News

Klaus Schwab, the founder of the World Economic Forum, best known for hosting an annual meeting of political, business and other elites in the Swiss Alpine town of Davos, is retiring as chairman more than a half-century after creating the Geneva-based think tank, the forum said Monday. The forum quoted Schwab, 87, in a statement as saying he was stepping down “with immediate effect." A search committee has been set up to choose a permanent successor.

President Donald Trump reiterated his call for Federal Reserve rate cuts Monday, extending attacks on the central bank's chair that he renewed last week.

(Reuters) -The U.S. economy could slow unless interest rates are lowered immediately, President Donald Trump said on Monday, repeating his criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who says rates should not be lowered until it is clearer Trump's tariff plans won't lead to a persistent surge in inflation. "With these costs trending so nicely downward, just what I predicted they would do, there can almost be no inflation, but there can be a SLOWING of the economy unless Mr. Too Late, a major loser, lowers interest rates, NOW," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. The comments, and the administration's seemingly intensifying pressure on a Fed chair Trump has stated he would like to see gone, sent stock markets lower and bond yields higher as investors and analysts mulled the fallout should Trump ignite a fight over the Fed's monetary policy independence and try to remove Powell before the end of his term a little over a year from now.

Chevron has started oil and gas production from a project in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, the oil major said on Monday, bringing the company a step closer toward its goal of growing production from the ocean basin by 50% this year. The $1.6 billion project called Ballymore, located about 160 miles southeast of New Orleans, is composed of three wells that is expected to produce up to 75,000 barrels of oil per day. Chevron aims to grow oil and gas production from the Gulf to 300,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2026, and at the same time, it is working to cut up to $3 billion in costs across the business.

U.S. bond funds came under heavy selling pressure in the week to April 16, highlighting concerns that U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff measures could fuel inflation and push the economy into a recession. Investors divested U.S. bond funds for a fifth successive week to the tune of $10.07 billion on a net basis, while in the previous week there were about $15.64 billion worth of net sales, data from LSEG Lipper showed. U.S. short-to-intermediate investment-grade funds had a net $6.3 billion worth of disposals after a net $6.66 billion worth of sales in the previous week.

(Reuters) -Canada's commodity-heavy main stock index fell on Monday, led by a decline in energy shares, as investors were jittery after U.S. President Donald Trump's criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX Composite Index fell 0.6% to 24,037.16 points, on pace to snap its five-session winning streak. Including Monday's moves, the TSX shed 2.4% in 2025, compared with 11.6% downfall on S&P 500 in the U.S.

ZURICH (Reuters) -Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, whose annual gathering of business and political leaders in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos became a symbol of globalisation, has resigned as chair of its trustees. The Geneva-based WEF made the announcement on Monday after revealing earlier this month that the 87-year-old Schwab, who for decades has been the face of the Davos get-together, would be stepping down, without giving a firm timeline. "Following my recent announcement, and as I enter my 88th year, I have decided to step down from the position of Chair and as a member of the Board of Trustees, with immediate effect," Schwab said in a statement released by the WEF.