Business

European and Asian equities traded lower this Tuesday, following in the footsteps of Wall Street, as doubts rise as to whether the tech sector's huge investments in artificial intelligence will pay off. Also in this edition: Donald Trump tries to convince American voters he is working to make life more affordable for them. Plus the company behind the 2016 mega-hit "Baby Shark", Pinkfong, debuts on Seoul's stock market.

France's TotalEnergies has struck a partnership deal with Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky's firm EPH. It will create a 50-50 joint venture that will manage power plants across several western European countries with a total capacity of 14 gigawatts. In an all-stock deal, EPH will receive €5.1 billion worth of new Total shares and become its third-largest shareholder.

Plus, France and Ukraine strike a deal for Kyiv to buy up to 100 Rafale fighter jets. We take a look at how much such a purchase could cost.

Federal agencies have started reopening after the longest-ever US government shutdown, but it's likely the lingering effects will be felt for months. Also in this edition: Scotland says it plans to issue its own government bonds, nicknaming them "kilts". Plus, a Russian humanoid robot falls flat on its face.

After President Donald Trump signed a bill into law on Wednesday that funds the US government, his administration ordered federal workers to report back to work this Thursday. In this edition, we take a look at what the reopening of the US government entails after the longest shutdown in the country's history. Over 1 million federal workers will have to receive back pay, and 42 million low-income Americans will be able to once again claim food assistance. 

US firm 1X Home Robots says its first "housekeeping robot" NEO can be ready to start working in homes next year. Meanwhile, China's XPeng unveiled its latest IRON robot, which moved so smoothly it had to cut open one of its legs to prove there wasn't a real human hiding inside. Humanoid robots have been around for decades, but with the advances of AI they have moved to a new level. Yuka Royer speaks with AI strategist Mark Minevich about just how far they have come, and how market competition is heating up. 

The International Energy Agency (IAE) released its annual World Energy Outlook this Wednesday, underlining the growing global demand for electricity, boosted by the rush to build AI data centres. The report also shows renewable energy outpacing fossil fuels despite the US turning its back on key climate commitments. Also in this edition: US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy puts pressure on lawmakers to end the shutdown and warns of air travel chaos over Thanksgiving.

Chinese consumers, anxious about the slowing economy and worn out by endless retail discounts, are showing signs of fatigue toward the annual "Singles' Day" shopping extravaganza – a worrying trend for Beijing as it looks to boost spending. The event was first launched by Alibaba in 2009 and is held each year on November 11. It has since grown into a month-long sales marathon for China's e-commerce giants. We take a closer look.

Also in this edition, we look at the chaotic impact of the US government shutdown on air travel. Some 1,200 more flights were cancelled this Tuesday, adding to 9,000 axed nationwide. Even if the government reopens soon, relief for travellers won't be immediate.

After US senators managed to pass a bill that could end what has been the longest government shutdown in US history, equity markets have reacted with strong gains on Wall Street and beyond. Nonetheless, the interruption in government work will take its toll on the US economy, as predicted by the Congressional Budget Office. Also in this edition: we head to China, where the Singles' Day shopping holiday now spans five entire weeks in a contest of slow consumer demand.

On Wednesday, the US Supreme Court's chief justices heard arguments over the legality of tariffs enacted by President Donald Trump using the Emergency Economic Powers Act, and questioned the reasoning of the administration. In this edition, we look at what the Court's decision could mean for the US economy, public finances and trade negotiations. Also in the show, we meet the French businesses targeted by fake Google review scams.  

Canada's Liberal government unveiled new federal budget plans in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Tuesday, which include a massive spending spree of 280 billion Canadian dollars (€173 billion). The spending is seen as a way to strengthen the Canadian economy after the imposition of steep tariffs by the United States, Canada's most important trading partner. Also in this edition: iconic French glassware cooperative Duralex raises €19 million in a day, just over a year after employees bought back the firm.