Day: February 3, 2026

China ties make Darwin Port a bigger test for Australia than Panama port dispute: analysts

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Any decision by Australia to regain control of Darwin Port is likely to differ from Panama’s move to nullify a contract on its geostrategically vital canal, as fears of Chinese retaliation and a limited security consensus limit Canberra’s options, analysts said – though they warned the issue could still reopen strains in the bilateral relationship. Panama’s Supreme Court ruled on Friday against a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings, ending its rights to operate two ports on the Panama Canal. Like Darwin Port in Australia – which was leased…

Gold and silver prices rebound after sell-off

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Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Precious metals rebounded on Tuesday following a punishing sell-off that started last week after a blistering rally. Gold prices rose more than 3 per cent during Asian trading on Tuesday to $4,822 per troy ounce. Silver rose 5.3 per cent to $83.50 a troy ounce. “People are buying the dip,” said Yuxuan Tang, head of Asia macro strategy at JPMorgan Private Bank. “This is what happens after a 20 per…

China to ban hidden car door handles on all EVs over crash safety concerns

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China will soon ban concealed door handles on electric vehicles (EVs), becoming the first country to do so after several deadly incidents triggered global scrutiny of the controversial design first popularised by Tesla. According to regulations announced on Monday by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, cars sold in China will now be required to have a mechanical release on both the inside and outside of every door except the boot. The new regulations will “improve the level of automotive safety design”, it said. Due to take effect on…