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TBS: Japan considers an extra budget of $19 billion
TBS, a Japanese broadcaster, said that Japan was considering a supplementary?budget of about 3 trillion yen (19 billion dollars) for the current fiscal year in order to prepare for a prolonged Middle?East crisis. The report was released after Prime Minister Sanae Takayichi said on Monday that she had asked the cabinet to consider a supplementary fund to help cushion the blow to the economy caused by the Iran War. TBS reported that the extra budget of 3 trillion yen was one idea being floated by the government. About 500 billion yen from the amount would be used to fund the rollout?of gas and utility subsidies starting in July. It added that the government would issue new debt in order to finance its spending. However, rising tax revenues could allow it to limit issuance. The Japanese finance ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Japan uses existing funds to subsidise utility bills and may revive them. The extra budget will be added to the record 122 trillion-yen 'budget' for the fiscal period that began in April. This is the core of the expansionary fiscal policies pursued by the premier. Critics say that a combination of more spending plans and slow rate 'hikes' by the Bank of Japan could increase inflationary pressures in an economy already experiencing rising energy prices from the Middle East war, as well as higher import costs due to a weaker yen. The yields on Japanese government bonds (JGBs) jumped to multi-decade records this week, partly due to concerns about the country's worsening financial situation. Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim, Editing by Himani sarkar and Clarence Fernandez.
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Japan's Nikkei rallies on fresh optimism over AI, Iran peace talks
The Nikkei 225 index rose more than 3.5% Thursday, the biggest gain in two-weeks, thanks to renewed interest in 'technology stocks' and a easing of geopolitical tensions related to?the Iran War. If the current momentum continues, the benchmark Nikkei Index will be on track for its biggest daily gain since May 7 if it maintains this pace. The Topix index rose 2.21% to 3,875.34. The Nikkei was up ahead of Wall Street's gains before earnings from AI bellwether Nvidia. Nvidia forecasted sales that exceeded market expectations. Oil prices fell sharply overnight after U.S. president Donald Trump announced that negotiations to end war in Iran are?in their final stages, alleviating supply concerns. Investor confidence?was also boosted by the averted strike at Samsung Electronics that could have disrupted South Korea’s economy and global supply of chips, as well as reports that OpenAI was preparing to become public. SoftBank Group, a major shareholder in the AI company and other ventures, surged up to its daily maximum. "The market is being led by AI ?and semiconductor-related shares following developments including the avoidance of ?a strike at ?Samsung Electronics and Nvidia's earnings," said Wataru Akiyama, an equities strategist at Nomura Securities. We're seeing gains in a variety of sectors as a result of the fall in crude oil prices. The Nikkei Index saw 156 advancing stocks versus 69 declining ones. SoftBank Group was the largest percentage gainer, with a 19.9% increase, followed by Socionext which increased 17.2% and Ibiden trading at 15.2%.
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Chile's Codelco dismisses a senior executive following an internal audit of its 2025 production report
Codelco, the largest copper miner in the world, announced on Wednesday that it had fired one executive and taken disciplinary action against others after an audit of the incorrect reporting of the 2025 production report. Codelco reported that it found a group of 7 executives and 1 former executive responsible for the incorrect reporting. It also reported the incident to the public prosecutor's office to determine if there was any criminality. Codelco's internal audit found no?reasons for modifying its 2025 financial statement. Codelco reported that the?audit was a result of a complaint filed in March regarding the reporting by its Chuquicamata Division of 20,000 tons of ore and 6,875 tonnes of ore at its Ministro Hales Mine. The materials were still undergoing processing and therefore should not be reported as finished goods. Chile's mining minister?Daniel Mas said on X that "Codelco has gotten out of control." "In the Government of President Jose Antonio Kast, we have the Duty?to Bring Back Transparency and Tell Chileans the Truth." He said, "That's the?mandate for the new _directors." The Chilean newspaper "Diario Financiero" reported the irregularities last week.
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CORRECTED - China aluminium wire exports increase as war-driven rally and tax gap drive shipments
Customs data on Wednesday showed that China's exports for aluminium stranded wire increased in April. The rise in prices was largely due to the Iran War, and a tax loophole encouraged traders and producers to ship more metal in processed form, rather than ingots. Customs data released Wednesday show that in?April?China exported 15,565 tons of aluminium-stranded cable, wire and similar products excluding steel core material. This is up 166% compared to a year ago and almost 95% compared to March. Two sources familiar with the matter say that aluminium stranded cable is usually used for power transmission and distribution. However, traders are now looking to use it to export aluminum after the rally opened up an arbitrage opportunity. They requested anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak in public. Sources said that the product qualifies for a value-added tax refund of?13%, while unwrought aluminum faces an export duty of 30%. One of them is interested in 'getting involved' in this business. Sources said that some traders purchase aluminium ingots in China, and then send them to wire producers for processing into stranded cable before export. Buyers overseas will need to remelt the ingots to make items like aluminium bar and alloy. The export boom was also driven by higher overseas prices. The Iran War has driven LME Aluminium up by more than 13%. It has disrupted shipments through Strait of Hormuz, and damaged aluminium facilities located in the Gulf which provide nearly 9% of worldwide supply. Analysts expected China's semi-fabricated and manufactured aluminium product exports to increase as higher overseas prices opened up a?export window. Customs data revealed that South Korea, which had almost no shipments in March, was the number one destination for?Chinese aluminum stranded?wire in April. Vietnam was ranked second with shipments increasing to 2,288 tonnes, almost five times the level in March and nearly 30 times that of a year ago. Exports to Algeria increased to 1,340 tonnes from 36.7 tons last month, while shipments into Ethiopia rose to 1,124 ton from 254 ton. South Korea, Vietnam and?Algeria, together, accounted for almost half of China's April exports. Data also revealed shipments to countries that rarely purchased the product in the past. Japan received 457 tonnes in April, compared to just 4 tons over the 15 previous months. (Reporting from Dylan Duan and Lewis Jackson).
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China's aluminium wire exports increase as a war-driven rally and tax gap drive shipments
Customs data on Wednesday showed that China's exports for aluminium stranded wire increased in April. The rise in prices was largely due to the Iran War, and a tax loophole encouraged traders and producers to ship more metal in processed form, rather than ingots. Customs data released Wednesday show that in?April?China exported 15,565 tons of aluminium-stranded cable, wire and similar products excluding steel core material. This is up 166% compared to a year ago and almost 95% compared to March. Two sources familiar with the matter say that aluminium stranded cable is usually used for power transmission and distribution. However, traders are now looking to use it to export aluminum after the rally opened up an arbitrage opportunity. They requested anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak in public. Sources said that the product qualifies for a value-added tax refund of?13%, while unwrought aluminum faces an export duty of 30%. One of them is interested in 'getting involved in this business. Sources said that some traders purchase aluminium ingots in China, and then send them to wire producers for processing into stranded cable before export. Buyers overseas will need to remelt the ingots to make items like aluminium bar and alloy. The export boom was also driven by higher overseas prices. The Iran War has driven LME Aluminium up by more than 13%. It has disrupted shipments through Strait of Hormuz, and damaged aluminium facilities located in the Gulf which provide nearly 9% of worldwide supply. Analysts expected China's semi-fabricated and manufactured aluminium product exports to increase as higher overseas prices opened up a?export window. Customs data revealed that South Korea, which had almost no shipments in March, was the number one destination for stranded aluminium wire from China in April. Vietnam was ranked second with shipments increasing to 2,288 tonnes, almost five times 'the level in March and nearly 30 times that of a year ago. Exports to Algeria increased to 1,340 tonnes from 36.7 tons last month, while shipments into Ethiopia increased to 1,124 ton from 254 ton. South Korea, Vietnam and?Algeria, together, accounted for almost half of China's April exports. Data also revealed shipments to countries that rarely purchased the product in the past. Japan received 457 tonnes in April, compared to just 4 tons over the 15 previous months. (Reporting from Dylan Duan and Lewis Jackson).
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Shares rise on Nvidia earnings and Samsung strike suspension
Stocks rose on Thursday as some vessels resumed their passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, forecast-beating Nvidia results and a suspended workers' strike by Samsung Electronics boosted?shares of the chipmakers. The MSCI broadest Asia-Pacific share index outside Japan rose 1.2% to end a four-day losing streak. Meanwhile, the KOSPI soared over 4%. Brent crude futures rose 0.7% in Asia to $105.76 per barrel, retracing their declines following the passage of three supertankers through the Strait on Wednesday. Iran also consolidated control over the waterway. Wall Street saw the S&P500 rise 1.1% and the Nasdaq Composite rally 1.5%, after three days of declines. President Donald Trump stated that the United States would be ready to continue with more attacks against Iran if Tehran refused to agree to a peaceful deal. However, he suggested Washington wait a couple days until it "got the right answers." Analysts at Westpac said in a report that "Oil prices fell and other major markets rallied as investors were comforted by headlines quoting Trump as saying the U.S. is in the final stages" with Iran. Asian chipmakers' stocks rose on Wednesday after Nvidia announced a better-than expected revenue forecast. CEO Jensen Huang wanted to assure investors that world's largest company, Nvidia, could sustain a blockbuster increase in demand for their flagship AI chips. Dan Ives is the global head of technology at Wedbush in New York. He said, "The chipscape remains Nvidia’s world, with everyone else paying rent. Nvidia shares dropped 1.1% during extended trading while S&P500 e-minis futures fell 0.5%. Tony Sycamore is a market analyst with IG Sydney. He said that the market's response was "relatively muted" by his own high standards. The lack of China sales in the outlook, and guidance that only modestly exceeded expectations left some investors wanting more fireworks. Samsung Electronics shares in Seoul jumped more than 6% following the union's announcement that it would suspend its industrial action if a tentative wage agreement was reached with the company. This prevented a strike of nearly 48,000 employees, which threatened South Korea's economic growth and the global supply of?chips. The Nikkei index rose 1.9% in Japan after S&P Global’s flash manufacturing PMI expanded a?slower rate than a?month earlier. It?slipped to 54.5 from 55.1 last month. Data from the Finance Ministry showed that Japanese exports increased 14.8% on an annual basis in April. This was the eighth consecutive month of growth, and dispelled fears about a global economic stagflation. Australian shares rose 1.5%, despite mixed leading indicators. Flash PMI data showed that activity in Australia's service sector slowed in May to 47.7 from 50.7 one month earlier. However, a manufacturing gauge remained at 50.2, which is just above the threshold separating growth from contraction. The yield on the 10-year Treasury bond in the United States increased 1.9 basis points, to 4.588%. This is a return to growth after a three-day decline. The minutes of the Federal Reserve meeting on April 28-29 showed that policymakers were more concerned about inflation last month. Bitcoin fell 0.3% to $77,453.44, and ether dropped 0.3% to $2,127.53. (Reporting and editing by Jacqueline Wong; Gregor Stuart Hunter)
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Oil prices rebound on the uncertainty surrounding the Iran peace agreement and inventory reductions
The oil prices recovered on Thursday, after two days of losses. This was due to supply concerns arising from the uncertainty surrounding the end of the Iran War and the U.S. inventory withdrawal which raised fears about the depletion of global stocks. Brent crude futures grew 81 cents or 0.77% to $105.83 a barrel by 0055 GMT. U.S. West Texas intermediate futures rose 97 cents or 0.99% at $99.23. Both benchmarks fell more than 5.6% after U.S. president Donald Trump announced that negotiations with Iran are in their final stages. He also threatened to launch further attacks against Iran if they refused to agree to a peaceful deal. Iran warned against any further attacks and announced measures to consolidate its control of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that before the war transported oil and liquefied gas equaling about 20% of world consumption. It has since been mostly closed. Analyst at Haitong Futures, Yang An said: "The sharp fall in oil prices appears to be pricing the possibility of a breakthrough" in the negotiations. Yang stated that if Trump insists upon?making no compromises to Iran then an agreement is unlikely and the outcome of the negotiation could'reverse sharply. The?Iran announced on Wednesday a new "Persian Gulf Strait Authority" that would create a "controlled marine zone" along the Strait of Hormuz. Iran closed the Strait as a retaliation for the U.S. attacks and Israeli attacks which started the conflict on February 28. The majority of fighting has stopped following an April ceasefire, but the U.S. is blocking its coast. Supply losses in the Middle East region due to the war has forced countries into a rapid withdrawal of their strategic and commercial inventories, causing concern about the draining. Energy Information Administration reported on Wednesday that the U.S. withdrew almost 10 million barrels from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve last week. This was the largest drawdown in history. The EIA said that commercial crude inventories dropped by 7.9m barrels, to 445m barrels last weekend. This was compared with analyst expectations of a 2.9m barrel draw. Gasoline inventories fell by 1.5 million barrels while distillates increased by 372,000 barrels. Mingyu Gao is the chief researcher for energy and chemicals, at China Futures. Gao stated that "global refined-product inventories and onshore crude stocks are expected to drop below their lowest levels in this time of the year for the last five years by late may and late juin," Gao said. (Reporting and editing by Lewis Jackson, Sam Li)
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Arafura opens the way for Australia's 1st ore-to -oxide rare Earths plant
Arafura Rare Earths announced on Thursday that it had made a final investment decision for the development of 'Nolans' project in Australia's Northern Territory. This would be 'the country's 'first 'fully integrated ore to oxide rare earths 'operation. The company's shares rose 13.6% intraday to A$0.335, their highest intraday gain since 11 March. As of 0046 GMT, the benchmark index was up by 1.7%. The Nolans project is designed ?to deliver 4,440 metric tons of neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) oxide annually, targeting markets outside China ?amid growing demand for rare earths used in electric vehicles and wind ?turbines. Arafura announced that Hatch, an engineering contractor, has been hired to support the development. Site works and early contractor mobilization are expected in advance of a construction start planned for September. The final investment decision comes after a multiyear financing and offtake plan that secured binding agreements from institutions backed by sovereigns in four countries along with supply agreements with global manufactures. The package of financing includes an equity raise of A$481million ($343.87million), A$230million in equity subscriptions by?Germany’s state-owned Development Bank Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau and Export Finance Australia, and a A$200million convertible notes term sheet with the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation. The funding is part of a 'Western push' to develop rare earth supply chains outside the top producer China with international partners. The Australian government’s Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve, administered in partnership by?EFA has issued a nonbinding letter to support the potential rights to receive up to 500 tonne per year of ndPr from the project, according to the firm. The CMSR ensures that Australia and its key international partners are supplied with critical minerals.
US team has low expectations for Iran talks in Pakistan
On Friday, a U.S. delegation led by Vice President JDVance departed for Islamabad for weekend talks with Iran. Both sides have accused the other of violating agreements made to achieve a temporary ceasefire.
White House officials expressed skepticism that the talks would immediately reopen Strait of Hormuz. Iran's leading negotiators cast doubt on the talks by saying they couldn't even begin until they made commitments about Lebanon and sanctions.
Abbas Araqchi, Foreign Minister of Iran and Speaker of the Iranian Parliament,?Mohammad?Baqer Qalibaf said that Israel's attack on Hezbollah must be included in a ceasefire and that Iranian assets that have been blocked by sanctions should be released.
The Saturday talks were not expected to be impacted by these demands, as it would have been the first high-level meeting of the U.S. with Iran since the Islamic Revolution in 1979 that started nearly half a century of antagonistic relations.
Vance, President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Jared Kushner's son-in law were on their way to Islamabad when the Pakistani capital, Islamabad was in an unprecedented lockdown. Thousands of paramilitary and army personnel were deployed throughout the city. Pakistan wants to establish itself as a mediator and also project stability.
Iran is still capable of striking its neighbors, despite Trump’s declarations of success. It can also disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
The war caused the largest?oil shock in history, damaging Gulf energy output and leading to inflation worries, warnings about food security and the risk a global economic recession.
Trump is under pressure to find a way out of the conflict ahead of the midterm elections in November. He announced the ceasefire just hours before an arbitrary deadline, after which he threatened to destroy Iran’s civilization.
WHITE HOUSE - 'SKEPTICAL OVER TALKS' Iran is wary about Witkoff, Kushner and earlier talks mediated through Oman, just days before U.S. & Israel launched a bombing campaign that killed senior officials including the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Vance is a foreign policy novice with limited experience. He has also been skeptical of U.S. intervention overseas. Vance stated that before leaving Washington on Friday morning, the U.S. "would extend the open hand," but would have to determine if the Iranians were willing to negotiate.
Two White House officials who spoke under condition of anonymity about administration deliberations said that the mood in the White House before the talks began was sceptical. Officials said that Trump was now accepting the fact that it would be difficult to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, even if there were some success in the talks.
They said that the U.S. President was also uncertain if the Iranian delegation had the authority necessary to negotiate meaningfully, and that he believed Iranians view Araqchi's diplomacy as weak.
Iran insists on a ceasefire that includes Lebanon where Israel is fighting Hezbollah (an Iranian ally).
Iran and Pakistan, the mediators, have both said that they understand that Israel's war in Lebanon will also be included in this temporary pause. Israel refused to stop its attack at first, but on Wednesday it launched a series of attacks that killed more than 250 people. In a Thursday phone call, Trump told Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to ease up on the attacks against Hezbollah. A source familiar with this matter confirmed that. Netanyahu agreed to the talks that will be held next week in Washington.
MAJOR GAPS Trump said that an Iranian proposal was the basis of the talks in Islamabad. However, a 10-point plan presented by?Tehran has little overlap with the 15-point 'plan Washington had previously proposed, indicating there will be significant gaps to bridge. Iran's proposals include demands for new concessions. These include the lifting of sanctions which have crippled the Iranian economy for many years. It also includes the recognition of the authority of Iran over the Strait of Hormuz where it wants to collect transit fees and control access. This would be a major shift in regional power. Washington wants Tehran's stockpiles enriched uranium to be disposed of, renounce further?enrichment and give up missiles, as well as ending support for regional allies. A person familiar with this matter said that the U.S. delegation is likely to demand the release of U.S. nationals detained in Iran. At least six Americans, including journalist Reza Vaizadeh and jeweler Kamran Hekmati, are being held in Iran. Barbara Leaf, former career diplomat who served as Assistant Secretary of State overseeing the Middle East under the administration of the?former president Joe Biden, stated that there is a "very large risk" of an escalation between the U.S. She said that the Trump administration will be very aware of pressures from disruptions in energy supplies and rising gas prices in the United States. Leaf said that "time is not on administration's side." "That is what gives (the Iranian government) the high level of confidence it displays." It's certainly not a false confidence. It's not entirely a false swagger."
(source: Reuters)