Apple is laying off more than 600 workers in California, marking the company's first big wave of post-pandemic job cuts amid a broader wave of tech industry consolidation.

The iPhone maker notified 614 workers in multiple offices on March 28 that they were losing their jobs, with the layoffs becoming effective on May 27, according to reports to regional authorities.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen called on China on Friday to address manufacturing overcapacity that she said risks causing global economic dislocation, and to create a level playing field for American companies and workers.

Starting a five-day visit in one of China's major industrial and export hubs, she raised what the U.S. considers to be unfair Chinese trade practices in talks with senior Chinese officials.

The American economy is thought to have added 200,000 jobs in March — a more-than-respectable increase though one that would mark a slowdown from February's vigorous gain of 275,000 and last year's monthly average increase of 251,000.

A modest downshift in hiring could reassure the Federal Reserve that the economy isn't running too hot, especially if wage growth, a key driver of inflation, also slowed last month. The Fed's policymakers are tracking the state of the economy, the job market and inflation to determine when to begin cutting interest rates from their multi-decade highs — a move eagerly awaited by Wall Street traders, homebuyers and people in need of cars, household appliances and other major purchases that are typically financed.

Two years ago, on 7 April 2022, Lebanon and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed on a program of actions and reforms.

Its implementation would have unlocked over $3 billion in assistance, additional support from donors, put Lebanon back on the path of economic recovery and restored its international credibility.

Turkey's flag carrier Turkish Airlines increased operating profits almost 24 percent year-on-year in 2023, the company said in a statement.

Last year's improved operating result, at $3.96 billion, was well below net profits of just over $6.0 billion, which were swollen by a tax effect to more than double 2022's level.

European equities rose Thursday on the eve of key U.S. data, while gold set another record peak on haven demand and hopes of interest-rate cuts.

An artificial intelligence-powered chatbot created by New York City to help small business owners is under criticism for dispensing bizarre advice that misstates local policies and advises companies to violate the law.

But days after the issues were first reported last week by tech news outlet The Markup, the city has opted to leave the tool on its official government website. Mayor Eric Adams defended the decision this week even as he acknowledged the chatbot's answers were "wrong in some areas."

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is headed to a China determined to avoid open conflict with the United States, yet the world's two largest economies still appear to be hashing out the rules on how to compete against each other.

There are tensions over Chinese government support for the manufacturing of electric vehicles and solar panels, just as the U.S. government ramps up its own aid for those tech sectors. There are differences in trade, ownership of TikTok, access to computer chips and national security — all of them a risk to what has become a carefully managed relationship.

Global shares mostly declined Wednesday after Wall Street broke its record-breaking bull run with its worst day in weeks.

France's CAC 40 edged up 0.1% in early trading to 8,139.15, while Germany's DAX rose 0.3% to 18,331.04. Britain's FTSE 100 dropped 0.6% to 7,887.60. U.S. shares were set to drift lower with Dow futures down 0.1% to 39,475.00. S&P 500 futures fell 0.2% to 5,251.50.

The inflation that has squeezed European shoppers fell more than expected in March to 2.4%, as cost spikes in the grocery aisle eased and overall price rises headed down in the two biggest economies, Germany and France.

The annual figure for the 20 countries that use the euro currency came in below the 2.5% predicted by financial markets and brings the European Central Bank ever closer to its inflation goal of 2%.