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Vietnam’s footwear exports to the United States tumbled 27% in September, hitting $611 million, after the latest round of U.S. tariffs took effect, according to official customs data. The drop marks the sharpest decline among all sectors, with textiles down 20% and phone shipments plunging 24%. Despite the sectoral slump, Vietnam’s overall exports to the…
The Bank of Thailand (BOT) is expected to cut its key policy rate by 25 basis points this week to support a sluggish economy and counter the impact of a strong baht on exports and tourism, according to a Reuters poll. Over 70% of economists surveyed anticipate a reduction to 1.25%, while the rest expect…
Gucci’s new fast-track fashion strategy under creative director Demna is already paying off, early data shows. The luxury brand’s latest “see now, buy now” move — allowing shoppers to purchase pieces from Demna’s debut collection right after its Milan Fashion Week premiere — has sparked a noticeable rise in store visits. According to Placer.ai data…
Walmart-backed fintech OnePay is gearing up to launch crypto trading and custody features on its mobile banking app later this year, according to insider reports. The new service will let users buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin and Ether, powered by crypto infrastructure startup Zerohash. This integration means OnePay customers could soon convert crypto into cash…
A new survey of 310 procurement, IT, and finance leaders in the U.S. shows that AI spending is reshaping how businesses allocate software budgets, with many firms increasing IT expenditures just to keep up. According to the report, 86% of companies raised their IT budgets in the past year, and 85% plan further increases —…
OpenAI has reportedly become the world’s most valuable private company, following a $6.6 billion secondary stock sale by employees and insiders. The transaction pushed OpenAI’s valuation to $500 billion. Unlike a typical funding round, the proceeds went to individual shareholders, not the company itself. Still, it underscores investor confidence in OpenAI’s direction — especially after…
A new startup called Lore has secured $1.1 million in pre-seed funding to build a search platform designed specifically for fandoms. The platform helps users explore deep dives into their obsessions — with fan theories, cultural context, and even connections across their interests. Founded by Zehra Naqvi, Lore aims to create a personalized “graph of…
Wave Function Ventures, a newly launched deep tech fund, has closed $15.1 million in its first round to back ambitious startups tackling areas like aerospace, robotics, and advanced energy. Founded by Jamie Gull, a former aerospace engineer and investor, the fund plans to deploy capital across seed and pre-seed rounds, targeting innovations that require long…
A new browser game called YC Partner Simulator lets anyone test whether they can spot promising startups — by judging real pitch videos exactly like Y Combinator partners do. Players see an actual pitch, click “accept” or “reject,” and then compare their choice with the real outcome. It’s part of a broader suite called YC…
If you’re not building AI, you’re likely not getting funded. According to PitchBook data reported by Bloomberg, AI startups have attracted $192.7 billion in venture capital so far this year — more than half of the $366.8 billion invested globally in 2025. In the most recent quarter, AI accounted for 62.7% of U.S. VC spending…
