Economy & Finance

Economy, finance, markets, luxury and geopolitics — macro signals that influence the art market and collecting.

Most recent stories

Bain Forecasts Slow Luxury Recovery by 2026 Amid Global Uncertainty economy-finance
A new forecast from Bain & Company predicts that the luxury industry will see a slow recovery starting in 2026, despite ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty and global unrest. The…
Kuaishou chip spin-off TranStreams raises Series A+ funding amid US export controls economy-finance
This week, TranStreams, a chip subsidiary of Kuaishou, a prominent Chinese short video company, secured an undisclosed sum in a Series A+ funding round led by QF Capital.…
China's Big Fund becomes SMIC's third-largest shareholder after record Star Market buyout economy-finance
China's state-backed National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, known as the Big Fund, has become the third-largest shareholder of Semiconductor Manufacturing…
ASML and NXP Join Dutch Trade Mission to China Amid US Export Restrictions economy-finance
Executives from Dutch tech giants ASML and NXP will participate in a trade mission to Beijing next month, led by Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma. The trip involves 17 officials…
JCET invests $1.15B in Shanghai advanced chip packaging plant economy-finance
China's JCET announced a $1.15 billion investment to build an advanced chip packaging and testing factory in Shanghai's Lin-gang Special Area. A controlled subsidiary with 4…
US Federal Tax Credit for Film Production Gains Support economy-finance
In the United States, there is a growing agreement on establishing a federal tax credit for film production. At present, 39 states provide incentives for production, while the…
Economist Warns German Pension Reform Fails to Tackle Old-Age Poverty economy-finance
Economist Sebastian Dullien criticizes the German government's plan to fully adopt the 33 proposals from the pension commission. In an interview with der Freitag, he argues the…
Tech Giants' Market Dominance Threatens Public Sphere economy-finance
New data reveals the alarming extent to which tech corporations like Google and Meta control the internet and public discourse. Martin Andree's research quantifies this dominance,…
CMA Média to Sell Nine Local BFM Channels to Cut Costs economy-finance
CMA Média, the French media group, plans to sell its nine local BFM channels as part of a cost-optimization strategy. The group will also implement a voluntary redundancy plan…
Morgan Stanley Raises China Humanoid Robot Shipment Forecast to 50,000 Units economy-finance
Morgan Stanley has revised its prediction for humanoid robot shipments in China for 2025, now estimating 50,000 units instead of the earlier 28,000. This adjustment is attributed…
EU to Review Paramount's $111bn Warner Bros Takeover economy-finance
David Ellison's media group is in discussions with European Union regulators to secure approval for its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. The deal, which would create one…
China Telecom invests US$1.7 billion in 40,000 servers, boosting Huawei's Kunpeng ecosystem economy-finance
China Telecom has awarded a massive procurement contract for 40,000 high-performance servers, with a budget ceiling of 11.55 billion yuan (US$1.7 billion), covering the company's…
EU and China urged to strike grand bargain to prevent trade war economy-finance
The European Union and China must negotiate a comprehensive agreement to avert a trade war, according to a recent opinion piece. High-level meetings between European and Chinese…
Apple supplier Luxshare Precision Industry clears Hong Kong listing hurdle economy-finance
Luxshare Precision Industry, a key Apple supplier for AirPods, iPhones, and the Vision Pro headset, passed a hearing for a Hong Kong listing on Tuesday, following approval from…
Tech rout hits global stocks as AI rally fears mount economy-finance
A sell-off in technology giants sparked a global stock decline, with the S&P 500 falling 1.4% and the Nasdaq dropping 2.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed just 0.1%…
Russia considers fuel imports after Ukrainian refinery strikes economy-finance
In light of Ukrainian drone attacks on its oil refineries, Russia is contemplating the importation of fuel and the implementation of subsidies to control prices. This topic was…
West rewrites trade rules to counter China's industrial rise economy-finance
The US and Europe, once champions of open trade, are now pushing to rewrite global trade rules to counter China's industrial competitiveness. They accuse China of unfair trade…
French Audit Court Warns of Unsustainable Heritage Project Costs economy-finance
A new report from the Cour des Comptes, published on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, warns that France's major heritage renovation projects face a funding shortfall over the next decade.…
German pension reform excludes 28% of Bundestag members who are civil servants economy-finance
The German government is planning a major pension reform, but 28% of the Bundestag members who will vote on it are themselves not affected. These are civil servants (Beamte), who…
StubHub UK fined £900,000 for hidden ticket fees, ordered to refund 50,000 customers economy-finance
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has mandated that StubHub UK reimburse more than 50,000 customers and impose a fine of £900,000 due to the failure to present total…
ECB President Lagarde urges G7 talks on yuan undervaluation economy-finance
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde called on Monday for global leaders, particularly G7 nations, to discuss the undervaluation of the Chinese yuan as part of…
ICE and OKX Launch Joint Venture to Tokenize Wall Street Assets economy-finance
The New York Stock Exchange's owner, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), is establishing a 50-50 joint venture with the cryptocurrency platform OKX to create tokenized versions of…
China's green exports to US surge as AI boom and Iran war lift demand economy-finance
In May, exports of green energy products from China to the United States experienced significant growth amid rising AI advancements and geopolitical factors. Unassembled solar…
Meituan accused of paying merchants to smear rival Taobao Shangou economy-finance
According to Shanghai Securities News, a state-owned Chinese publication, Meituan, the leading food delivery service, allegedly compensated merchants to share negative details…
Bank of England Publishes Draft Rules for Systemic Stablecoin Regulation economy-finance
The Bank of England has unveiled its policy statement along with a draft Code of Practice aimed at systemic stablecoin issuers, representing a crucial advancement in the UK's…
China defends supply chain role amid Strait of Hormuz crisis economy-finance
On Monday, in Beijing, the fourth China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) kicked off with Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang emphasizing China's integral role in global supply…
Strategy's Bitcoin and Cash Reserves Exceed Debt by $48B, Says Saylor economy-finance
Michael Saylor revealed that Strategy's Bitcoin assets and USD Reserve now surpass its liabilities by roughly $48 billion, a significant improvement from late 2022 when crypto…
Franklin Templeton Files ETFs Converting Stock Dividends into Bitcoin Exposure economy-finance
On June 18, Franklin Templeton put forward plans to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for two new exchange-traded funds (ETFs) aimed at boosting Bitcoin investment…
German housing subsidies fuel rent increases, cuts loom economy-finance
Germany's state spends 28 billion euros annually on housing subsidies, including Wohngeld and accommodation costs, which paradoxically drive up rents. These subsidies, known as…
Apple Supplier Lingyi Seeks $1.1B Hong Kong IPO for AI and Robotics economy-finance
Lingyi iTech, a component manufacturer based in Shenzhen and a supplier for Apple, is set to raise as much as HK$8.3 billion (US$1.1 billion) through an IPO in Hong Kong. The…
Japan's G7 Rare Earth Proposal Risks Regional Tension economy-finance
Japan's engagement with the G7 regarding rare earth minerals suggests that it views China as a threat that requires economic or security responses, which may heighten regional…
Gen Z invests in crypto, AI, and ETFs from teenage years economy-finance
Generation Z is entering investment markets earlier than previous generations, driven by economic insecurity and a desire for financial independence. Ambrico Ranginui, for…
AI-Driven Stock Rally Faces Liquidity and Debt Risks economy-finance
Global stock markets are surging on AI-fueled profits from US tech giants, but economists warn of a looming reality check. Bull investor Ed Yardeni raised his year-end S&P 500…
PRA Proposes Targeted Adjustments to Market Risk Internal Models Under Basel 3.1 economy-finance
The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has published a consultation on adjustments to the internal model approach (IMA) for market risk, the final component of Basel 3.1…
Cuba announces 176 free-market reforms amid US pressure economy-finance
Cuba has unveiled nearly 200 free-market reforms aimed at rescuing its economy from a severe crisis worsened by a US oil blockade. Prime Minister Manuel Marrero detailed 176…
Hong Kong's Role in China's 15th Five-Year Plan: 10 Steps economy-finance
Hong Kong can support China's 15th five-year plan through fintech, gold trading, and investment migration. The plan focuses on high-quality development, technological…
Spacex Bankers Prepare Potential $20 Billion Bond Offering for Ai Expansion economy-finance
Bankers for SpaceX are set to engage with investors as soon as next week regarding a bond issuance of no less than US$20 billion, according to two insiders. This would be the…
Bank of England Holds Rate at 3.75%, Warns on Inflation and Energy Uncertainty economy-finance
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey defended the decision to hold interest rates at 3.75% in June 2026, citing encouraging but incomplete progress on inflation and energy…
Shanghai Stock Exchange opens IPO path for unprofitable AI labs economy-finance
On Wednesday, the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) revealed new rules for AI developers that aren't yet profitable, enabling them to go public on the Star Market. This move targets…
US-Iran deal unlikely to revive Strait of Hormuz shipping, analysts say economy-finance
Although a recent diplomatic advancement has occurred between the United States and Iran, experts in the industry and vessel-tracking information suggest that shipping traffic…

Browse by theme

Exhibitions
Solo shows, group exhibitions, openings, extensions, and closings in galleries, museums, and independent spaces.
Artists
Profiles, interviews, new works, residencies, collaborations, and careers of contemporary artists.
Market & Auctions
Market trends, sales, auction results, major lots, records, and analysis from Christie's, Sotheby's, Phillips and others.
Awards
Awards, scholarships, recognitions, nominations, and winners in the art world.
Festivals & Fairs
Art fairs, biennials, triennials, festivals and cultural manifestations — Art Basel, Frieze, TEFAF, Venice Biennale and beyond.
Institutional
Appointments, leadership changes, museum policies, funding, acquisitions and institutional strategies.
Cultural heritage
Restorations, protection, restitutions, UNESCO heritage, legislation, and conservation.
Architecture & design
Architectural projects for museums, galleries and cultural spaces, design reviews and new buildings.
Digital & new media
Digital art, NFTs, AI art, virtual reality, new technologies applied to art.
AI & Technology
Artificial intelligence, language models, machine learning, AI research, tools and infrastructure — from Anthropic and OpenAI to academic papers.
Economy & Finance
Economy, finance, markets, luxury and geopolitics — macro signals that influence the art market and collecting.
Publications
Art books, catalogs, magazines, essays, and new sector publications.
Opinion & reviews
Editorials, critical reviews, analyses, commentaries, and viewpoints on the contemporary art world.
Other
Everything else — obituaries, interdisciplinary projects, and news that does not fit the main categories.