BUSINESS

Oil prices rose in early Asian trade on Wednesday after a U.S. trade group reported a significant draw in crude oil stocks ahead of the government's data release.

Itasha owners can spend thousands of dollars pimping their rides with huge vinyl stickers, turning their cars, motorbikes or even caravans into a canvas.

Hosted by Belgium in the coastal town of Ostend, the meeting will gather the leaders of EU members France, Germany, Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen also attending.

Owner Elon Musk, who has seen his $44 billion investment in the site shrivel, earlier pledged to get rid of what he described as a "lords & peasants system."

U.S. economic activity was little changed in recent weeks as employment growth moderated somewhat and price increases appeared to slow, showed a Federal Reserve report published on Wednesday.

The U.S. Federal Reserve likely has one more interest rate rise in store to fight inflation, Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic said on Tuesday.

A clean energy push by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is expected to significantly change India's transport industry in years ahead, with major implications for ride-hailing firms.

Managers decided to sell Chinese equities amid heightened geopolitical tensions between the world's second largest economy and the United States.

The billionaire boss of Twitter and Tesla voiced anew his concerns about the danger of AI, saying it has "the potential of civilizational destruction."

Brent crude was flat at $84.76 a barrel at 0004 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate was up 5 cents at $80.88 a barrel.

Tesla last week reported first-quarter deliveries up just 4% from the previous quarter despite offering discounts in the United States, China, Japan, Australia and South Korea aimed at spurring demand.

Top luxury brands from Louis Vuitton to Versace have rolled out handbags and shoes, sunglasses and clothing that varies between sober pastels, florals and embroidered prints.

The company announced an initial 23-day shutdown on March 8, which was expected to end on March 31. It then extended the shutdown to April 15.

Non-OPEC countries will account for a higher percentage of oil production gains this year and next, a reversal of the last two years, the U.S.

Brent crude edged up 3 cents to $85.64 a barrel as of 0403 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate dipped 2 cents to $81.51 a barrel.

On Tuesday morning, South Korea's central bank held interest rates steady for a second consecutive meeting, as expected.

The fund now expects global growth to fall below three percent this year, and to remain at close to three percent for the next half a decade -- its lowest medium-term prediction since the 1990s.

The group known as OPEC+ will be cutting mostly sour crude supplies from Middle East producers led by Saudi Arabia.

Toyota, including its Lexus luxury brand, now has just three battery models on the market and last year sold fewer than 25,000 of those worldwide.

Investors brushed off the profit miss, betting the move by the industry leader would support chip prices that had fallen by about 70% over the last nine months.

The UAE government came under fire last month after approving a 13 percent hike on the cost of eggs, shortly before the start of Ramadan.

This jumped from about 261,000 tonnes imported in the fourth quarter last year, the data showed.

Banking sector turmoil has not dented demand for equities, with MSCI's world stock index up 7% so far this year.

India has become a big market for the Cupertino, California-based company, which launched an online retail store in the world's second-largest smartphone market in 2020.

Global fuel suppliers are turning to longer and costlier routes that produce more carbon emissions to move their diesel and other products as Western restrictions on Russian cargoes have reshuffled global energy shipping patterns.

Oil prices eased in early Asian trade on Thursday after weak U.S. job openings data signalled cooling economic conditions which may hit demand.

Operating profit likely fell to 1.08 trillion won in the quarter ended March 31, according to a Refinitiv SmartEstimate from 27 analysts, weighted toward those who are more consistently accurate.

In Asia, Japan's service sector grew in March at the fastest rate in more than nine years.

Since 2008, developers have barrelled through the island, transforming the Limassol skyline into tower blocks and luxury homes, making it the most modern-looking of Cypriot cities.