India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a groundbreaking agreement to establish a trans-continental trade corridor connecting Europe with India via the Middle East by sea and rail. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the pact during his visit to the UAE, backed by support from the United States and the European Union. While specific details remain undisclosed, the corridor aims to enhance regional connectivity between the two nations, building upon existing cooperation efforts. Initially proposed at the G20 summit in New Delhi, the corridor plans to stretch from India acros
Westports Holdings, the largest port operator in Malaysia, is considering external strategic investors to help with an RM39.6 billion (S$11.1 billion) expansion that will see nearly double capacity in the coming decades. Executive chairman Ruben Emir Gnanalingam expressed openness to potential investors who could contribute value, mentioning options like a dividend reinvestment plan and borrowing for funding. The expansion aims to increase capacity from 14 million to 27 million 20-foot equivalent units by 2082. Beginning in 2027, eight new container terminals will be progressively opera
On Tuesday, Japanese shares surged to a 34-year high, with the Nikkei hitting 38,010, near its 1989 record. It has seen a surge of more than 13% this year after rising 28% in 2023. European stocks and S&P 500 futures dipped as investors awaited a US inflation report influencing Federal Reserve policy. The dollar and Treasury held steady ahead of the data. Due to investments in cryptocurrency-backed ETFs, bitcoin was hovering around $50,000. Max Kettner, HSBC's chief multi-asset strategist, remarked that U.S. yields had increased year to date. He pointed out that in the absence of si
Sri Lanka and Mauritius recently launched India's Unified Payment Interface (UPI), expanding India's digital infrastructure globally. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, will witness the event virtually. The launch includes RuPay card services in Mauritius, enhancing digital connectivity and enabling faster transactions between nations. Bhutan established the first international UPI transactions using the BHIM app in July 2021, and France followed suit by starting to accept UPI payments at the Eif
According to reports, the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) retail digital currency pilot programme saw transactions totalling Rs 5.70 crore in the initial four months. According to the RBI's balance sheet published on January 16, 2023, the E-Rupee issued for Central Bank digital currency in the retail sector was $5.70 crore as of March 31, 2023. Launched on December 1, 2022, the pilot aims to introduce a digital rupee using blockchain to enhance the digital economy. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed this initiative to streamline currency management during her February 1, 2022, budg
On Friday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong looked optimistic in his speech about Singapore's economy. According to him, the economy should improve this year despite the uncertain times. With several real estate developments in the works as well as more flights and visa-free travel between Singapore and China, he pointed out that industries including retail, food and beverage, and construction are looking good. In 2023, Singapore witnessed modest economic growth of 1.2%, a decline from 3.6% in 2022, but managed to evade a recession. Core inflation averaged 4.2%, slightly higher than 4.1%
On Friday, the IMF's first deputy managing director, Gita Gopinath, recommended the Bank of Japan (BOJ) stop its yield curve control and asset purchases and raise short-term interest rates gradually instead. Japan's economy is rebounding, with domestic demand driving inflation as labour shortages intensify and the output gap closes. Current inflation, above the 2% target, spans products and services, signalling upward inflation risks. Core inflation, excluding food and energy, will likely stay above 2% until the second half of 2025 due to closed output gaps and rising wages. The IMF sug
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), the UAE's largest sovereign wealth fund, intends to establish a $4–5 billion investment fund in India through a tax-neutral finance hub in Gujarat. The fund has received preliminary approval from the regulatory authority at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City). India and the UAE jointly made the announcement last July, but specific investment information remains undisclosed. ADIA’s approval marks a milestone as the first sovereign wealth fund to invest in India via GIFT City, coinciding with PM Modi’s visit to Abu Dhabi. India-U
India is on the verge of cementing a substantial trade agreement that could potentially yield investments amounting to $100 billion for 15 years from a select group of European nations. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which is made up of Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein, is said to have made major commitments as part of an approaching trade agreement. This anticipated investment from EFTA countries in India is poised to generate more than 1 million jobs. It is expected to predominantly target both existing and nascent manufacturing endeavours, with contributio
India's state-run banks are poised to generate nearly $2 billion in dividends for the government in the upcoming fiscal year commencing in April. According to the senior ministry official, this data marks a substantial surge from the current period. PM Modi has orchestrated measures to fortify these financial institutions since he took office in his first term. His strategies consist of the amalgamation of weaker banks with more robust counterparts and the implementation of bankruptcy laws to reclaim funds from defaulters. The government has invested over 3.3 trillion rupees ($39.7 billion