Author: Arabian Media staff

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for freeYour guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the worldUS oil production will fall next year for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a government forecast that will cast new doubt on Donald Trump’s “energy dominance” agenda.The Energy Information Administration, a division of the energy department, on Tuesday said US oil production would drop from a record high of 13.5mn barrels a day now to about 13.3mn barrels by the end of next year, as slumping oil prices rattle the sector.“With fewer active drilling rigs, we…

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Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services have been growing in popularity in recent years as a means for consumers to spread out the impact of splurges on things like clothes and electronics. Now, however, BNPL is extending into food, including weekly grocery shopping. Despite the popularity, BNPL isn’t always a good financial decision. In emergencies, it can be a better option than some other financing options, but the added risk might not be worth it. Key Takeaways Financing groceries with BNPL is growing amidst challenges like rising food prices.BNPL loans typically don’t charge interest, which can help some users save…

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High-profile downfalls of corporate CEOs are not a new phenomenon. But that doesn’t make them any less egregious, as legislation such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act—which makes corporate oversight and protection of shareholder rights by the board of directors a priority—reminds us. Here are five of the most public CEO scandals: ethics violations that have not only brought the top dog down but, in many cases, landed them in prison. Key Takeaways Kenneth Lay, who presided over the Enron accounting scandal, died before serving his prison sentence.Bernard Ebbers of WorldCom served half his prison term for fraud, dying shortly after his…

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To calculate the year-to-date (YTD) return on a portfolio, subtract the starting value from the current value and divide it by the starting value. Multiply by 100 to convert this figure into a percentage, which is more useful than the decimal format for comparisons of the returns of individual investments. Key Takeaways YTD return is the amount of profit (or loss) realized by an investment since the first trading day of the current calendar year.YTD return is a commonly used number for the comparison of assets or for tracking portfolio performance.To calculate YTD, subtract the starting year value from the…

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Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.Blackstone Group is preparing to significantly increase its investments across Europe as the private capital group bets economic reforms will revive growth after years of US outperformance. Stephen Schwarzman, co-founder of the $1.2tn-in-assets investment group, told the Financial Times in an interview that Blackstone was planning to invest “at least $500bn” in Europe in the coming decade, as it spots opportunities to become a major lender to companies across the continent and strike large infrastructure and private equity takeovers. “We are seeing…

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Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) was founded nearly five decades ago, in 1971, with one store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market. The company went public in 1992 and has grown into a global coffee roaster and retailer with over 30,000 coffeehouses in about 80 countries. As of June 9, 2025, Starbucks has a market capitalization of about $102.84 billion. To fuel its growth, Starbucks has used niche acquisitions to enhance its menu offerings, including buying tea and coffee chains, fruit juice makers, a bakery chain, and a bottled water company. Rather than operate these acquisitions as separate subsidiaries, Starbucks often has shuttered…

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Block Inc. (SQ), formerly Square, is a financial technology company specializing in mobile payment solutions. The startup was founded in 2009 by two veteran entrepreneurs, Twitter, Inc. (now X) co-founder Jack Dorsey and Jim McKelvey. Key Takeaways Block is a mobile payments fintech that helps startups grow their business and provide financial products to individuals.The company has acquired AI and cash management companies.Block operates a Seller ecosystem and a Cash App ecosystem. History and Financials Dorsey and McKelvey focused on electronic payment technology when they established Square. It was an industry leader in creating technology for merchant services and mobile payments as…

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