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Mint
14 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
The week in charts: Unemployment rises, Boeing totters, Apple's mojo fades
India's unemployment rate rose to 5.6% in May, with rural areas seeing a sharper rise. The tragic Air India crash has added to Boeing's struggles amid tough competition from rival Airbus. And the Israel-Iran conflict has caused oil prices to spike. Unemployment rises in urban rural India India's unemployment rate rose to 5.6% in May from 5.1% in April, according to the latest periodic labour force survey (PLFS) report released by the statistics ministry. The rise was on account of both rural and urban unemployment. Rural unemployment rose 60 basis points to 5.1%, while urban unemployment increased 40 basis points to 6.9%. The increase in joblessness could be attributed to seasonal patterns, especially in rural areas, where activity may pick up in June due to kharif sowing. Urban unemployment may need close monitoring. Also read: Last man in, first man out? Top execs prefer to stay than jump jobs Oil spikes amid conflict, but fuel has a buffer The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran has led to a surge in oil prices, with Brent crude futures currently hovering around $75 per barrel as opposed to a recent low of $64 per barrel average in May. While rising crude oil prices could impact India's growth and current account deficit, a significant impact on fuel prices is unlikely since the government has the buffer to cut excise duties on petrol and diesel. The recent trend shows petrol and diesel prices have remained stable despite volatility in crude oil prices. Wholesale inflation plunges to 14-month low 0.39%: That's India's wholesale inflation rate for May, a 14-month low, driven by falling prices of food, fuel and key manufacturing items. Wholesale food inflation dropped to 1.72%, with sharp deflation in vegetables, pulses and potatoes. This comes after retail inflation eased to a six-year low of 2.8%, signalling broad price stability. A favourable base, lower global commodity prices, and hopes of a normal monsoon are expected to keep inflation subdued in the coming months. Boeing's blues give Airbus the edge The recent Air India crash has added to Boeing's troubled run, which has severely hampered its operations and profitability. Between 2015 and 2025, Boeing saw 467 accidents and 1,458 deaths, compared to Airbus's 246 accidents and 564 deaths—despite similar fleet sizes, an analysis by showed. Boeing's reputation has taken repeated hits since the 737 Max crashes of 2018 and 2019, leading to grounded planes, inquiries and losses. Meanwhile, Airbus has stayed low-key but consistent, delivering more aircraft and reporting steady profits. India's trade balance improves India's trade deficit narrowed sharply to $21.9 billion in May from $26.4 billion in April, driven mainly by lower imports. Merchandise exports stood at $38.7 billion, up slightly from $38.5 billion in April. Imports on the other hand fell sharply to $60.6 billion from $64.9 billion in April. Falling crude and gold imports also supported the narrowing gap. While India's trade balance improved from the previous month and year-ago period in May, exports were 2.2% lower year-on-year. Also read: US-China trade war blows hot and cold for India Hindustan Zinc's capacity-boost plan ₹12,000 crore: That's the size of the new expansion plan by Hindustan Zinc Ltd to boost its metal capacity. According to a Mint report, the company plans to add a capacity of 250 kilo tonnes per annum (ktpa). This would be the first phase of its ambitious plan to double metal output over the next few years. To achieve its goals, the company's board has approved the investment to add a new smelter at its integrated zinc metal complex in Debari, Rajasthan. Apple's year to forget Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025 was meant to showcase innovation. Instead, it highlighted the company's deeper struggles. Apple's shares have declined nearly 20% this year, marking the worst performance among big tech firms, an analysis by howindialives showed. The iPhone maker is facing persistent issues from stagnant sales, regulatory heat on its services business, to a shrinking Chinese market. While rivals push ahead in AI, Apple lags, relying on partners such as OpenAI. Overall, weak innovation and global pressures have made 2025 a tough year for the tech giant. Also read: Can Apple's 'affordable' iPhone 16e be a flagship-killer? Chart of the week: Nuke check Nine countries, including the US, Russia, UK, France and India, collectively held around 12,241 nuclear weapons, with about 3,912 deployed and 2,100 on high operational alert, a report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute showed. The US and Russia together own nearly 90% of all nuclear warheads. Follow our data stories on the In Charts and Plain Facts pages.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Easing prices: on the inflation data
The inflation data for May show just how much can change in one month. Retail inflation came in at a 75-month low of 2.8% in May, with easing food prices the main reason behind this fall. Wholesale inflation, too, slowed to just 0.4%, the lowest in more than a year. The primary driver here, apart from falling food prices, was a drastic contraction of 12.4% in crude oil and natural gas prices. An oversupply of oil and a slowing global economy had meant that the months leading up to May had seen oil prices fall considerably. With India importing about 80% of its oil requirement, this eventually translated into lower wholesale inflation in the country. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had, in its monetary policy announcement on June 11, predicted that inflation for the year would come in at an average of 3.7%, down from its forecast of 4% in April. According to some analysts, retail inflation in June could come in as low as 2% — the lower end of the RBI's comfort band since current factors impact the data with a considerable lag. Overall, the feeling until not too long ago was that inflation would continue to ease. But then Israel attacked Iran, and the monsoon's progress across the country slowed, both developments that are likely to affect the two key factors, fuel and food, that had, until now, led to the fall in overall inflation. Oil prices jumped as much as 8% in a single day following Israel's attack on Iran on June 13. The Hindu had, last week, reported that an escalation of tensions between the two countries and a resultant blockage of the vital Strait of Hormuz could result in a 40%-50% increase in shipping costs for Indian exports and imports, and could impact India's oil supplies from key sources such as Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. This is not an unlikely eventuality, either, with Commerce Ministry officials set to hold a meeting this week with trade and shipping sector stakeholders to discuss how the government can ease their distress. Costlier inputs, especially oil, will eventually move the inflation needle back up. The monsoon has picked up pace again, according to India Meteorological Department officials, but it's still early days. In the past, even though the overall monsoon has been satisfactory, its uneven spatial distribution has left several agricultural areas parched. It is far from certain that food prices will continue their downward trajectory. In its last monetary policy meeting, the RBI shifted its stance to 'neutral', indicating that it was as ready to raise interest rates as it was to cut them. This was prescient, as the last few weeks have shown just how nimble monetary policy has to be in these increasingly unpredictable times.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump's $1 Trillion Trade Shock: Is the U.S. About to Lose Its Edge?
Trump's tariff blitz is backlouder, costlier, and this time, with fewer friends. As he heads into the G-7 summit, his trade playbook is drawing sharper pushback from allies, courts, and economists. Bloomberg Economics estimates the global economy could be $1 trillion smaller by 2030 if the current tariff regime stays in place. The U.S. alone may shoulder more than a third of that painroughly 690,000 lost jobs and a shrinking slice of global trade. Meanwhile, countries like Canada, Japan, and Mexico are leaning harder into the CPTPP, hedging against what they now see as a less dependable U.S. trade partner. The economic trade-off Trump's banking on? More factories, fewer services. Bloomberg's model suggests tariffs could deliver 1.2 million new manufacturing jobsbut potentially erase 1.6 million in the service sector. That imbalance is already showing up in slower growth forecasts. The OECD now expects just 1.6% U.S. growth in 2025, down from 2.8% in 2024. And as prices tick up and global supply chains recalibrate, major U.S. trading partnersfrom Germany to Japanare preparing for impact. While the Trump team frames this as a strategic reset, even close allies are starting to build trade routes that bypass Washington. For investors, this shift could be a game-changer. Companies with cross-border exposureespecially automakers like Ford (NYSE:F) and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA)may see higher input costs and pressure on margins if tariffs escalate. On the flip side, CPTPP economies like Vietnam and Mexico are gaining ground, drawing new investment and export orders that once flowed to the U.S. The bigger picture? America's withdrawal from TPP could end up as one of the most expensive political decisions in modern trade historynot just economically, but strategically. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
See - Sada Elbalad
12-06-2025
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
Gold Shines Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions and a Weaker Dollar
Waleed Farouk Gold prices surged in both local and global markets on Thursday, fueled by increased demand for the yellow metal as a safe haven amid escalating tensions between Iran and Israel and a weakening U.S. dollar. Investors are also closely watching for new signals on the future path of U.S. monetary policy. In Egypt's local market, gold prices jumped by EGP 55, with the price of 21-karat gold reaching EGP 4,720, up from EGP 4,665 at the start of yesterday's trading. Meanwhile, the global spot price of gold rose by $27 per ounce, climbing to $3,380. This increase was reflected across all karat levels: 24K gold recorded EGP 5,394, 18K at EGP 4,046, and 14K at EGP 3,147. The gold pound (8g of 21K) reached EGP 37,760. This upward movement comes as markets remain on edge. Reports, including one from NBC News, indicate that Israel is considering a potential military strike against Iran. This heightened geopolitical risk has driven investors toward gold as a hedge against uncertainty. Additional tension was fueled by comments from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened new tariffs — adding to the pressure on the global economic outlook and further supporting gold's rally. Gold also benefited from a noticeable decline in the U.S. dollar following the release of inflation data, which showed a modest slowdown in consumer price growth. This has increased speculation that the Federal Reserve may have room to cut interest rates later this year. U.S. consumer price index (CPI) data showed that annual inflation rose to 2.4% in May, in line with market expectations, while core inflation — which excludes volatile food and energy prices — held steady at 2.8%. Analysts interpreted this as a sign that inflationary pressures are easing, supporting the position of Federal Reserve members advocating for a more accommodative monetary policy. Markets are now awaiting the release of the U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) later today. Forecasts suggest the annual PPI may rise by 2.6% in May, compared to 2.4% in April, with the core rate expected to remain unchanged at 3.1%. These figures will be critical in shaping expectations ahead of the Fed's next policy meeting, scheduled for June 17–18. On the European front, the European Central Bank released its annual report on the euro, noting that central banks' gold reserves have reached approximately 36,000 tonnes — near pre-Bretton Woods levels. This indicates a continued trend among central banks to bolster their gold holdings, lending support to price stability in the near term. Against this backdrop, gold remains underpinned by a confluence of supportive factors: rising geopolitical risks, a weaker dollar, and growing expectations of a 50-basis-point interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve before year-end — all reinforcing a bullish outlook for the yellow metal in the coming period. read more CBE: Deposits in Local Currency Hit EGP 5.25 Trillion Morocco Plans to Spend $1 Billion to Mitigate Drought Effect Gov't Approves Final Version of State Ownership Policy Document Egypt's Economy Expected to Grow 5% by the end of 2022/23- Minister Qatar Agrees to Supply Germany with LNG for 15 Years Business Oil Prices Descend amid Anticipation of Additional US Strategic Petroleum Reserves Business Suez Canal Records $704 Million, Historically Highest Monthly Revenue Business Egypt's Stock Exchange Earns EGP 4.9 Billion on Tuesday Business Wheat delivery season commences on April 15 News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean News 3 Killed in Shooting Attack in Thailand
Metro
11-06-2025
- General
- Metro
I came out 10 years ago — this is what your teen daughter needs to hear
At 15 years old, I sat my mum down and told her I was gay. At first, she sighed with relief — she thought I was about to tell her I was pregnant. Then came the surprise. I knew she'd be fine. I wasn't scared of being disowned or thrown out, like so many in the LGBTQ+ community unfortunately still are. 'I had no idea,' she said. 'How do you know?' It's a common response. A lot of parents think their kids are 'too young to know'. But if I'd told her I fancied a boy, she wouldn't have batted an eyelid. Some of my extended family likely assumed it was 'just a phase'. But if it is, it's a long one — 10 years later, I'm still a lesbian and in a happy, healthy relationship with a woman. More young people than ever before are coming out. According to Office for National Statistics data, 10.4% of those aged 16 to 24 identified as LGB in 2023 — this is up from just 2.8% in 2014. The ONS credits this to changing societal attitudes and growing visibility. But while more young people are coming out, the overall climate for LGBTQ+ people feels increasingly hostile. The UK has dropped in global rankings for LGBTQ+ rights. The annual analysis by ILGA-Europe, a human-rights group, cited the recent Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a 'woman', as well as well as queer refugees facing homeless and abuse during the application process as just some reasons for the UK's low placement. So if your daughter — or any teenager — has shared their sexual identity with you, here's what they might need to hear. With thousands of members from all over the world, our vibrant LGBTQ+ WhatsApp channel is a hub for all the latest news and important issues that face the LGBTQ+ community. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! No matter how accepting you are, coming out is nerve-wracking. Most LGBTQ+ people will remember the anxiety before telling their loved ones. Although I have a supportive family, months of thinking 'but what if they don't react well', was mentally exhausting and led to my breaking down once I finally did open up. Just saying 'thanks for telling me' goes a long way. As tempting as it might be to share the news, please don't. It can be a bit daunting turning up to a family gathering and finding out most of them know already (as I found out). Outing someone without their say-so is an obvious no. It takes away their control and can cause all sorts of internal chaos. Let them decide when and who they tell, and offer to help to make things easier. Parents often say: 'I just don't want life to be harder for you.' It's a valid concern. But honestly, most of us already know that. We're not looking for a warning or to think about how much easier our lives would be if we were straight, just show your love and support. Being the only gay friend can be isolating. I spent years listening to straight friends delve into their boyfriend drama and couldn't always relate (and still can't). Encouraging your child to connect with LGBTQ+ friends, spaces and online support can help them feel less alone. Even take them to their first Pride event, if they haven't gone to one. It'll be eye opening for the both of you. It's okay to be a bit awkward. It's not the easiest news to share or receive. More Trending Asking questions shows you care, just keep it respectful and avoid making it feel like an interrogation. Avoid asking: 'Are you sure?'. Even if they're not, you don't want to patronise them. And don't pry about details you wouldn't if your loved one was straight.I didn't want to answer my mum's question: 'Have you got a girlfriend? — something I think I probably had in common with every other teenager when their parents asked about their relationship status. The best thing you can do is listen. Let them talk without butting in or trying to fix everything. You don't need to have the perfect response right away, but just keep the door open for more conversations. Alex Matheson, director of inclusion at LGBT Foundation shared some helpful advice with Metro. Seek out additional support for you and your child. There are tons of free resources for LGBTQ+ families that can offer guidance and advice. LGBT Foundation has been a friend to LGBTQ+ people and allies since 1975. For more support, call the Helpline at 0345 3 30 30 30 or visit – we're always here for you. Know that your child is coming out because they're hoping for your support and understanding. You may be surprised or confused, but it's important to process these emotions away from your child – your initial reaction may read as disappointment. Be sure to affirm their identity and thank them for sharing with you. Ask if there's anything specific you can do for them. Every experience is different, and they may want help telling others, navigating issues at school, or finding support systems that work for them. Commit to being an ally to the wider LGBTQ+ community. If you're not familiar with the terms they're using for their identity, take the opportunity to learn something new! Look into local community groups, pride events, and LGBTQ+-friendly spaces. Be open to them exploring their identity further. They might want to try out different clothes, names, pronouns, and more. Encourage them to find out who they are and stay positive throughout the process. They're not 'too young to know', they're taking their first steps on this journey, and need you by their side. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Tom Daley partners with Reiss on exclusive Pride Collection – with proceeds going to charity MORE: A doctor said no one would ever love me – I proved him wrong MORE: Miley Cyrus sparks backlash after 'abhorrent biphobic' joke about JoJo Siwa Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
