across the region. they re venting their anger over soaring fuel and fertilizer costs, low prices for their produce, and increasingly restrictive eu regulations. demonstrations by farmers are planned in poland, hungary and italy today. italy s government has promised tax breaks to ease hardship for farmers after hundreds began gathering with their tractors this week, on motorways outside rome and turin. this was the scene on thursday. and in cyprus, farmers blocked the entrance to the european union s offices in nicosia, on thursday. there were also demonstrations in bulgaria. and more tractor protests across spain for the third day in a row, with farmers disrupting traffic in barcelona, and in smaller cities all over the country. they say eu rules to protect the environment make them less competitive. they have also had to compete with imports from ukraine after brussels waived duties and quotas after the russian invasion. this and renewed eu talks on a south america trade d
those the 2024 presidential ballot. counting has begun ir after those counting has begun in pakistan after a campaign marred by violence. president zelensky fires the chief of the army. a new study suggests erectile dysfunction drugs could also reduce the risk of alzheimer s disease. let s round up the business news of the day. we start with the entertainment giant disney whose share values have climbed by nearly 10% today after better than expected earnings were posted after the bell on wednesday. disney followed up with hand outs for investors in the form of share buy backs and bigger dividends. along with a number of major deals and upcoming events that clearly has markets excited. erin delmore is in new york for us. first of all, those investors will be pretty happy today, won t they? they well and they will be even happier if they check the stock price is right now. what is this news based on? a great earnings report yesterday from disney and from good news for inves
helped drive forward returns, as you say. this target was what we were expecting to hit at the end of the year, but we have seen a little bit of better than expected economic data also helping optimism that earnings growth might pick up a bit in the next few months. so is this all about expectation for rate cuts? is the optimism because of strong earnings? i the optimism because of strong earninus? ~ ., , earnings? i think it really does reflect earnings? i think it really does reflect rate - earnings? i think it really does reflect rate cut - does reflect rate cut expectations and the growing belief that the us can have a soft landing, because when you look at earnings growth, actual earnings growth has been slow and negative for some companies. growth is slowing, it does cast doubt on the possibility of a re acceleration in the interim here. so it leaves that rally a little vulnerable to any failure to reach those expectations. japan s nikkei has crossed the 37,000 mark f
quite good value for money and people think i am insane for saying that but what other eventin saying that but what other event in the world have you got where everybody is watching the same thing at the same time and everybody is talking about the adverts? good to have you with us. let s talk business with me, sally bundock. we start with walt disney because the century old entertainment giant is battling to turn itself around in a fast changing world. disney s shares have lost over half their value since 2021, wiping out around $200 billion, on concerns it s not adapting fast enough to our changing media habits. some shareholders are pushing for disney to be broken up. on wednesday, disney came out swinging, with better than expected numbers and handouts to investors in the form of share buybacks and bigger dividends. it has also announced a big move into the gaming world, buying part of fortnight publisher epic. erin delmore has more. disney says it s on pace to bring in m
continued to expect continuing to read cuts from the fed, which is held jack forward returns. as you say, this target is what we were expected to hit at the end of the year but we have seen a bit better than expected economic data that is hope and optimism that things might pick up in the next few months. is that things might pick up in the next few months. is this all about the next few months. is this all about expectation - the next few months. is this all about expectation for - the next few months. is this | all about expectation for rate cuts was to mark as their optimism because of strong earnings? it optimism because of strong earnings? optimism because of strong earninus? . , ., . earnings? it reflects rate cut exnectations earnings? it reflects rate cut expectations undergoing - earnings? it reflects rate cut l expectations undergoing belief that the us can have a soft landing, when you look at earnings growth, actually earnings growth, actually earnings growth