Global economy stories

UK ranks 70th in Broadband Genie's global survey, as Eastern Europe tops the cheapest fixed-line internet markets and North America stays costly.

US AI megadeals push global venture capital to a record USD $330.9 billion as OpenAI, Anthropic and xAI dominate first-quarter funding.

Australia's energy shock deepens pressure on sole traders and smaller firms, with CreditorWatch flagging higher tax defaults and insolvency risk.

Chief executives' calls in Q1 2026 were dominated by AI, but references to Iran surged as boardrooms weighed war risks and supply chain exposure.

EY deploys agentic AI across 160,000 audit engagements, backed by Microsoft, as it launches new assurance services and training.

Norway leads iSelect's latest home security rankings as Finland and New Zealand follow, with robbery rates and online interest driving scores.

CFOs rank AI skills and market shocks as top threats, as talent shortages, rising costs and geopolitical turmoil squeeze finance teams.

Compliance gaps are forcing firms to forfeit scarce AI talent, as most global hirers admit exposure to cross-border tax and labour risks.

PayPal widens access to its PYUSD stablecoin, rolling it out to accounts in 70 markets to speed up and cut the cost of cross-border payments.

Quantum Australia says it turned AUD $12 million in public funds into AUD $56 million in quantum research, claiming a 4.5x return.

Global PC shipments are set to slump 12% in 2026 as memory shortages push component costs sharply higher and force up system prices.

AI-fuelled scams help push illicit finance to an estimated USD $4.4 trillion in 2025, with fraud losses hitting USD $579.4 billion.

IDC says AI demand drives global server revenue to a record USD $444.1 billion, with hyperscalers and GPU-based systems leading the surge.

Women's health tech is failing because data, research and investment still treat female bodies as exceptions, not the default.

Women in tech are no longer waiting for a seat at the table - they're redefining leadership, driving growth and building new tables.

Women are lagging men in AI adoption, risking a generational career setback unless leaders tackle structural barriers and targeted training now.

AI's insatiable power demands risk a global energy crunch, forcing business and governments to reinvent how data centres go green.

IDC says a memory shortage will drive a record 12.9% drop in 2026 smartphone shipments, hitting low-cost Android makers hardest.

Global cyber attacks hit 2,090 a week in January as ransomware surges and risky GenAI use exposes fresh data-leak and intrusion paths.

Late payments now make up 37% of global pay cycles, with firms waiting 51 days on average to be paid, Sidetrade data reveals.