Skip to main content

Featured

Northeast Winter Storm Disrupts Holiday Travel, Thousands of Flights Affected

  A powerful mix of snow and ice sweeping across the U.S. Northeast has caused major travel disruptions, leading to thousands of flight delays and cancellations across the region. The storm, which hit early Saturday, prompted states of emergency in New York and New Jersey and forced officials to warn residents to stay off treacherous roads. Airports in the New York metropolitan area—including JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty —were among the hardest hit, with airlines struggling to manage the post‑holiday travel surge. According to flight‑tracking data, more than 5,580 flights were delayed and at least 860 were canceled as of Saturday afternoon. Snowfall totals ranged from 15 to 25 centimeters across parts of New York, Connecticut, and Long Island, with New York City recording 2 to 4 inches in Central Park. Crews worked through the morning to de‑ice aircraft and clear runways as passengers faced long waits and rebooking challenges. New York Governor Kathy Hochul emphasized...

article

Chinese Stocks Slump as Economic Woes Outweigh Support Measures

 

The Chinese stock market suffered another blow on Wednesday, as a key index erased all the gains it had made since late January, when authorities pledged more forceful measures to support the market. The CSI 300 Index of mainland shares fell as much as 1.3%, reflecting weak demand and a faltering recovery in the world’s second-largest economy.

The market sentiment was further dampened by a report that showed China’s factory activity contracted for a fourth month in January, adding to the concerns over the impact of the property crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic. The official purchasing managers index, or PMI, rose slightly to 49.2 in January from 49.0 the month before, but remained below the 50-mark that separates expansion from contraction.

Investors were also disappointed by the lack of further details about the stabilization fund that was expected to inject 2 trillion yuan ($278 billion) into the market, as well as the effect of the central bank’s decision to cut banks’ reserve requirement ratio. Some analysts said that the government’s support measures were not enough to address the structural issues and the growth challenges facing the Chinese economy.

“Any minor rally driven by piecemeal news of government support is likely to be met by more selling,” said Vey-Sern Ling, managing director at Union Bancaire Privee in Singapore. "It’s not clear whether China’s structural issues can be resolved and how determined the leadership is in prioritizing growth."

The Chinese stock market has lost more than $6 trillion in market value since a peak reached in 2021, making it one of the worst performers in the world. The selloff has also affected other markets, such as Hong Kong, where the Hang Seng Index dropped 1.5% on Wednesday, and the U.S., where tech giants slid in late trading after earnings reports.

Comments