Tech giants report strong earnings amid AI boom, while economic growth continues but inflation concerns rise; geopolitical tensions and regulatory challenges reshape business landscape

Apple reports 17% sales jump powered by iPhone demand, with CEO Tim Cook noting AI adoption happened faster than expected, creating Mac supply shortages for the next several months.

Alphabet hits a milestone by adding a record $421 billion to its market cap as cloud growth and AI momentum drive shares higher, closing in on Nvidia's valuation.

U.S. economy grew 2% in early 2026 despite Middle East war, but inflation jumped alongside energy price increases, prompting Federal Reserve to hold rates steady at 3.75%.

Jerome Powell, Federal Reserve chair, announces he will remain as governor after his term ends, denying Trump a crucial board vacancy and complicating administration plans to reshape the central bank.

Senate unanimously bans prediction markets for members and staff after users made hundreds of thousands of dollars by accurately predicting military actions, raising transparency concerns.

Pakistan government hikes petrol prices by Rs6.51 and diesel by Rs19.39 per liter amid broad inflation pressures, with petrol nearing the Rs400 mark and fueling economic concerns.

Legal AI startup Legora reaches $5.6 billion valuation amid heated competition with Harvey, while Anthropic's potential $900 billion+ funding round could close within 2 weeks.

Elon Musk testifies in OpenAI trial that xAI used OpenAI's models to train its own, arguing it's standard practice, while admitting he was 'a fool' to provide early funding to the company.

Gold prices hit worst two-month decline in history on Thursday, though analysts project prices could still double over the next 5 years amid geopolitical uncertainties.

Pakistan government launches Rs321 billion 'Apna Ghar' housing scheme for 500,000 homes with subsidized loans at 5% markup, while also raising Rs114.35 billion in third hybrid Sukuk auction amid strong investor demand.