EU, Australia seal trade deal as Western countries hedge against U.S. risks

Maros Sefcovic, trade commissioner for the European Union (EU), from left, Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, Anthony Albanese, Australia’s prime minister, and Don Farrell, Australia’s trade minister, during a news conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. Hilary Wardhaugh | Bloomberg | Getty Images The European…

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Oil, Nikkei 225, Hang Seng Index, Kospi

Mount Fuji and the Shinjuku skyline in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets pared gains Tuesday as oil prices rebounded, underscoring lingering uncertainty over the Middle East conflict. Brent crude futures for May rose over 3.5% to $103.7 per barrel…

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Danone to buy protein shake maker Huel as health nutrition craze drives demand shift

Huel makes vegan, powdered meal replacements, catering to people who “deem themselves time-poor” but want healthy, environmentally sustainable meals. Source: Huel French food and beverage maker Danone said Monday it’s set to buy protein drinks maker Huel as a more health-conscious younger generation and the rise of weight-loss drugs pushes companies to rethink what people…

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clock ticks on Trump’s Hormuz ultimatum

An LPG gas tanker at anchor as traffic is down in the Strait of Hormuz, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Shinas, Oman, March 11, 2026. Benoit Tessier | Reuters Hello, this is Leonie Kidd writing to you from London. Welcome to another edition of CNBC’s Daily Open. I don’t know about you, but…

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