Markets
South Korean stocks suffer worst day on record amid Iran war shocks
Asian markets suffered heavy losses on Wednesday, with South Korea’s main index (Kospi) plunging more than 12%, recording its worst single-day decline in history as the widening conflict in Iran continues to disrupt global markets.
Markets
Google parent company Alphabet plans to sell rare 100-year bond
Google’s parent company Alphabet is offering a rare 100-year bond in sterling markets after its original $20bn (€16.8bn) US dollar bond sale was massively oversubscribed. This makes it the first tech company to sell a century bond since Motorola in 1997.
Economy
Japan's central bank holds rates steady ahead of elections
The Bank of Japan announced this Friday that its policy interest rate remains unchanged at 0.75%. The decision comes after a huge sell-off in Japanese bonds this week, triggered by Prime Minister Takaichi's call for snap elections, and unfunded tax cuts that fuelled inflation fears.