Tesla Inc. $TSLA officially began its robotaxi pilot service on Sunday, deploying self-driving Model Y vehicles in Austin, Texas. CEO Elon Musk confirmed the long-anticipated launch via a post on his social media platform X, stating that rides would be available for a fixed fare of $4.20.
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) maintained its benchmark interest rate unchanged on Tuesday and announced a slower pace for reducing its massive balance sheet in 2025. This decision underscores the central bank’s cautious approach in unwinding its ultra-loose monetary policy, which has remained in place for over a decade.
MBK Partners, a leading private equity firm focused on Northeast Asia, announced a critical plan to sell its struggling South Korean supermarket chain Homeplus. The firm aims to avoid liquidation by issuing new shares in Homeplus to attract a buyer. Concurrently, MBK will write down its holdings by canceling shares valued at 2.5 trillion Korean won ($1.83 billion) as part of the ownership transfer process. This maneuver highlights significant financial and operational challenges faced by Homeplus in a highly competitive retail sector.
Apple Inc. $AAPL has significantly altered its global export strategy, with nearly all iPhones manufactured by Foxconn in India between March and May 2025 shipped directly to the United States. According to newly reviewed customs data, over 90% of India-made iPhones during this period were exported to the U.S.—a sharp deviation from the 2024 average of roughly 50%.
At its 2024 annual shareholder meeting, Warner Bros Discovery Inc. $WBD encountered significant opposition regarding executive compensation practices. A majority of shareholders—over 59%—voted against the proposed pay packages for CEO David Zaslav and other senior executives. This vote, while non-binding, sends a clear signal to the board about mounting investor dissatisfaction with perceived excesses in executive remuneration.
British digital bank Monzo has announced its first-ever pre-tax profit exceeding £60 million and annual revenue topping £1 billion (approximately USD 1.35 billion), underscoring its rapid ascent in the competitive UK banking sector. This marks a significant shift for the mobile-first neobank, which reported a loss just two years prior.
Gold prices experienced a notable decline on Tuesday, retreating by approximately 0.5% to $3325.99 per ounce as the US dollar partially recovered after recent losses. The pullback in gold, a traditional safe-haven asset, comes amid ongoing concerns regarding the United States’ financial outlook and cautious investor sentiment awaiting crucial upcoming economic data. Both US and London markets were closed on Monday due to a public holiday, adding to the subdued trading environment.
In a significant policy shift blending energy management with digital innovation, Pakistan's Ministry of Finance has announced the allocation of 2000 megawatts (MW) of surplus electricity to support the development of Bitcoin $BTCUSD mining and Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centers. This strategic decision marks the first phase of a broader national initiative aimed at monetizing underutilized energy infrastructure while advancing the country’s footprint in emerging technologies.
In a carefully calibrated policy decision, the U.S. Treasury Department is preparing to issue a limited license to Chevron Corp. $CVX, enabling the energy giant to conduct minimal technical maintenance on its Venezuelan assets. The license—described as narrowly scoped—will permit only essential safety and upkeep activities, signaling a controlled, non-commercial re-engagement with Venezuela’s troubled oil sector.
A consortium of major U.S. banks, including JPMorgan Chase $JPM, Bank of America $BAC, Citigroup $C, and Wells Fargo $WFC, is reportedly in early discussions to launch a shared stablecoin. According to a Wall Street Journal report citing individuals familiar with the talks, the initiative represents a coordinated attempt by traditional financial institutions to enter the digital currency landscape.
Lowe's Cos Inc. $LOW reported a better-than-anticipated performance for its fiscal Q1 2025, supported by consistent consumer spending on home maintenance and renovation. Despite macroeconomic headwinds, including elevated interest rates and uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariffs, the home improvement giant managed to deliver a narrower decline in same-store sales than previously forecast.
In May 2025, Kazakhstan’s crude oil production rose by 2%, according to an industry source, defying agreed output targets under the OPEC+ production deal. The Central Asian producer’s repeated overproduction adds strain to an already fragile consensus within the alliance, as oil markets navigate geopolitical uncertainty, weaker global demand, and price volatility.
