rice

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, the Japanese company at the center of a supplement contamination scandal linked to suspected deaths, is reportedly considering a buyout offer valued at more than ¥500 billion. The news comes as the firm continues to face fallout over its beni-koji (red yeast rice) supplements. Reports of a potential acquisition are drawing attention to the company's future ownership and accountability over the scandal.

Donald Trump's reaction during a welcome ceremony featuring a military jet flyover for Xi Jinping is drawing wide attention, with footage circulating widely online. The clip highlights the spectacle of the flyover and the moment between the two leaders, prompting lively reactions and commentary from viewers about the unusual scene.

Chinese automaker BYD has cut the price of one of its electric cars in Australia, making it the cheapest new EV on the Australian market. The move intensifies the price war in electric vehicles as Chinese manufacturers push into Western markets with increasingly affordable models, prompting debate about competition, tariffs and what it means for established carmakers and buyers.

The European Commission has floated possible curbs on energy demand in a letter sent to member states, as the bloc searches for ways to tackle soaring energy prices. The proposal signals Brussels is considering demand-reduction measures among its options for the crisis, though the letter does not commit governments to any specific steps yet.

India has told the United Nations that countries far removed from conflict zones are nonetheless paying a heavy price for wars they did not start. The remarks, delivered at the UN, highlight how the fallout of distant conflicts — from economic disruption to food and energy insecurity — is being felt globally, and India is pressing the international body to take this wider burden into account.

President Donald Trump has approved new fuel economy rules for vehicles, arguing the changes will make cars more affordable. He claims prices will fall as a result of the relaxed standards. The move is drawing attention from consumers, automakers and policy watchers, with debate expected over whether the rollback genuinely lowers costs or increases fuel spending over time.

Housing prices are reportedly climbing again even as government regulations remain in place, prompting debate about what is really driving the real estate market. Commentators are questioning whether the measures are effective, as buyers and investors watch prices rise in spite of policy controls, with many calling for a clearer picture of current market conditions.

The Swiss National Bank is tracking how recent heat is affecting food prices, with weather-driven supply pressures a potential source of inflation. Central banks watching climate-related cost shocks has drawn attention, as hot weather can lift produce prices and complicate monetary policy decisions.

Japan has moved from a national rice shortage to a rice surplus within roughly two years, according to Fortune. The reversal is attributed to a combination of factors: drought conditions that damaged harvests during the shortage, a surge in inbound tourism that drove up domestic demand for rice, and pressure linked to the United States, including trade considerations around rice imports. The swing highlights how quickly Japan's staple grain supply can shift, with implications for prices and agricultural policy.

ResiClub has published a breakdown of home price movements across the 50 largest metropolitan housing markets in the United States. The data highlights how prices are rising in some metros while softening in others, offering a snapshot of an uneven national housing market amid elevated mortgage rates and limited inventory. Housing watchers are using such metro-level comparisons to gauge where affordability pressures are greatest and which markets may be cooling.

SpaceX's stock is trading about 10% above its $135 IPO price even after a 34% decline from its peak, according to a report by financial data platform TIKR. The figures suggest investors who bought at the listing are still in profit despite significant recent volatility in the private space company's publicly traded shares.

Eurostat data show the construction producer price index for the EU-27 rose to 124.2 in 2025, indicating continued cost pressures in the building sector. The figure reflects higher prices for materials and services paid by contractors across member states. Analysts are weighing what the increase means for housing costs, infrastructure budgets and broader inflation trends in the bloc.

Swiss National Bank chairman Martin Schlegel says the central bank is monitoring how this summer's hot weather could feed into food price inflation. The comments came as repeated heatwaves across Europe raise concern about crop yields and food costs, factors the bank weighs when setting monetary policy.

Swiss National Bank chairman Martin Schlegel said this summer's heat waves pushed up food prices, but argued the effect has not translated into broader Swiss inflation. His comments address concerns that weather-driven produce price spikes could feed into general price pressures, a key issue for the central bank as it weighs its monetary policy stance.

Kroger has discontinued one of its gas perk programs just as US pump prices reached a record high for the month of September. The grocery chain's fuel savings scheme had let shoppers redeem points for discounts at the pump. The timing of the withdrawal has drawn attention, with customers facing some of the highest September fuel costs on record now losing a program that cushioned those expenses.

Home asking prices in the United States have fallen over the past year, according to a new analysis covering the last decade. The data offers a ten-year view of how asking prices have shifted, giving buyers and sellers context on where the market stands after years of increases and rate-driven affordability pressure.

Bitcoin's price is running into resistance at the $85,000 level just as a key technical oscillator has flipped negative, a signal traders often read as weakening upward momentum. Market watchers are weighing whether the leading cryptocurrency can break through the level or faces a pullback, with the combined warning signs prompting renewed debate about its near-term direction.

A 25-year-old professional in India earning Rs 1.8 lakh per month says he still cannot afford to buy an apartment, calling his generation 'humbled' by housing prices. His account has struck a chord with young workers facing similar gaps between high salaries and property costs in major cities, where a decade of rapid price growth has far outpaced income gains for many buyers.

Oil prices rose sharply following renewed attacks by Yemen's Houthi movement and growing fears of escalation between the United States and Iran. Traders are pricing in the risk that the confrontations could disrupt shipping and supply through the Middle East. Analysts warn that any direct US-Iran confrontation could push prices higher still, keeping energy markets on edge.

Eurostat figures show the construction producer price index for the EU-27 stood at 128.6 in the second quarter of 2026. The release, accompanied by news coverage and statistical analysis, is being tracked as a gauge of building cost pressures across the bloc.

Republican congressman Mike Waltz has echoed his party's argument that Russia's war in Ukraine is the main driver of high energy prices. He joins a growing chorus of GOP figures making the claim, part of a broader debate over who bears responsibility for rising fuel costs and how US energy policy should respond to the conflict.

A new opinion piece argues that an 'America First' foreign policy should start with an honest accounting of the real costs of American wars — financial and human — and asks who ultimately pays the price when the United States goes to war. The argument challenges policymakers to weigh the burden borne by service members and taxpayers before committing to future conflicts.

A new flagship iPhone duo is being sold at $1,999, a figure that has drawn attention for its high cost. Commentators note that once buyers look at the wider price list of Apple products and accessories, the phone's tag appears comparatively reasonable, prompting wider discussion about the company's premium pricing strategy across its lineup.

Brazil's government has decided to extend fuel price relief measures, with the announcement coming ahead of the country's upcoming election. Bloomberg reported the decision, which keeps pump prices artificially lower for consumers. The move is being read as an effort by the administration to ease cost-of-living pressures on voters before they go to the polls, raising questions about the timing of the intervention.