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More women made list of top paid CEOs in US, but numbers are still small

More women are attaining the top job at companies in the S&P 500, but their numbers are still minuscule compared to their male counterparts.

Of the 341 CEOs included in the AP's annual compensation survey, 25 are women. That's the most women making the list since the survey began in 2011. But the numbers haven't budged very much. The second highest tally was 21 women in 2017.

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OPEC+ agrees to extend output cuts to buttress oil prices

Saudi Arabia and allied oil producing countries on Sunday extended output cuts through next year, a move aimed at supporting slack prices that haven't risen even amid turmoil in the Middle East and the start of the summer travel season.

The OPEC+ alliance, made up of members of the producers cartel and allied countries including Russia, extended three different sets of cuts totaling 5.8 million barrels a day.

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Japan spent $62 billion supporting yen in April-May

Japan said Friday that it spent about 62 billion dollars to bolster the yen over the past five weeks, when it intervened in forex markets for the first time since 2022 after the currency hit a 34-year low.

Finance ministry data showed that forex intervention operations totaled 9.79 trillion yen ($62 billion) between April 26 and May 29.

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Stock markets diverge as inflation takes center stage

Equity markets diverged Friday as traders fixed attention on inflation numbers from the eurozone and the United States for clues on the outlook for interest-rate cuts.

Paris and Frankfurt indices were slightly lower in midday deals after official data showed eurozone inflation rose faster than expected in May.

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India's economy grows 8.2% in election boost for PM Modi

India posted world-beating growth of 8.2 percent in the year to March on Friday, in a last-minute boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's economic credentials the day before national elections conclude.

The world's most populous country also remains its fastest growing major economy thanks to robust demand and huge government infrastructure spending.

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Inflation ticked up in Europe in May. That likely won't stop a central bank rate cut next week

Inflation ticked up to an annual 2.6% in Europe in May, according to official figures on Friday. That's more than expected as a painful spike in consumer prices takes its time to fade away.

It's unlikely to stop the European Central Bank from making a first interest rate cut next week — and moving ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve in lowering borrowing costs for businesses and consumers.

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European shares open higher after retreat in Asia

Shares opened higher in Europe on Thursday after a retreat in Asia as rising bond yields weighed on stock prices.

Germany's DAX edged 0.1% higher to 18,486.92 and the CAC 40 in Paris rose 0.3% to 7,956.50. Britain's FTSE gained 0.3% to 8,204.61.

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Salam says Doha offer to build 3 power plants has been blocked

Lebanon's political class, fuel companies and private electricity providers blocked an offer by gas-rich Qatar to build three renewable energy power plants to ease the crisis-hit nation's decades-old electricity crisis, Lebanon's caretaker economy minister said Thursday.

Lebanon's electricity crisis worsened after the country's historic economic meltdown began in October 2019. Power cuts often last for much of the day, leaving many reliant on expensive private generators that work on diesel and raise pollution levels.

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China to impose controls on exports of aviation and aerospace equipment

China's Commerce Ministry said Thursday it will restrict exports of aviation and aerospace-related equipment and technology beginning July 1.

A notice seen Thursday on the ministry's website said the move was to safeguard national security and interests and fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation. Exports of items designated under the new rules will require export licenses.

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Xi pledges more Gaza aid and talks trade at summit with Arab leaders

Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated calls for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and promised more humanitarian aid for people in Gaza as he opened a summit with leaders of Arab states Thursday in Beijing.

"Since last October, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has escalated drastically, throwing people into tremendous suffering," Xi said in a speech opening the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. "War should not continue indefinitely."

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