Morocco phosphate sector remains stable as global fertilizer costs rise
Morocco’s phosphate industry is expected to remain stable despite mounting pressure across global fertilizer markets, as geopolitical tensions disrupt supply chains and push up production costs for key inputs. Fitch Ratings said rising tensions in the Middle East, including disruptions linked to the United States, Israel, and Iran conflict,......
Morocco tourism sector nears 900,000 jobs as visitor numbers surge
Morocco’s tourism sector supported 894,000 direct jobs in 2025, exceeding employment targets set under the country’s 2023 to 2026 tourism roadmap, according to the High Commission for Planning. The sector created 92,000 new direct jobs over the past three years, surpassing the roadmap’s goal of 80,000 additional positions......
Scientists detect full set of genetic building blocks in Ryugu samples
Scientists have identified all five canonical nucleobases, the molecular units that encode genetic information, in samples returned from the asteroid Ryugu. The findings, published on March 15 in Nature Astronomy, support the theory that carbon-rich asteroids delivered key chemical ingredients to early Earth. A research team led by Toshiki......
Tungsten prices surge 557 percent as China tightens export controls
Global tungsten prices have soared to record levels after China tightened export restrictions on the strategic metal, triggering supply shortages that are affecting defense and technology industries worldwide. The price of ammonium paratungstate, the main benchmark for tungsten trading, has climbed above 2,250 dollars per metric ton unit,......
Currency volatility hits eight month high as Iran conflict shakes markets
Global currency markets have entered a period of heightened turbulence as the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran enters its third week, driving a key measure of foreign exchange volatility to its highest level since July 2025. The Deutsche Bank currency volatility indicator rose for a second consecutive week, according......
Oil prices top 100 dollars after drone strike on Fujairah port
Oil prices climbed above 100 dollars per barrel on Monday as the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran entered its third week, with a drone strike on the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates intensifying concerns about global energy supply disruptions. Brent crude traded near 105 dollars per barrel while West Texas......
Ship traffic in Strait of Hormuz drops to zero amid Iran conflict
Commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has halted completely as the conflict involving Iran enters its third week, marking one of the most severe disruptions to global energy supply chains in decades. Maritime analytics firm Windward reported that vessel traffic through the strategic waterway fell to zero on March 14 and 15. These......
One battle after another wins best picture at 98th Academy Awards
Paul Thomas Anderson’s political thriller One Battle After Another won the Academy Award for best picture at the 98th Oscars, completing a dominant awards season for the adaptation of a novel by Thomas Pynchon. The film secured six Oscars overall, including best director and best adapted screenplay for Anderson. The victories marked......
Salesforce launches record 25 billion dollar share buyback
Salesforce announced the largest accelerated share repurchase ever executed by a company, committing 25 billion dollars to buy back its own stock as part of a broader 50 billion dollar repurchase program approved earlier this year. The company said it paid the 25 billion dollars to a consortium of major banks and received an initial delivery......
Oil prices exceed 100 dollars as Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens
Oil prices climbed above 100 dollars per barrel at the start of the week as the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran entered its third week, raising concerns about prolonged disruption to global energy supplies. West Texas Intermediate, the main United States benchmark, rose to around 100 dollars per barrel, while Brent......
Iran strikes Gulf states as Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens
Iran has expanded missile and drone attacks across Gulf states as the conflict involving the United States and Israel enters its third week, disrupting global oil supplies and pushing crude prices above 100 dollars per barrel. The escalation has effectively paralyzed the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow maritime corridor through which roughly 20......
UN climate chief warns fossil fuel dependence threatens Europe’s security
The head of the United Nations climate body warned that Europe’s reliance on imported fossil fuels undermines the continent’s security and economic stability, urging policymakers to accelerate the shift toward renewable energy. Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, delivered......
JPMorgan warns oil above $90 could trigger S&P 500 correction
JPMorgan Chase Private Bank has warned clients that sustained oil prices above 90 dollars per barrel could trigger a correction of 10 to 15 percent in the S&P 500, as the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran continues to disrupt global energy markets. In a note written by executive director Kriti Gupta and chief market......
Asian markets fall as oil holds above $100 amid Iran war
Asian financial markets opened lower Monday as investors prepared for another volatile week, with oil prices remaining above 100 dollars per barrel and no clear end to the conflict between the United States and Iran that has effectively disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Futures tied to United States equities also signaled a......
Coinbase signals bitcoin may have passed peak pessimism in market sentiment
Bitcoin may be moving beyond the worst phase of negative sentiment after a key indicator tied to United States investors returned to positive territory, according to analysis from Coinbase Institutional. The Coinbase Bitcoin Premium Index, which measures the price difference between Bitcoin on Coinbase and the broader global market, recently......