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NewsOct 30, 2026 · 12:35 IST

Shell Q3 Adjusted Earnings Reach $10.8 Billion as Buyback Rises to $5 Billion

Shell reported adjusted earnings of $10.814 billion for the third quarter of 2026, up from $5.432 billion a year earlier, in results released on 29 October. Cash flow from operating activities was $21.043 billion and free cash flow was $16.322 billion. The company announced a new $5.0 billion share buyback programme, expected to be completed by its fourth-quarter results announcement. Shell said severe disruption to the global energy system and elevated refining margins shaped the quarter. These results concern Shell’s financial performance, not a newly announced oil supply interruption.

NewsOct 30, 2026 · 12:17 IST

Tokyo Core Inflation Eases to 2.6% in October, Still Above BoJ Target

Japan’s Statistics Bureau released its preliminary October 2026 consumer-price data for Tokyo’s 23 wards on 30 October. The index excluding fresh food rose 2.6% from a year earlier, down from 2.7% in September and matching the median forecast cited by Bloomberg. Headline Tokyo consumer inflation was 2.8%. Tokyo’s inflation survey is an early regional price indicator and is not the nationwide October CPI release.

NewsOct 30, 2026 · 12:11 IST

Bank of Japan Accelerates ETF Sales to ¥860 Billion a Year

The Bank of Japan said on 30 October 2026 that it would increase the planned sale pace of exchange-traded fund holdings to about ¥860 billion per year on a book-value basis, equivalent to around 0.1% of market trading value. At the revised pace, disposal of its ETF portfolio is estimated to take about 43 years rather than 112 years. The change is scheduled to take effect in January 2027. The decision is separate from the bank’s interest-rate announcement.

NewsOct 30, 2026 · 12:04 IST

G20 Foreign Ministers Meet in Atlanta Amid Iran and Ukraine Divisions

Foreign ministers and senior envoys from the G20 are gathering in Atlanta on 30–31 October ahead of a December leaders' summit, according to the Associated Press. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is chairing the talks, with maritime navigation, energy and food security, and critical-mineral supply chains among US priorities. Russia is represented by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and China by a deputy foreign minister. The participants remain divided on the Iran and Ukraine wars, trade policy and South China Sea tensions. No joint agreement or concrete shipping policy outcome has yet been announced.

NewsOct 30, 2026 · 11:59 IST

Pentagon Urges NATO Allies to Moderate Russia Rhetoric, Sources Say

Pentagon officials have privately urged several NATO governments, including Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, to moderate public language about the Russian threat, Reuters reported on 30 October, citing four people familiar with the discussions. The outreach comes while Washington pursues negotiations over the war in Ukraine and reviews US military commitments in Europe. The Pentagon declined to comment on the alleged private exchanges, and NATO did not comment. The claims remain attributed to Reuters' sources rather than a formally announced US policy change.

NewsOct 30, 2026 · 11:47 IST

US September PCE Inflation Reaches 3.6% as Core Rate Holds at 3.1%

The US Bureau of Economic Analysis reported on 29 October 2026 that the September personal consumption expenditures price index rose 0.5% month on month and 3.6% from a year earlier. The core PCE measure, excluding food and energy, rose 0.3% on the month and 3.1% over twelve months. Personal income increased 0.2% and current-dollar consumer spending rose 0.5%, while real spending was little changed. These are September data released on 29 October, not new October inflation results.

NewsOct 30, 2026 · 11:38 IST

Amazon AWS Growth Hits 39% in Q3 as AI Spending Squeezes Cash Flow

Amazon reported third-quarter net sales of $201.9 billion, up 12% year over year, and AWS sales growth of 39.3%, its fastest in nearly five years. Operating income reached $28.1 billion. The company reported negative $42.4 billion in trailing-12-month free cash flow, primarily reflecting higher investment in property and equipment linked to AI. The quarterly results were released on 29 October 2026; the reported cash-flow figure spans 12 months, not Q3 alone.

NewsOct 29, 2026 · 18:34 IST

Kremlin Says US and Russia Are Discussing Sanctions Relief for State Investment Fund

Kremlin foreign-policy aide Yuri Ushakov said discussions are underway with the United States about lifting sanctions on the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Reuters reported on 29 October 2026. He said Russian presidential envoy and RDIF head Kirill Dmitriev was engaged in contacts, but the outcome remains uncertain. The talks follow other US adjustments to Russia-related fuel restrictions. No decision to remove RDIF sanctions has been confirmed.

NewsOct 29, 2026 · 18:29 IST

Reuters Investigation Finds Iran Military Procurement Network Evading US Blockade

A Reuters investigation published on 29 October 2026 identified a network of more than 5,000 Iranian military-linked agencies used to procure goods despite Western sanctions and a US naval blockade. Drawing on trade, corporate and banking records, Reuters reported that the network imported at least $2 billion of equipment, explosives and heavy-duty trucks since January 2025. Some goods had recorded origins in China, Russia and Germany. The reporting describes historical procurement and does not establish that every shipment was illicit or that every named supplier knowingly breached sanctions.

NewsOct 29, 2026 · 18:20 IST

Australia Export Prices Rise 1.4% in Q3 as Import Prices Fall 1.1%

Australia’s Export Price Index rose 1.4% in the September 2026 quarter and 6.3% over the year, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported on 29 October. The Import Price Index declined 1.1% for the quarter but remained 5.5% higher than a year earlier. The contrasting quarterly moves in export and import prices are relevant to Australia’s terms of trade, without by themselves establishing changes in export volumes or the Australian dollar.

NewsOct 29, 2026 · 18:14 IST

New Zealand Business Confidence Rises to 52.5 Despite Softer Activity Outlook

New Zealand business confidence increased to a net 52.5 in October 2026 from 51.9 in September, ANZ’s Business Outlook survey showed on 29 October. Expected own activity eased to 46.2 from 47.9, while reported past activity improved. The survey found firms remained broadly optimistic despite oil-price volatility and ongoing cost pressures. The figures represent survey net balances, not GDP growth rates.

NewsOct 29, 2026 · 18:01 IST

ECB President Christine Lagarde to Step Down on 7 February 2027

The European Central Bank confirmed on 29 October 2026 that President Christine Lagarde will step down on 7 February 2027, before her eight-year term was due to conclude in October 2027. Lagarde informed the ECB Governing Council and European Council President António Costa. Costa said the appointment process for her successor would begin immediately under European Union rules. No successor was announced in the official statements. The departure is a leadership development, not an ECB interest-rate decision.