Breaking News, Latest Philippines Headlines, World, Entertainment, Politics, Weather & Video News
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Bitcoin experienced some big swings but finished higher in its debut on a major exchange Monday, while a leading US securities regulator warned investors about the risks of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin futures for January delivery finished at $18,850.00 near 2115 GMT on its first full day of trading, a bit below session peaks but soaring well past the $15,000 initial price when Cboe launched the platform on Sunday night. The […]
by Richard CARTER Agence France-Presse TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Virtual currency Bitcoin — or “digital gold” to its fans — has enjoyed a gravity-defying rise along with wild price swings, sparking fears it could be the latest financial market “bubble.” Bitcoin was worth just a few US cents when it began life in 2009 and last week changed hands for a staggering $17,000 despite having no central bank backing and no legal exchange rate. Here […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Tokyo stocks opened higher on Monday, tracking fresh record highs on Wall Street as the yen remained weaker against the dollar. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 0.36 percent, or 81.23 points, to 22,892.31 in early trade, while the broader Topix index was up 0.28 percent, or 5.11 points, at 1,808.84. “Investors continued to buy on the dip as sentiment has been buoyed by fresh highs in New York,” said Toshikazu […]
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Cryptocurrency Bitcoin made its debut on a major bourse Sunday, opening at $15,000 per unit at the Chicago board options exchange. Around 23:20 GMT, the price of the currency had risen to $15,940 dollars on a futures contract scheduled for settlement on January 17 according to data provided by the Chicago board options exchange (Cboe). A futures contract is a financial product that allows investors to bet on whether the […]
QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Eagle News) — Meralco will lower its electricity charges this December, citing the improving situation of the power grid last October, and the strengthening of the peso. There will be a Php 75 reduction in the electric bills of households which consume 200 kwh, and around Php100 reduction in the household bills of those who consume 300 kwh. For those who consume 400 kWh, expect a reduction of P151.40; and for those […]
FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany (AFP) — German chemicals giant BASF has agreed to merge its Wintershall oil and gas unit with the DEA energy firm owned by Russia’s billionaire entrepreneur Mikhail Fridman. The multi-billion-euro deal will create “one of the largest independent European exploration and production companies” with “significant growth potential” and scope for synergies, BASF said in a statement late Thursday. BASF said it would initially hold 67 percent of shares in the joint venture, which […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The International Monetary Fund on Thursday approved the release of $251 million to Sri Lanka, the latest payment of a three-year loan that had been delayed amid differences over the scope and pace of reforms. The IMF approved the $1.5 billion loan in June 2016 following a balance of payments crisis in Sri Lanka. With this latest tranche it has released a total of $760 million. While noting the progress […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan posted an economic growth of 0.6 percent in the three months to September from the previous quarter, according to new data published Friday that showed the world’s third-largest economy expanding twice as fast as previously estimated. Robust capital spending boosted the new quarterly figure sharply higher than the preliminary 0.3 percent and beat market expectations that growth would be revised up only slightly. The data confirmed the economy grew for the […]
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Bitcoin flirted with $17,000 on Thursday, triggering a warning the cryptocurrency was “like a charging train with no brakes” and prompting fresh concern about its looming launch on mainstream markets. Still under $14,000 in Asian trading hours, it smashed through $15,000 in European trading and then later surged to $16,777.08 around 1630 GMT, according to Bloomberg data. The rally came just a day after the virtual currency, which has been […]
SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — Bitcoin hit a fresh record of $14,000 Thursday as investors piled in, triggering a warning the cryptocurrency was “like a charging train with no brakes” which would inevitably slip back. It touched a new a high of $14,400 in Asian trade before slipping back to $13,900, according to Bloomberg News. The rally came just a day after the virtual currency, which has been used to buy everything , hit the $12,000 […]
SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — Bitcoin smashed through the $12,000 barrier for the first time Wednesday, extending the virtual currency’s stratospheric rise to new records as it gears up to take its place on mainstream markets. The controversial cryptocurrency, which has been used to buy everything from a pizza to manicures, touched a new high of $12,590 in Asian trade before dipping back to $12,567, according to Bloomberg News. Bitcoin — which came into being in […]
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Global stocks were under pressure Wednesday from weakening oil prices and worries about President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Major equity markets finished mixed, with Tokyo and Hong Kong falling decisively and indices in London, Paris, Frankfurt and New York ranging from flat to slightly positive or negative. Petroleum-linked shares were pressured as a US inventory report showed swelling supplies of gasoline, hitting oil prices. […]
