The head of the International Monetary Fund urged countries to move "swiftly'' to resolve trade disputes that threaten global economic growth.

IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said the unpredictability arising from President Donald Trump's aggressive campaign of taxes on foreign imports is causing companies to delay investments and consumers to hold off on spending.

Elon Musk has been called a Moonshot Master, the Edison of Our Age and the Architect of the Future, but he's got a big problem at his car company and it's not clear he can fix it: damage to its brand.

Sales have plunged for Tesla amid protests and boycotts over Musk's embrace of far right-wing views. Profits have been sliced by two-thirds so far this year, and rivals from China, Europe and the U.S. are pouncing.

A dozen states sued the Trump administration in the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York on Wednesday to stop its tariff policy, saying it is unlawful and has brought chaos to the American economy.

The lawsuit said the policy put in place by President Donald Trump has been subject to his "whims rather than the sound exercise of lawful authority."

U.S. stocks rose Wednesday as a worldwide rally came back around to Wall Street after President Donald Trump appeared to back off his criticism of the Federal Reserve and his tough talk in his trade war.

The S&P 500 climbed 1.7% and added to its big gain from Tuesday that more than made up for a steep loss on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 419 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 2.5%.

Lebanon's parliament on Thursday approved amendments to banking secrecy legislation, a key reform demanded by the International Monetary Fund, as Lebanese officials hold meetings with global finance institutions in Washington.

A statement from Speaker Nabih Berri's office said parliament passed amendments to "the law related to banking secrecy" and to monetary legislation.

Iran's foreign ministry on Wednesday condemned the latest U.S. sanctions targeting its oil network, calling the move a sign of Washington's "hostile approach" ahead of a third round of indirect nuclear talks.

In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the US policy of imposing sanctions on the Iranian people was a "clear contradiction with the United States' demand for dialogue and negotiation and indicates America's lack of goodwill and seriousness in this regard."

Asian shares mostly rose Wednesday, with markets showing relief after President Donald Trump indicated he won't dismiss the head of the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 gained 1.9% in afternoon trading to 34,875.64. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 surged 1.3% to 7,920.50. South Korea's Kospi gained 1.5% to 2,523.17. Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 2.2% to 22,039.88, while the Shanghai Composite edged up 0.2% to 3,305.43.

Elon Musk says he'll be spending less time in Washington slashing government costs and more time running Tesla after his electric vehicle company reported a big drop in profits.

Musk said on a conference call with analysts Tuesday that "now that the major work of establishing Department of Government Efficiency is done," that he will be "allocating far more of my time to Tesla" starting in May. Musk said he now expects to spend just "a day or two per week on government matters"

The outlooks for the U.S. and global economies have significantly worsened in the wake of President Donald Trump's tariffs and the uncertainty they have created, the International Monetary Fund said Tuesday.

The IMF said that the global economy will grow just 2.8% this year, down from its forecast in January of 3.3%, according to its latest World Economic Outlook. And in 2026, global growth will be 3%, the fund predicts, also below its previous 3.3% estimate.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday called for enhanced engagement with India and said that the South Asian country should buy more defense equipment and energy from the U.S. and allow Washington greater access to its market, lending momentum to an expected bilateral trade deal.

Vance, who is on a four-day visit to India, said that he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi made progress on trade talks during their discussions on Monday, and confirmed that both sides had finalized the terms of reference for the trade negotiation — a vital step towards setting the road map for the final agreement.