Australia, Britain sign 50-year AUKUS submarine partnership treaty
Australia has signed a long-term defence treaty with Britain to deepen cooperation on the AUKUS nuclear submarine initiative over the next 50 years, t...
Volkswagen cut its 2025 forecast after U.S. tariffs slashed €1.3 billion from profits, but strong EV demand and European sales offer signs of recovery.
Volkswagen Group has lowered its financial guidance for 2025 after U.S. import tariffs led to a €1.3 billion decline in income during the first half of the year. The carmaker reported an operating result of €6.7 billion for the first six months of 2025, marking a 33 percent drop compared to the same period last year.
Sales revenue remained relatively flat at €158.4 billion. The company said the drop in profit was due to the tariffs, €700 million in restructuring costs, and a higher volume of lower-margin electric vehicle sales.
CFO and COO Arno Antlitz stated that, when excluding these factors, the second-quarter operating margin was close to 7 percent, which he described as the upper end of internal expectations.
Volkswagen is also facing pressure to reduce costs after reporting a negative net cash flow of €1.4 billion during the same period. Despite the financial strain, Volkswagen’s shares rose more than 3 percent by midday Friday in European trading.
While U.S. sales fell by 16 percent due to tariffs, a 19 percent increase in South America and steady growth across Western and Eastern Europe helped offset the decline. In the European Union, where new car sales dropped by 1.9 percent overall in the first half of 2025, Volkswagen’s sales rose by 2.3 percent, driven by strong demand for Volkswagen, Skoda, and Cupra models.
The automaker also reported a 62 percent increase in electric vehicle orders. CEO Oliver Blume said the company holds a 28 percent market share in Europe’s EV segment and noted that order books remain strong.
The world’s biggest dance music festival faces an unexpected setback as a fire destroys its main stage, prompting a last-minute response from organisers determined to keep the party alive in Boom, Belgium.
Australian researchers have created a groundbreaking “biological AI” platform that could revolutionise drug discovery by rapidly evolving molecules within mammalian cells.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
The U.S. economy faces a 40% risk of recession in the second half of 2025, JP Morgan analysts said on Wednesday, citing rising tariffs and stagflation concerns.
Volkswagen cut its 2025 forecast after U.S. tariffs slashed €1.3 billion from profits, but strong EV demand and European sales offer signs of recovery.
The IMF has approved a $625 million loan program for Chad to support economic growth and social spending amid regional and economic challenges.
Saudi Arabia announced $6.4 billion of investments in Syria on Thursday, reflecting the kingdom's deepening ties with interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government as it seeks to rebuild Syria after a 14-year civil war.
The Central Bank of Azerbaijan has reduced the refinancing rate from 7.25% to 7%, the interest rate corridor floor from 6.25% to 6%, and the ceiling from 8.25% to 8%.
Inflation is when prices rise, reducing the purchasing power of your money. When it happens slowly, it’s manageable. But when it surges, it can disrupt savings, wages, business planning, and economic growth. That’s when central banks step in.
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