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FRANCE 24’s analyses of the economic events and technological innovations shaping our world, including economic trends, energy markets, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and space exploration.
  • 09 September 2026
    Paris's Grand Palais will host a two-day International Space Summit this Wednesday to promote global cooperation in the sector. A number of deals and investments for European space firms are expected to be announced as part of a wider plan to strengthen Europe's position in a field dominated by the US and China. Also in this edition: the US and Canada are locked in a tit-for-tat battle over tariffs.
  • 08 September 2026
    Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said it was a shame that trade talks with the US collapsed but that he would continue to fight to protect Canada's sovereignty. Meanwhile, his government's promised counter-tariffs on $20 billion worth of US exports took effect. Also in the segment: Cuba says economic damage from decades of US trade embargo has risen to a record $8 billion. 
  • 08 September 2026
    Canada's retaliatory tariffs of up to 50 percent on approximately $19.8 billion worth of US goods came into effect this Tuesday, further escalating the trade war between the two neighbours. At the same time, US President Donald Trump is threatening to ban sales of all Bombardier aircraft in the US, in spite of the Canadian company's deep web of US suppliers. Also in this edition: Iran raises the price of gasoline and French startup Mistral AI is now valued at €21 billion.
  • 07 September 2026
    Crisis-hit Volkswagen has struck a preliminary deal to sell its Osnabrück plant in Lower Saxony to the state government and Israeli investor Aurelius Capital.  From mid-2027, the iconic factory is expected to start producing equipment for Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, the company behind the Iron Dome missile defence system. But first, we take a look at the state of the German economy following the far-right AfD's historic election win in Saxony-Anhalt. 
  • 07 September 2026
    From Austin to London, the current robotaxi boom is raising hard questions about safety and jobs. We take a closer look in this edition of Tech 24.
  • 07 September 2026
    German startup Isar Aerospace becomes the first company to achieve a successful private orbital space launch. But first: Germany's far-right AfD party scores a big electoral victory, pushed along in part by the country's structural economic crisis and its fiscal policies.
  • 03 September 2026
    The UN warns El Niño is a "supersized" phenomenon that will hit the global economy. Meanwhile, UK cider producers are feeling the impact of drought. Plus, Nvidia buys AI developer platform Hugging Face for $12.9 billion. 
  • 03 September 2026
    This week, we're looking look at efforts to incorporate artificial intelligence into the workplace. But not just your run-of-the-mill generative AI chatbot: we're focusing on actual AI agents. These are autonomous programs designed to take on tasks and work through a series of steps without the user having to specify every move. And they're moving into our everyday lives – helping people plan holidays, shop online and take care of other routine tasks.
  • 02 September 2026
    US Energy Secretary Chris Wright landed in Venezuela on Tuesday ahead of a signing ceremony for a landmark oil deal between the US government and Venezuela. The deal would see the US create and control a private company that will hold 65 billion barrels in proven oil reserves. This agreement is also meant to encourage other US energy firms to invest in the country, in spite of serious challenges. In this edition, we see what other deals could be announced and what those challenges are.
  • 01 September 2026
    A federation of European textile associations called on Tuesday for an import fee of €10 on fashion imports, the latest effort to stem the flood of ultra-cheap competition mainly from China. Speaking with FRANCE 24's Sharon Gaffney, Dr Sheng Lu, Professor at the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies at the University of Delaware, says that it remains to be seen just "to what extent such measures would push groups like Shein to change their business model", adding that fast-fashion retailers may have to start to contend with "consumer fatigue".