live U.S. set to block Iran's ports, Tehran warns of harsh response - Monday 13 April
Maritime traffic in and out of Iran will be controlled by the U.S. military Washington said. Iran warns of harsh response to the blockade. A two-we...
Spotify projected third-quarter profit below market expectations on Tuesday, citing increased tax expenses linked to employee compensation, despite strong demand for its premium subscription services.
Shares of the Swedish streaming platform dropped nearly 9% in early trading, even after gaining around 57% so far this year. Investors have been keeping a close watch on the company’s profitability following recent price hikes, cost-cutting measures, and rising subscriber numbers that helped Spotify report its first annual profit in 2024.
The company expects operating income of €485 million ($561 million) for the third quarter, falling short of the €562 million consensus estimate from LSEG data.
Spotify’s forecast of 710 million monthly active users (MAUs) aligns with expectations, while its premium subscriber projection of 281 million exceeds analysts’ estimates of 279 million. In the second quarter, premium subscribers rose 12% to 276 million, and total MAUs increased by 18 million to reach 696 million—both surpassing forecasts.
Despite a 10% year-over-year revenue increase to €4.19 billion ($4.85 billion) in Q2, the figure missed expectations of €4.26 billion. Spotify noted that currency fluctuations negatively impacted revenue growth by roughly 440 basis points.
Looking ahead, the company anticipates third-quarter revenue of €4.2 billion, which also falls below the market projection of €4.48 billion.
Meanwhile, Spotify’s board approved a $1 billion boost to its share buyback programme, increasing the total authorisation to $2 billion, with $1.9 billion available for repurchases through April 2026.
Rising competition from Apple and Amazon has led Spotify to ramp up marketing efforts, contributing to an 8% rise in operating expenses during the April–June period.
Hungarians vote in elections on Sunday that could see the end of hard right nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s more than 15 year rule. Opinion polls show Orbán’s Fidesz party trailing 45-year-old Péter Magyar’s centre-right opposition Tisza party.
U.S. and Iranian negotiators held their highest-level talks in half a century in Pakistan on Saturday in an effort to end their six-week war, as President Donald Trump said the U.S. military had begun the process of clearing the Strait of Hormuz.
At least 30 people were killed on Saturday in a stampede at Haiti’s Laferrière Citadel World Heritage Site, with authorities warning that the death toll could rise.
Israel has reprimanded Spain’s most senior diplomat in Tel Aviv after a giant effigy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was blown up in a Spanish town.
Nine suspects were arrested on Saturday (11 April) in connection with a terror attack targeting a police post in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district.
A French fashion label is placing China at the heart of its global ambitions, choosing Shanghai for its worldwide debut in a move that shows growing confidence in the country’s consumer market and cultural influence.
Walt Disney is planning to cut up to 1,000 jobs in the coming weeks, with many of the reductions expected to affect its marketing division, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the plans.
Major automakers showcased new electric vehicles at the New York Auto Show this week, under the slogan “electrification is the future." However, weakening demand in the United States and intense competition with China are raising questions for markets across the globe, including the South Caucasus.
The U.S. national average retail price of petrol rose above $4 a gallon for the first time in over three years on Monday (30 March), according to GasBuddy data, as the U.S.–Israeli war with Iran continued to roil global energy markets.
Japan and Indonesia will deepen coordination on energy security, Tokyo said, as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran disrupts vital oil and gas flows to Asia.
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