A Special Investigation Team (SIT) is auditing over Rs 124 crore spent by the Ram Temple Trust on major events, including the Jan 2024 consecration ceremony and Nov 2025 flag-hoisting. The probe scrutinizes financial records to ensure funds were utilized per Trust procedures.
US consumer spending increased by 0.3% in May, defying rising inflation. Prices rose 4.1% year-on-year, the fastest in over three years, yet consumers continued to spend, potentially pressuring the Federal Reserve on interest rates.
The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, the core PCE price index, rose 3.4% annually, its highest since October 2023, while the all-items PCE hit 4.1%, highest since April 2023. This reinforces the Fed's hawkish stance, despite stronger-than-expected consumer spending and income growth.
India is negotiating with the World Bank and ADB for approximately $2.5 billion in loans to fund urban infrastructure and job creation. This comes amid a wider budget gap due to increased subsidies for oil prices affected by Middle East conflict.
Foreign tourists spent a record 251.1 billion won (US$165.2 million) on medical services in South Korea in May, driven by demand for health, beauty, and pharmaceutical products. Dermatology and plastic surgery were the most popular services.
Il viceministro dell'Economia Maurizio Leo delinea le linee guida della manovra 2027: riduzione dell'IVA sugli affitti per i giovani al 5% e potenziale allargamento della seconda aliquota IRPEF al 33% per redditi fino a 60.000 euro, con un costo di 3 miliardi da reperire tramite riordino delle tax expenditures. Nessun margine per l'aumento della soglia flat tax per le partite IVA.
Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov stated that the current situation allows for the accumulation and rebuilding of the National Welfare Fund (NWF). Funds are used to support budget expenditures and invest in the economy, with investments exceeding 4 trillion rubles. As of June 1, 2026, the NWF totaled 12.955 trillion rubles.
Alcohol spending in South Korea dropped 9% year-on-year in Q1 2024, the steepest decline in seven years. This reflects changing drinking habits, increased health consciousness, and shifts in corporate culture post-COVID-19.
Asia sees a 20-year high in capital expenditures across sectors like defense, AI, and energy, driven by geopolitical crises and trade disputes. Morgan Stanley predicts a 'super cycle,' boosting economic power and jobs in the region.
SEOUL, May 12 (Yonhap) -- Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said Tuesday the governmen...
According to the Russian Finance Ministry, the high deficit figures at the beginning of the year are primarily due to accelerated financing of expenditures
Wall Street analysts estimate AI capital expenditures could exceed $1 trillion in 2027, with 2026 projections rising to $800-$900 billion. Major hyperscalers are dramatically increasing spending: Alphabet ($185B), Amazon ($200B), Meta ($135B), and Microsoft ($190B). Despite mounting costs, analysts cite strong ROI indicators including Google's $462 billion backlog and accelerating cloud growth. Meta faces investor pressure with shares down 8% as free cash flow plummets.
Alphabet shares rose over 7% while Meta fell 9% on Thursday following Q1 earnings, with investors showing divergent reactions to AI spending plans. Alphabet raised its 2026 capex forecast to $180-190 billion and reported 63% cloud growth, while Meta increased capex to $125-145 billion and is pursuing a $20-25 billion bond deal. JPMorgan downgraded Meta to neutral, citing a challenging path to returns on AI spending without a cloud business like Microsoft and Amazon.
Artificial intelligence investments by US tech giants continue to soar, dwarfing those of Chinese AI firms, but China’s rising appetite for AI applications will compel its tech companies to increase their AI spending this year, according to analysts. The largest US tech companies are on track for more than US$700 billion in AI capital expenditures this year, driven in part by rising memory costs and continuously growing demand for AI applications. Google and Microsoft on Thursday both said that...
Meta reported Q1 2026 earnings showing $26.8B net income and $56.3B revenue, but Reality Labs lost $4B — the same as its 21-quarter average totaling $83.5B. The company projects 2026 capital expenditures of $125-145B for AI infrastructure, exceeding analyst expectations.
Meta Platforms reported Q1 earnings with adjusted EPS of $7.31 vs $6.79 estimated, and revenue of $56.31B vs $55.45B estimated, marking its fastest growth quarter since 2021. However, shares fell 7% after hours as capex of $19.84B came in below the $27.57B estimate, though full-year capex guidance was raised to $125B-$145B. Daily active people dropped more than 5% quarter-over-quarter to 3.56B, missing the 3.62B estimate, with Meta blaming internet disruptions in Iran and a WhatsApp restriction in Russia.
The Russian Security Council secretary argued that the new expenditures to support the Kiev regime will impose an extra burden on ordinary Europeans, who are already experiencing significant cuts to pensions and social programs
Tesla announced it will spend $25 billion on capital expenditures in 2026, triple its previous annual spend, as it transitions to an AI and robotics company. The increase from the previously announced $20 billion reflects expanded investments in compute infrastructure, data centers, manufacturing, and R&D. While CFO Vaibhav Taneja warned the company will head into negative free cash flow later this year, Tesla reported $44.7 billion in cash at quarter's end and views the spending as justified for future revenue streams.
Tesla announced it will increase capital expenditures to $25 billion in 2026, more than triple previous annual spending, as it transitions to an AI and robotics company. The figure surpasses the $20 billion expected in January. CFO Vaibhav Taneja warned negative free cash flow is expected for the rest of the year, though the company ended Q1 with $44.7 billion in cash. Musk framed the spending as necessary for future revenue streams from AI, Optimus robots, and expanded manufacturing.
Tesla announced it will triple its capital expenditures to $25 billion in 2026, up from $8.5 billion in 2025, as CEO Elon Musk accelerates the company's transition to an AI and robotics company. The $5 billion increase from earlier projections of $20 billion will fund AI training, chip design, Optimus humanoid robot production at scale, and a new semiconductor research fab in Austin. While Tesla reported $1.4 billion in free cash flow for Q1, CFO Vaibhav Taneja warned the company will head into negative free cash flow territory later this year. Tesla shares erased gains in after-hours trading despite the company holding $44.7 billion in cash.
