Gold has smashed through the $4,000 mark — a level few thought possible this year. But what’s behind the surge? Is it a sign investors are losing faith in markets, or simply hedging against uncertainty?
On this edition of World Business, Guy Shone speaks to economist Cuneyt about what the rush to bullion says about global confidence, central bank strategy, and the broader mood of investors in 2025.
Then we turn from markets to money policy — and to France, where the so-called Zucman Tax has sparked a storm. Proposed by economist Gabriel Zucman, it targets the ultra-wealthy with a 2 percent annual levy on fortunes above €100 million. Supporters say it could raise €20 billion a year and help close France’s widening deficit. Critics warn it risks driving capital abroad and deepening the country’s economic malaise.
Can a wealth tax restore fiscal trust where market faith is faltering — or is this just another political experiment? World Business unpacks the numbers, the reactions, and what it all means for Europe’s financial future.
Israel launched its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since hostilities escalated last month, killing over 100 people, even as Hezbollah halted attacks under a disputed U.S.-Iran ceasefire.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Türkiye aims to rank among the world’s top ten exporters of defence technology within the next two years.
China and Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Tuesday aimed at coordinating defensive efforts to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, leaving no agreed international framework for securing the vital route.
As global attention centres on the conflict between Iran and the U.S., violence in Lebanon is intensifying, with Israeli strikes hitting residential areas, causing mounting civilian casualties and deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis.
The crew of Artemis II mission are entering a pivotal phase of their journey, as they prepare to swing around the Moon and head back towards Earth. Now on the fifth day of their 10-day mission, the four astronauts are already witnessing views no human has ever seen.
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran's "whole civilisation" on Tuesday in a post on social media. Meanwhile, the UN failed to reach an agreemement on a resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, after China and Russia used their vetoes.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah said it had stopped firing on northern Israel and Israeli forces on Wednesday as part of a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East brokered between the United States and Iran. However, a Hezbollah lawmaker warned that the pause could collapse if Tel Aviv does not adhere to it.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Iran and the United States, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate two-week ceasefire covering all areas, but Israel says the deal excludes Lebanon. Tel Aviv says the U.S. is committed to achieving shared goals in upcoming negotiations.
The four astronauts aboard Artemis II briefly lost contact with Earth while flying behind the Moon, then regained it during a dramatic lunar far-side flyby.
Israel launched its heaviest strikes on Lebanon since hostilities escalated last month, killing over 100 people, even as Hezbollah halted attacks under a disputed U.S.-Iran ceasefire.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Türkiye aims to rank among the world’s top ten exporters of defence technology within the next two years.
As global attention centres on the conflict between Iran and the U.S., violence in Lebanon is intensifying, with Israeli strikes hitting residential areas, causing mounting civilian casualties and deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis.
Uzbekistan and the U.S. are preparing to launch a joint investment platform by the end of the year, alongside the creation of a new bilateral business council aimed at strengthening economic cooperation.
More than 94,000 people have been displaced in Afghanistan since late February due to cross-border fighting, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said, while nearly 100,000 in Nuristan remain cut off from aid due to insecurity.
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