Volkswagen makes a $3.5 billion bet on China

    HEFEI, China (AP) — Volkswagen is making a major bet in China, the largest and one of the most cutthroat auto markets in the world. The question is whether it will work. The German carmaker, which once dominated the market with a more than 50% share, has invested 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) in a…

    Read More
    This photo provided by BMW shows the 2025 BMW X3. It offers sporty driving dynamics, advanced tech, and ample space for passengers and cargo. (Courtesy of BMW of North America via AP)

      Luxury car sales in China weaken as its economy slows

      HONG KONG (AP) — Chinese demand for foreign luxury cars is waning as customers opt for more affordable Chinese brand models, often sold at big discounts, catering to their taste for fancy electronics and comfort. That is bad news for European carmakers like Porsche, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz and BMW that have long dominated the upper…

      Read More
      Europe's rare earth push, on Russia's doorstep

        Inside Neo’s rare earths factory

        A view of the NEO magnetic plant in Narva, a city in northeastern Estonia. A plant producing rare-earth magnets for Europe’s electric vehicle and wind-energy sectors. Xinhua News Agency | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images NARVA, Estonia — Europe’s big bet to break China’s rare earths dominance starts on Russia’s doorstep. The continent’s largest…

        Read More
        Outside AI, the market isn't looking that hot

        Outside AI, the market isn’t looking that hot

        CFOTO | Future Publishing | Getty Images The “everything store” might have secured its biggest customer yet. On Monday, Amazon announced that it had signed a $38 billion deal with OpenAI, offering the ChatGPT maker access to Amazon Web Services’ infrastructure. On the one hand, the move isn’t too surprising — a continuation of OpenAI’s spending spree…

        Read More
        Where the Nexperia auto chip crisis stands now

        Where the Nexperia auto chip crisis stands now

        The logo of Chinese-owned semiconductor company Nexperia is displayed at the chipmaker’s German facility, after the Dutch government seized control and auto industry bodies sounded the alarm over the possible impact on car production, in Hamburg, Germany, Oct. 23, 2025. Jonas Walzberg | Reuters Netherlands-based chipmaker Nexperia is at the heart of a standoff between…

        Read More
        Porsche shares shed 7% after cutting outlook

        Porsche shares shed 7% after cutting outlook

        European stocks were slightly lower on Monday morning, as investors closely monitored U.S. President Donald Trump‘s visa crackdown. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index traded 0.2% lower shortly after the opening bell, with most sectors and major bourses in negative territory. Auto stocks notched some of the biggest losses in early deals. The Stoxx Europe Automobiles…

        Read More