China produces a lot.”Domestically, Chinese companies have an undeniable edge — Meta’s services are blocked there, inaccessible without a VPN.The country is a potentially massive and lucrative market for wearable tech.Smart glasses sales are expected to have grown 116 percent there on-year in 2025, according to market intelligence provider IDC.Daily life is already highly digitalised, with even older citizens using smartphones for everything from payments to transport.China’s internet-based infrastructure, such as QR payment codes in shops, is “already more developed than in Europe and the United States”, said Zhu.- ‘Dark horse’ Xiaomi -Other Chinese companies like Xiaomi, RayNeo, Thunderobot and Kopin are active players in the smart glasses sector, wrote Flora Tang, an analyst at research firm Counterpoint.Xiaomi in particular was a “dark horse”, she said, its debut AI glasses the third best-selling of their kind for the first half of 2025 despite only being on sale for about a week.Interest is also being shown in smaller companies like Rokid, with the company raising more than $4 million on crowdfunding site Kickstarter recently.Rokid is “observing and learning… from big global companies”, CEO Zhu said.To straddle the domestic and overseas markets, the firm allows customers to use Chinese apps in China, and others elsewhere, unlike competitors like Meta, which limit the apps on offer.The Rokid glasses are not locked to one generative AI model, either.”We are very open that we use OpenAI, and can also connect with Llama, Gemini, and Grok” Zhu said.”That’s why many people like us.”Another feature Rokid demonstrated in Hangzhou was simultaneous translation, featuring phosphor-green English subtitles that rolled across the glasses’ inner lenses as an employee talked in Chinese.But shattering Meta’s dominance overseas will be challenging.In the first half of 2025, Meta commanded a 73 percent share of the growing global smart glasses market, according to Counterpoint.Its success has been attributed to the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses, almost indistinguishable from everyday, and crucially fashionable, eyewear.- Privacy concerns -In Hangzhou, Rokid unveiled new collaborations with Bolon, which is also owned by Ray-Ban’s parent company EssilorLuxottica.With weight also a crucial factor, Rokid says its models are among the world’s lightest.”Appearance remains the top priority — it has to make people actually want to wear it,” 25-year-old customer Wu Tianhao told AFP.Chinese firms showcase “numerous brands and models, rapid iteration, and ability to quickly adapt to market changes”, industry expert Zhu Dianrong said.However, “overseas brands still hold an advantage in hard tech like full-colour displays and optical waveguides”.Rokid’s vice president Gary Cai acknowledged an “obvious gap” in chip technology available in China and overseas, but noted the difference between AI models “has narrowed considerably”.Despite interest in smart glasses rising, Chinese and foreign firms alike face major challenges ahead of widespread adoption.Across the board, the user experience needs more polish and accessibility, said Will Greenwald, writer for consumer electronics outlet PCMag.”I don’t think anyone has really made it a smooth experience just yet,” he told AFP.Privacy concerns remain a hurdle, with the ramifications of widely worn glasses discreetly and near-constantly recording throwing up potential regulatory pitfalls.Still, manufacturers such as Zhu remain confident.”Today, our AI glasses are phone peripherals,” he said. “But in the near future… phones will become accessories to the glasses.”

Wall Street stocks resumed their upward climb Tuesday after the previous day’s stutter, as markets weighed expected additional interest rate cuts and favorable seasonal dynamics against valuation concerns.After mixed sessions on Asian and European bourses, New York indices spent the day in positive territory, veering between modest and larger gains.The broad-based S&P 500 ended up about 0.3 percent.Investors were reassured by the retreat in Treasury bond yields that suggested less worry that shifting monetary policy in Japan would spark volatility.”The early buying interest reflects more of the back-and-forth action of a market playing the seasonality game while remaining cognizant of stretched valuations and concentration risk,” said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O’Hare.He added investors were keeping an eye on the US Treasuries market, a day after a jump in yields on US government bonds contributed to losses in the stock market.Bets on the US central bank easing monetary policy next week for a third successive meeting have been rising since several Fed decision-makers flagged concerns over labor market weakness.While Tuesday’s calendar was light on government economic data, the National Retail Federation released an upbeat appraisal of the “Black Friday” holiday shopping weekend, a critical period in the US festive season.A record 202.9 million consumers shopped over the five-day stretch, topping estimates, according to the NRF, which said the turnout “reflects a highly engaged consumer who is focused on value, responds to compelling promotions, and seizes upon the opportunity to make the winter holidays special and meaningful.”Investors are awaiting Wednesday’s monthly report on private-sector jobs, followed by the inflation figures for September on Friday.Major European markets ended mixed.Official data on Tuesday showed eurozone inflation edged up to 2.2 percent in November, veering slightly away from the European Central Bank’s two-percent target.The ECB will announce its rate decision on December 18.The data “comes at a time where some had claimed we could yet see another cut from the ECB, although the likeliness is that their easing cycle is over,” said Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at Scope Markets.Across Asia, most markets closed higher Tuesday.Tokyo was flat after erasing early gains, following Monday’s losses triggered by Bank of Japan boss Kazuo Ueda hinting at a possible interest rate hike this month.South Korean tech titan Samsung Electronics jumped more than two percent in Seoul as it launched its first triple-folding phone, even as its price tag over $2,400 places it out of reach for the average customer.Bayer surged more than 12 percent after the Trump administration backed the German agrochemical giant’s latest legal strategy to limit liability connected to claims that a popular weedkiller causes cancer.In a filing to the US Supreme Court, Trump’s Solicitor General John Sauer argued in favor of Bayer’s stance that a federal statute on pesticide labels preempts state laws requiring warnings on products that may be carcinogenicBoeing jumped around 10 percent as Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave confirmed expectations that the company expects higher plane deliveries in 2026, a key component of a long-term plan to return to profitability and the generation of free cashflow.- Key figures at around 2115 GMT -New York – Dow: UP 0.4 percent at 47,474.46 (close)New York – S&P 500: UP 0.3 percent at 6,829.37 (close)New York – Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.6 percent at 23,413.67 (close)London – FTSE 100: FLAT at 9,701.80 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.3 percent at 8,074.61 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.5 percent at 23,710.86 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: FLAT at 49,303.45 (close) Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.2 percent at 26,095.05 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,897.71 (close)Dollar/yen: UP at 155.86 yen from 155.46 yen on MondayEuro/dollar: UP at $1.1622 from $1.1610 Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3209 from $1.3213Euro/pound: UP at 88.00 pence from 87.86 penceWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.2 percent at $58.64 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 1.1 percent at $62.45 per barrelburs-jmb/bgs

Stocks steadied Tuesday following the previous day’s stutter, as weak data reinforced optimism for US interest rate cuts and tempered concerns over rising Japanese bond yields.Expectations that the Federal Reserve will lower borrowing costs have buoyed markets in recent weeks, helping them recover early November’s losses driven by tech bubble fears.Wall Street’s main stock indices were mostly higher in late morning trading, but had lost much of their early gains.”The early buying interest reflects more of the back-and-forth action of a market playing the seasonality game while remaining cognizant of stretched valuations and concentration risk,” said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O’Hare.He added investors were keeping an eye on the US Treasuries market, a day after a jump in yields on US government bonds contributed to losses in the stock market.Bets on the US central bank easing monetary policy next week for a third successive meeting have been rising since several Fed decision-makers flagged concerns over labour market weakness.Those comments have been compounded by figures showing the economy continues to soften while inflation appears to have stabilised for now.Investors are awaiting Wednesday’s monthly report on private-sector jobs, followed by the inflation figures for September on Friday.However, the rise in yields on long-term US Treasuries was an indication that investors see inflation picking up in the future.”Collectively, the Fed seems certain that inflation, while still high, has peaked,” said Trade Nation analyst David Morrison. “The market appears to disagree.”Major European markets ended mixed.”European stock markets were hampered by euro area inflation unexpectedly edging higher,” said IG trading platform analyst Axel Rudolph.Official data on Tuesday showed eurozone inflation edged up to 2.2 percent in November, veering slightly away from the European Central Bank’s two-percent target.The ECB will announce its rate decision on December 18.The data “comes at a time where some had claimed we could yet see another cut from the ECB, although the likeliness is that their easing cycle is over,” said Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at Scope Markets. Across Asia, most markets closed higher Tuesday.Tokyo was flat after erasing early gains, following Monday’s losses triggered by Bank of Japan boss Kazuo Ueda hinting at a possible interest rate hike this month.His remarks lifted the yen and provided a jolt to equities as the yield of Japanese two-year government bonds rose past one percent to their highest since 2008 during the global financial crisis. Ueda’s hint also weighed on Wall Street as his comments “could mark a de-anchoring of the carry trade, in which traders borrow yen at low cost to invest in riskier assets”, wrote City Index senior market analyst Fiona Cincotta.”A higher rate in Japan could suck liquidity out of the markets. Tech stocks and crypto are particularly sensitive to even the smallest shifts in liquidity.”South Korean tech titan Samsung Electronics jumped more than two percent in Seoul as it launched its first triple-folding phone, even as its price tag over $2,400 places it out of reach for the average customer.Oil prices dipped ahead of talks between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on the Trump administration’s controversial proposal to end the war in Ukraine.- Key figures at around 1630 GMT -New York – Dow: UP 0.2 percent at 47,368.66 pointsNew York – S&P 500: FLAT at 6,809.64New York – Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 23,304.15London – FTSE 100: FLAT at 9,701.80 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.3 percent at 8,074.61 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: UP 0.5 percent at 23,710.86 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: FLAT at 49,303.45 (close) Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.2 percent at 26,095.05 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,897.71 (close)Dollar/yen: UP at 155.77 yen from 155.50 yen on MondayEuro/dollar: UP at $1.1609 from $1.1608 Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3195 from $1.3211Euro/pound: UP at 87.99 pence from 87.87 penceWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.5 percent at $59.05 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.5 percent at $62.88 per barrelburs-rl/rlp

Asian stocks mostly rose Tuesday following the previous day’s stutter, as more weak data helped solidify US interest rate cut optimism and tempered nervousness over rising Japanese bond yields.Expectations that the Federal Reserve will lower borrowing costs have provided a boon to markets in the past few weeks and saw them recover early November’s losses that had been stoked by fears of a tech bubble.Bets on the central bank easing monetary policy for a third successive meeting have been rising since a number of decision-makers said protecting jobs was a bigger concern for them than keeping a lid on elevated inflation.Those comments have been compounded by figures showing the economy — particularly the labour market — continues to soften while inflation appears to have stabilised for now.The latest round of data added to that narrative, with a survey of manufacturers by the Institute for Supply Management indicating that activity in the sector contracted for a ninth straight month.After a mixed day to start the week, most of Asia battled to end with gains, while Europe opened on a negative note.Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Manila and Jakarta were all up, though Shanghai, Mumbai and Bangkok dipped with London, Paris and Frankfurt.Tokyo was flat after giving up early gains, following Monday’s losses that came on the back of comments from Bank of Japan boss Kazuo Ueda hinting at a possible interest rate hike this month.The remarks boosted the yen and provided a jolt to equities as the yield of Japanese two-year government bonds rose past one percent to their highest since 2008 during the global financial crisis. The Japanese unit eased slightly Tuesday as an auction of 10-year bonds received healthy interest.Ueda’s hint also helped pin back Wall Street after last week’s Thanksgiving run-up and dented overall risk sentiment, pulling bitcoin back down.The comments “could mark a de-anchoring of the carry trade, in which traders borrow yen at low cost to invest in riskier assets”, wrote City Index senior market analyst Fiona Cincotta.”A higher rate in Japan could suck liquidity out of the markets. Tech stocks and crypto are particularly sensitive to even the smallest shifts in liquidity.”Still, National Australia Bank’s Rodrigo Catril said Ueda also mentioned the need “to confirm the momentum of initial moves toward next year’s annual spring labour-management wage negotiations”.He said that “implies that the December meeting may be too soon to have a good understanding of the wage momentum for next year”.South Korean tech titan Samsung Electronics surged more than two percent in Seoul as it launched its first triple-folding phone, even as the device’s more than $2,400 price tag places it out of reach for the average customer.- Key figures at around 0815 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: FLAT at 49,303.45 (close) Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.2 percent at 26,095.05 (close)Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 3,897.71 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.1 percent at 9,697.50 Dollar/yen: UP at 155.81 yen from 155.50 yen on MondayEuro/dollar: UP at $1.1614 from $1.1608 Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3212 from $1.3211Euro/pound: UP at 87.91 pence from 87.87 penceWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.1 percent at $59.37 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: FLAT at $63.16 per barrelNew York – Dow: DOWN 0.9 percent at 47,289.33 (close)

Samsung launched its first triple-folding phone on Tuesday, a special-edition product with an eyewatering price tag placing it out of the reach of the average consumer.The Galaxy Z TriFold will go on sale on December 12 and costs more than twice as much as the new iPhone 17 at $2,443.Super thin, it unfolds to a 10-inch (25.4 centimetre) display, offering “increased possibilities for creating and working”, the South Korean tech giant said.The triple fold function is not world-first — China’s Huawei beat Samsung to the punch last year with a phone at a similarly exorbitant price.Growth has been patchy in the competitive smartphone market, pushing makers to find new, eye-catching ways to differentiate their products.Offered solely in a black design, Samsung’s new device comes in at 309 grams (10.9 ounces) and at its thinnest point measures less than 0.2 inches.Generative artificial intelligence features are integrated into the phone, which can give real-time help through screen or camera sharing.Samsung admitted the Galaxy Z TriFold was “not intended for mass sales”.Alex Lim, executive vice president at Samsung Electronics said it was a “special edition” product.The launch comes as recent industry numbers suggest Apple is on track to overtake Samsung for the first time in 14 years as the world’s top smartphone maker through 2029.Apple has also long been rumored to be planning a foldable iPhone, possibly as early as next year.The US company’s smartphone shipments are expected to reach a global share of 19.4 percent in 2025 while Samsung is expected to hold 18.7 percent — with Apple effectively dethroning its rival for the first time, according to research firm Counterpoint.

South Korea’s president ordered on Tuesday swift action to penalise those responsible for a major data leak at e-commerce giant Coupang affecting more than 33 million customers.It was “astonishing that the company failed to recognise the breach for five months”, President Lee Jae Myung said, adding that the “scale of the damage is massive”.Coupang is South Korea’s most popular online shopping platform, serving millions of customers with lightning-fast deliveries of products from groceries to gadgets.Seoul has said the leak took place through overseas servers from June 24 to November 8.But Coupang only became aware of it last month, according to police and local media, who said the company had issued a complaint in November against the alleged culprit — a former employee and a Chinese national.On Tuesday, Lee ordered the government to “strengthen fines and make punitive damages a reality”, calling for “substantive and effective countermeasures”.”The cause of the accident must be quickly identified and (those responsible) must be held strictly accountable,” he said.Police said Monday they were tracing computer IP addresses and looking into possible international collaboration as part of their investigation.They warned the leak could “threaten the daily lives and safety of every single citizen”.Coupang has told customers that their names, email addresses, phone numbers, shipping addresses and some order histories had been exposed in the leak.But the company said their payment details and login credentials had not been affected.The case follows a major breach at South Korea’s largest mobile carrier SK Telecom, which was fined about 134 billion won ($91 million) in August after a cyberattack exposed data on nearly 27 million users.South Korea is among the world’s most wired countries, but has also been a target of hacking by arch-rival North Korea.Police announced last year that North Korean hackers were behind the theft of sensitive data from a South Korean court computer network — including individuals’ financial records — over a two-year period.And last month Yonhap News Agency reported that South Korean authorities suspected a North Korean hacking group may be behind the recent cyberattack on cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, which led to the unauthorised withdrawal of 44.5 billion won in digital assets.

Stocks rose Tuesday following the previous day’s stutter as more weak US data helped solidify US interest rate cut optimism and tempered nervousness over rising Japanese bond yields.Expectations the Federal Reserve will lower borrowing costs has provided a boon to markets in the past few weeks and saw them recover early November’s losses that had been stoked by fears of a tech bubble.Bets on the central bank easing monetary policy for a third successive meeting have been rising since a number of decision-makers said protecting jobs was a bigger concern for them that keeping a lid on elevated inflation.Those comments have been compounded by figures showing the economy — particularly the labour market — continues to soften while inflation appears to be stabilised for now.The latest round of data added to that narrative, with a survey of manufacturers by the Institute for Supply Management indicating that activity in the sector contracted for a ninth straight month.After a mixed day to start the week, Asia’s markets resumed their recent rally Tuesday.Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Wellington, Manila and Jakarta were all up, though Shanghai dipped.Tokyo also advanced, clawing back some of Monday’s losses that came on the back of comments from Bank of Japan boss Kazuo Ueda that hinted at a possible interest rate hike this month.The remarks boosted the yen and provided a jolt to equities as the yield of Japanese two-year government bonds rose past one percent to their highest since 2008 during the global financial crisis. The Japanese unit was steady on Tuesday.They also helped pin back Wall Street after last week’s Thanksgiving run-up and dented overall risk sentiment, pulling bitcoin back down.Ueda’s comments could mark a de-anchoring of the carry trade, in which traders borrow yen at low cost to invest in riskier assets”, wrote City Index senior market analyst Fiona Cincotta.”A higher rate in Japan could suck liquidity out of the markets. Tech stocks and crypto are particularly sensitive to even the smallest shifts in liquidity.”Still, National Australia Bank’s Rodrigo Catril said Ueda also mentioned the need “to confirm the momentum of initial moves toward next year’s annual spring labour-management wage negotiations”.He said that “implies that the December meeting may be too soon to have a good understanding of the wage momentum for next year”.Investors are watching nervously an auction of 10-year bonds due later Tuesday.South Korean tech titan Samsung Electronics surged more than two percent in Seoul as it launched its first triple-folding phone, even admitting that its more than $2,400 price tag would place it far out of reach for the average customer.- Key figures at around 0230 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 0.4 percent at 49,499.06 (break) Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.8 percent at 26,245.11Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.3 percent at 3,904.02Dollar/yen: UP at 155.60 yen from 155.50 yen on MondayEuro/dollar: UP at $1.1610 from $1.1608 Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3212 from $1.3211Euro/pound: DOWN at 87.86 pence from 87.87 penceWest Texas Intermediate: UP 0.2 percent at $59.42 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: UP 0.1 percent at $63.23 per barrelNew York – Dow: DOWN 0.9 percent at 47,289.33 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 9,702.53 (close)

Dozens of oil tankers suspected of smuggling contraband crude for Russia and Iran have been using a beachside office in the tropical South Pacific to cover their tracks, an AFP analysis of sanctions data has revealed.Nestled next to a pizza shop in the far-flung Cook Islands is the modest headquarters of one of the fastest-growing shipping registries in the world.Without ever setting foot in the palm-fringed microstate, foreign ship owners can pay Maritime Cook Islands to sail under its star-studded flag.United States sanctions data identifies 20 tankers registered in the Cook Islands suspected of smuggling Russian and Iranian fuel between 2024 and 2025.A further 14 Cook Islands-flagged tankers are blacklisted on a separate database of British sanctions covering the same period.New Zealand, by far the Cook Islands’ closest diplomatic partner, said it was “alarming and infuriating” to see sanctions efforts undermined.”New Zealand continues to hold serious concerns about how the Cook Islands has been managing its shipping registry, which it has repeatedly expressed to the Cook Islands government over many years,” said a spokesman for Foreign Minister Winston Peters. “This is a completely unacceptable and untenable foreign policy divergence.” The self-governing Cook Islands remain in “free association” with former colonial ruler New Zealand, which is still involved in areas such as defence and foreign affairs.Maritime Cook Islands, which runs the shipping registry, denies failing to conduct proper checks or harbouring sanctioned vessels, saying any such ships are deleted from the registry.- Shadow fleet -Western sanctions aim to curb Iran and Russia cashing in on oil sales, limiting funding for Tehran’s nuclear programme or Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.”There are countries around the world that sign up to sanctions against Russia that wouldn’t allow these ships to fly their flag,” said Anton Moiseienko, an expert in sanctions and financial crime at Australian National University.”But there are countries that are a bit more lax about that,” he told AFP.”This is where the Cook Islands comes in.”A UAE-based shipping company was in April accused of smuggling “millions of dollars” of fuel on behalf of the Iranian military in the Gulf.The company owned tankers flagged in Barbados, Gambia, Panama and the Cook Islands, according to US sanctions.Ships like these are allegedly cogs in a maritime smuggling network known as the “shadow fleet”, skirting sanctions by passing themselves off as cargo vessels on legitimate business.They cover their tracks by registering in places such as the Cook Islands, where they can enjoy much less stringent oversight. Often the registries are unaware of the vessel’s true purpose.- ‘Fastest growing’ -Shipping journal Lloyd’s List last year crowned Maritime Cook Islands the “fastest growing registry” in the world.”There are a number of ships flying the Cook Islands flag that have been identified as part of the shadow fleet,” said Moiseienko.”When it comes to flag states — Cook Islands, Liberia and others — there isn’t really any international mechanism to enforce their obligations.”A few months later the registry was in the headlines again, when a tanker called the Eagle S damaged five underwater cables in the Baltic Sea.Finnish investigators would later suggest the Cook Islands-flagged vessel — allegedly part of Russia’s shadow fleet — had sabotaged the cables by dragging its anchor across the seabed. – Flags of convenience –  Shipping registries are also an easy way for revenue-starved Pacific island nations to bolster government coffers.But these registries, typically operated as private companies, have run into trouble.North Korean smuggling networks have long exploited shipping registries in South Pacific nations such as Palau, Niue and Tuvalu.Many, including the Cook Islands, do not publicly list their fees.But AFP obtained an estimate from Palau that suggested a 30,000 tonne oil tanker could expect to pay around US$10,000 in registration fees.Shipping registries allowing foreign-owned ships to fly under their banner are known as “flags of convenience”.”Many shadow fleet vessels use flags of convenience from countries that are either less inclined or unable to enforce Western sanctions,” notes a European Parliament briefing from 2024. The Cook Islands was one of the “top countries whose flags are used by shadow tankers transporting Russian crude oil”, according to the briefing.The Royal United Services Institute, a leading UK think tank, said Iran and North Korea had been exploiting small shipping registries for years. But shadow fleet activity had “expanded dramatically” after Russia was hit with crippling sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine, the institute said in September.- Diplomatic headaches -Maritime Cook Islands operates the shipping registry as a private company “under a delegation of authority” from the government, and is overseen by the nation’s transport regulator.Government revenue from shipping fees climbed more than 400 percent in the past five years, Cook Islands budget papers show, and were on track to total US$175,000 over the past financial year.Maritime Cook Islands said any vessels accused of dodging sanctions were swiftly deleted from its shipping registry.Sometimes suspicious vessels were deleted before they were named in sanctions, it said. “The Cook Islands register has never harboured sanctioned vessels.”Any sanctioned vessels are deleted.”And the registry denied that it failed to conduct appropriate checks before signing up dubious vessels.”The Cook Islands Registry has platforms that enable effective monitoring and detection of illicit activity.It said it was “not aware” of concerns about sanctions-busting or of any instances of abuse.

European and US stock markets turned lower Monday as investors awaited key US data that could play a role in Federal Reserve deliberations ahead of an expected cut to interest rates next week.Wall Street’s three main indices finished lower, with the S&P 500 losing 0.5 percent after spending the entire session in the red. Frankfurt led declines in Europe, ending the day down one percent.Bitcoin extended its decline, dropping more than five percent to under $85,500 amid weaker risk appetite. The cryptocurrency remains well below its record high above $126,200 struck in early October.”Bitcoin tends to be a leading indicator for overall risk sentiment right now, and its slide does not bode well for stocks at the start of this month,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at trading group XTB.Expectations that the Federal Reserve would continue easing monetary policy into the new year have recently helped equities mitigate lingering concerns about an artificial intelligence-fueled bubble.Markets see a nearly 90-percent chance of a third successive US rate cut on December 10, with traders closely watching this week’s American data on private jobs creation, services activity and personal consumption expenditure — the Fed’s preferred gauge of inflation.Bets on a rate cut surged in late November after several Fed policymakers expressed greater concern over a weakening labor market than stubbornly high inflation.A survey released Monday of manufacturers by the Institute for Supply Management added to this sentiment. The reading fell to 48.2 from 48.7, the ninth straight month of contraction. Apparel, fabricated metal productions and transportation equipment manufacturers were among those reporting contraction.After last week’s healthy gains and Wall Street’s strong Thanksgiving rally, Asian equities closed mixed on Monday.Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and Bangkok rose, but Sydney, Seoul, Wellington, Manila, Mumbai and Taipei dipped.Tokyo sank 1.9 percent as the yen strengthened on expectations that the Bank of Japan (BoJ) will lift interest rates this month.Oil prices climbed more than one percent after OPEC+ confirmed it would not hike output in the first three months of 2026, citing lower seasonal demand.While the move was anticipated, “it was enough to catalyze a move which drove out the weaker short players,” said Trade Nation analyst David Morrison.Traders who bet that oil prices might have dropped if OPEC+ prevaricated had to cover their positions, thus helping push up prices further.The OPEC+ decision comes amid uncertainty over the outlook for crude as traders look for indications of progress in Ukraine peace talks, which could lead to the return of Russian crude to markets.Shares in plane manufacturer Airbus fell by more than 10 percent at one point after reports of a new problem affecting metal fuselage panels, although they later cut losses after the company said the problem had been contained.- Key figures at around 2110 GMT -New York – Dow: DOWN 0.9 percent at 47,289.33 (close)New York – S&P 500: DOWN 0.5 percent at 6,812.63 (close)New York – Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.4 percent at 23,275.92 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 9,702.53 (close)Paris – CAC 40: DOWN 0.3 percent at 8,097.00 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 1.0 percent at 23,589.44 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.9 percent at 49,303.28 (close) Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.7 percent at 26,033.26 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 3,914.01 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1608 from $1.1598 on FridayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3211 from $1.3235Dollar/yen: DOWN at 155.50 yen from 156.18 yenEuro/pound: UP at 87.87 pence from 87.63 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 1.3 percent at $63.17 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 1.3 percent at $59.32 per barrelburs-jmb/iv

Stock markets diverged Monday as investors awaited key US data that could play a role in Federal Reserve deliberations ahead of an expected cut to US interest rates next week.Frankfurt led declines in Europe, while Paris and London also slid after a mixed session in Asia.Bitcoin extended its decline during European trading, sliding five percent to around $86,580 amid weaker risk appetite. The cryptocurrency remains well below its record high above $126,200 struck in early October.”Bitcoin tends to be a leading indicator for overall risk sentiment right now, and its slide does not bode well for stocks at the start of this month,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at trading group XTB.Expectations that the Federal Reserve would continue easing monetary policy into the new year have recently helped equities mitigate lingering concerns about an AI-fuelled bubble.Markets see a 90-percent chance of a third successive US rate cut on December 10, with traders closely watching this week’s American data on private jobs creation, services activity and personal consumption expenditure — the Fed’s preferred gauge of inflation.Bets on a cut surged in late November after several Fed policymakers signalled greater concern over a weakening labour market than stubbornly high inflation.Reports that US President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser Kevin Hassett — a proponent of rate cuts — is the frontrunner to take the helm at the Fed next year added to the upbeat mood.After last week’s healthy gains and Wall Street’s strong Thanksgiving rally, Asian equities closed mixed on Monday.Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and Bangkok rose, but Sydney, Seoul, Wellington, Manila, Mumbai and Taipei dipped.Tokyo sank 1.9 percent as the yen strengthened on expectations the Bank of Japan (BoJ) will lift interest rates this month.Governor Kazuo Ueda said it would “consider the pros and cons of raising the policy interest rate and make decisions as appropriate”, fuelling bets on a hike no later than January.Masamichi Adachi, UBS Securities chief economist for Japan, wrote: “The BoJ is likely to hike its policy rate at the December 19 meeting. Recent remarks and reports… suggest groundwork for a rate hike is underway.””This provided a rare rise for the yen, it also saw yields spike, with the 2-year hitting the highest level since 2008,” said Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at Scope Markets.Oil prices surged 1.5 percent after OPEC+ confirmed it would not hike output in the first three months of 2026, citing lower seasonal demand.The decision comes amid uncertainty over the outlook for crude as traders look for indications of progress in Ukraine peace talks, which could lead to the return of Russian crude to markets.- Key figures at around 1100 GMT -London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.1 percent at 9,712.86 pointsParis – CAC 40: DOWN 0.7 percent at 8,067.78Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 1.3 percent at 23,529.77Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.9 percent at 49,303.28 (close) Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.7 percent at 26,033.26 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 3,914.01 (close)New York – Dow: UP 0.6 percent at 47,716.42 (close)Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1629 from $1.1604 on FridayPound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3225 from $1.3245Dollar/yen: DOWN at 155.26 yen from 156.10 yenEuro/pound: UP at 87.92 pence from 87.60 penceBrent North Sea Crude: UP 1.5 percent at $63.28 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: UP 1.5 percent at $59.44 per barrel