Bloomberg Oil extended gains toward $46 a barrel as US industry data showed crude and gasoline stockpiles declined. Futures advanced as much as 2.2 percent in New York after rising 1.8 percent in the previous two sessions. Crude inventories fell by 8.13 million barrels last week, the American Petroleum Institute was said to report. If the decline is replicated in …

Bloomberg China’s clampdown on the use of virtual private networks to circumvent the country’s internet controls risks disrupting businesses that depend on them for cloud services and data security. Besides using virtual private networks to gain access to websites like Facebook and Google blocked by China’s regulators, companies use VPNs to ensure speed and efficiency as they migrate more services …

Bloomberg Global demand for new smartphone models is driving Taiwan’s trade surplus and corporate revenues to record highs, underlining the strength of Asian trade even in the face of geopolitical jitters and rumors of protectionism. As a result, Taiwanese companies are posting record sales, a development they owe largely to an upswing in the global electronics industry. As Apple Inc. …