Oil prices fell nearly 2 percent on Thursday, sliding for a third day, as US Midwest supply anxieties eased further on news that a major Canadian pipeline carrying crude to the region would be back in service by Friday.
Liffe December white sugar ended $15.00 higher at $608.20 per tonne on Thursday, supported by worries over the impact of drought on Brazilian yields. Liffe December cocoa ended 31 pounds higher at 1,884 pounds a tonne. Market rebounding after falling to l
US soyabean futures on the Chicago Board of Trade closed higher on Wednesday for a third straight day, although volume was lighter than in previous days, traders said. Worries about dry weather ahead of the start of soyabean planting in Brazil lent suppor
Key Tokyo rubber futures fell on Thursday as a sharp drop in the nearby September contract pulled the overall market lower, while weakness in oil, Shanghai rubber futures and stocks also weighed on investor sentiment. The key Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubb
Copper rose to a near two-week high on Thursday, lifted by a weaker dollar and fund buying, while an improvement in US jobless data did little to soothe concerns about the strength of the economy. Benchmark copper closed at $7,700 a tonne, up from $7,620
Copper drifted lower in London on Thursday and ended flat in Shanghai, with markets cautious after the Bank of Japan sold 2 trillion yen in the previous session, sending the dollar leaping from 15-year lows. Benchmark third-month Shanghai copper lost 30 y
US copper futures ended a touch lower on Wednesday as investors digested disappointing US industrial output data and talk of more government policy tightening in China to cool the country's surging property market. Copper for December delivery eased 0.20
Sugar futures retreated on profit-taking Thursday from a 6-1/2 month top in the face of a resurgent dollar after Japan weakened its currency for the first time in six years. The rest of the complex consolidated, with cocoa futures pressured by favourable
Cotton futures settled on Thursday at a new 15-year high on all-around investment fund and mill buying, with most players expecting fibre contracts to hit the psychological $1/lb line in coming days, brokers said. The key ICE Futures US December cotton co
Taiwan and China Thursday staged their biggest ever joint maritime search and rescue drill, near waters where the two sides fought fierce battles half a century ago, officials said. More than 30 vessels and three helicopters took part in the exercise off
Seven foreigners, including five French nationals, were kidnapped in Niger's northern uranium mining zone on Thursday, officials said. The kidnapping, which includes a French employee of nuclear firm Areva and his wife, raises questions about the security
Reclusive North Korea has proposed holding working-level military talks with rival South Korea, the Defence Ministry in Seoul said on Thursday, in a further sign of an easing in tensions on the divided peninsula. The two Koreas have been in a stand-off si
Pope Benedict started a trip to Britain on Thursday with some of the clearest criticism yet of his Church's handling of its sexual abuse crisis and urged the country to beware of "aggressive secularism". Some 125,000 people, including a small number of pr
An inquiry panel on Wednesday handed over a preliminary report to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Israel's assault on a Turkish activist ship taking aid supplies to Gaza, which left nine dead and scores wounded, a UN spokesman said.
Arab countries criticised as "weak and disappointing" on Thursday a UN atomic watchdog report on Israel's nuclear capabilities and promised to step up pressure on the Jewish state to join an anti-atomic arms pact. The United States has urged Arab nations
Late pop icon Michael Jackson's mother has filed suit against promotors of a concert series he was supposed to give in London in 2009, claiming they shared the blame for his death during rehearsals. Katherine Jackson filed the suit in Los Angeles Superior
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday that the Israeli and Palestinian leaders are committed and serious about making peace, which is "within reach." She was speaking in Amman after talks with Jordanian King Abdullah II as this week's tho
Tens of thousands of Mexicans thronged into the streets on Wednesday to celebrate the bicentenary of Mexico's fight for independence from Spain, even as mounting drug violence took a toll on national pride. Planes painted the sky with the national colours
French President Nicolas Sarkozy clashed angrily with the head of the European Commission on Thursday over Paris's expulsion of Roma migrants, overshadowing other issues at an EU summit. Sarkozy and Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso had a lengthy a
A US Senate panel approved a new strategic nuclear arms control treaty with Russia on Thursday, advancing one of President Barack Obama's main foreign policy priorities to an uncertain future in the full Senate. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee vote
Four top Khmer Rouge leaders will stand trial for crimes including genocide during the "Killing Fields" era, Cambodia's UN-backed court said Thursday, just weeks after its landmark first conviction. "Brother Number Two" Nuon Chea, 84, who served as deputy
The president of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday vowed to maintain the "sanctity" of the game after meeting Pakistan's cricket chief over the spot-fixing betting scandal. Sharad Pawar held talks at his home in New Delhi with Pakistan C
Preston North End manager Darren Ferguson was handed a three-match touchline ban by the Football Association on Thursday after admitting a charge of improper conduct. Ferguson, the son of Manchester United boss Alex, was charged with improper conduct aggr
Peter Limacher, head of UEFA's disciplinary committee, denied in the German press on Thursday that he has made remarks suggesting corruption at German football giants Bayern Munich. In an article in German weekly magazine Stern, Limacher and his colleague
Jose Mourinho enjoyed a winning start to his first Champions League campaign at Real Madrid as his side beat Ajax 2-0 on Wednesday, while Arsenal and Chelsea both strolled to emphatic wins. Mourinho was brought to the Bernabeu with the brief of delivering
Umpires felt that Pakistan bowler Mohammad Aamer had delivered a deliberate no-ball during the fourth test against England, but had put it down to tactics rather than spot-fixing at the time, local media reported. New Zealanders Tony Hill and Billy Bowden
Eight top erstwhile international cricketers are to take part in the Dubai Super Sixes Corporate Cricket League from October 1 to 15 at Dubai Spots City International Cricket Stadium. The tournament will feature Pakistan's legendary pacer Wasim Akram and
Nottinghamshire won the County Championship on after a dramatic final day in English cricket's domestic first-class competition saw them hold off Somerset on Thursday. The bonus points Nottinghamshire secured in their drawn match away to Lancashire at Old
Andrew Flintoff announced his retirement from all cricket on Thursday as he admitted defeat in his battle against a persistent right knee injury. "It is with both disappointment and sadness that I am today (Thursday) announcing my retirement from all form
Former Essex county cricketer Mervyn Westfield has been charged with fraud over allegations that he deliberately bowled badly in a domestic match last year, British prosecutors said on Thursday. "I have advised that Mervyn Westfield should be charged with
Rafael Nadal will finish as the world's number one for the second time in three years, the ATP announced on Thursday, just three days after the Spaniard won the US Open to complete a career Grand Slam. The 24-year-old is the ninth player in the history of
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings set themselves up as the team to beat in the Champions League Twenty20 tournament with a second successive crushing win on Wednesday. After winning their opening Group A match against the Central Stags by 57 runs
Bank-to-bank euro funding costs edged up on Thursday and could rise further in the short term as banks prepare to pay back 225 billion euros in expiring loans to the European Central Bank in two weeks. While banks can roll over into shorter-dated loans up
The South Korean won and the Philippines peso fell against the dollar on Thursday as caution grew over possible intervention by local foreign exchange authorities to curb strength in their currencies. But China's yuan rose as the People's Bank of China's
The yuan ended up versus the dollar on Thursday, scoring its fastest rise of 1.03 percent in six trading days since January 2008, guided by the People's Bank of China's (PBOC) strong reference rates.
The Indian rupee was largely steady in mid-morning trade on Thursday as losses in Asian peers and majors were offset by hopes for a rate increase at the central bank's policy review due at noon (0630 GMT). At 10:20 am (0450 GMT), the partially convertible
Japan intervened in global currency markets on Wednesday, pushing the yen down 3 percent against the dollar, though investors remained cautious on whether the action would impact the currency longer term. Dealers said the Bank of Japan spent $20 billion o
The yen was little changed against the US dollar on Thursday with the Bank of Japan silent after massive yen-selling in the prior session and investors reluctant to place bets in case the central bank begins new sales to weaken the currency. The euro rose
The yen steadied against the dollar on Thursday as Japanese authorities backed away from the currency market after their massive yen-selling operation the previous day, but wariness of fresh selling remained. The euro hit its highest in more than a month
The yen crept higher on Thursday but the market was on the alert for more intervention by Japanese authorities after a massive amount of yen-selling the previous day knocked the yen off a 15-year high against the dollar. Some traders see the likelihood of
Sterling fell to a seven-week low against the rebounding euro on Thursday, after data showed UK retail sales fell unexpectedly in August and strong demand at an auction of Spanish debt lifted the single currency. UK retail sales dropped 0.5 percent in Aug
The Swiss franc rose against the euro on Thursday, moving briefly beyond the psychologically important level of 1.30 per euro ahead of the Swiss National Bank's interest rate decision later in the day. The SNB is expected to leave interest rates at ultra-
Interbank buy/sell rates for the taka against the dollar on Thursday. 69.6075/69.6500 (previous 69.59/69.62). Call Money Rates: 4.50-9.00 percent (previous 4.25-9.50 percent).
Britain's top shares closed lower on Thursday, weighed by banks which slipped after recent strength, while retailers fell on downbeat UK economic data, countering gains in energy stocks. The FTSE 100 closed down 15.42 points or 0.3 percent, at 5,540.14, h
Seoul shares slipped on Thursday as banks such as KB Financial Group edged lower after a recent rally and amid Chinese capital requirement worries. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) ended down 0.66 percent at 1,811.85 points. "The market is ta
European shares closed lower Thursday, as investors worried that high US jobless numbers, despite falls in weekly claims, and disappointing British retail sales could signal a slowdown in the pace of economic recovery. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 in
Tokyo stocks ended almost flat after hitting a five-week high on Thursday as the yen failed to continue to weaken as much as some market players had hoped after Japan intervened in the currency market the previous day. The yen's tumble off a 15-year high
Southeast Asian stock markets were mixed on Thursday, but inflows pushed the Philippines to a record high and Thai stocks recovered some ground after recent jitters over possible measures to hold down the baht. Appetite for equities has boosted capital in
Longer-dated US Treasuries fell on Wednesday, steepening the Treasury yield curve as investors bet any buying by Japan in the wake of its currency intervention would likely take place in shorter-dated debt. Japan's yen-selling intervention on Wednesday, i
Longer-dated US Treasuries fell on Wednesday, steepening the Treasury yield curve as investors bet any buying by Japan in the wake of its currency intervention would likely take place in shorter-dated debt. Japan's yen-selling intervention on Wednesday, i
European corporate credit default swap spreads were slightly wider on Thursday, with little direction provided by equities markets in the United States and Asia. Nervousness remains about Europe's peripheral countries. "There was another disappointing auc
European corporate credit default swap spreads were slightly wider on Thursday, with little direction provided by equities markets in the United States and Asia. Nervousness remains about Europe's peripheral countries. "There was another disappointing auc
Wall Street advanced on Wednesday but remained hemmed in a recent trading range as disappointing economic data hindered the S&P 500 from breaking through a stubborn technical level. Markets were pressured early by a report showing a measure of New York st
US stocks slipped on Thursday as mixed economic data kept Wall Street locked in a tight trading range, while FedEx shares fell after it forecast profit below estimates. FedEx fell nearly 4 percent to $82.73. A drop in initial jobless claims to a two-month
Shanghai and Hong Kong stocks ended lower on Thursday, with the Hang Seng Index pulling back from a five-month high as banks slid on reports of higher capital requirements in China. A stronger yuan, which has risen for eight of the last 10 sessions, promp
Indian shares snapped a seven-day winning streak and shed 0.4 percent in a choppy Thursday session, as traders locked gains after the recent sharp run, but a fall in outsourcers was offset by a rise in financials pack, which brushed off key rates hike. In
Taiwan stocks fell 0.78 percent on Thursday as investors pocketed gains from high-flying financial and China plays, but HTC Corp gained on hopes its new smartphones would help boost sales growth. The financial sub-index lost 0.9 percent and the transport
Bonds from Korea Finance Corp (KoFC) fell on their Asian debut on Thursday as investors found the pricing a bit expensive, while expected additional supply from South Korea also damped sentiment. The broad market was steady, hovering near a month low, as
Bonds from Korea Finance Corp (KoFC) fell on their Asian debut on Thursday as investors found the pricing a bit expensive, while expected additional supply from South Korea also damped sentiment. The broad market was steady, hovering near a month low, as
Bangladesh will receive $6 billion from the World Bank over the next four years for several development projects, the bank said on Wednesday. All the money will be given by the International Development Agency (IDA), a soft loan window of the World Bank.
Germany's rebound, though set to slow, is on a secure footing, Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle said on Thursday, adding Europe's largest economy aims to boost its long-term growth potential. "The upswing is getting wings," Bruederle said in a speech in
Asian economies led by China can reap a financial windfall and create hundreds of thousands of jobs in a few years by cracking down on software piracy, an industry study showed Wednesday. The Business Software Alliance (BSA) and research group IDC said ne
The World Bank has sold 500,000 United Nations-backed carbon offsets for the UN's adaptation fund, Credit Suisse, which acted as a dealer for the sale, said in a statement. The transaction took place during the period August 27 to September 10, and the en
The US poverty rate rose to 14.3 percent in 2009 from 13.2 percent the year before, bringing the percentage of the population living in poverty to the highest level since 1994, as the economic downturn took its toll on jobs, the US government said on Thur
The European Union on Thursday imposed punitive tariffs on certain fibreglass imports from China despite concerns that the duties will limit supply of the lightweight material used in wind turbines, cars and ships. The duties of 43.6 percent will stay in
Sri Lanka's economy grew 8.5 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, more strongly than expected and faster than first quarter annual growth of 7.1 percent, the government said on Thursday. According to the data released by the state-run Census
India's central bank raised interest rates more than expected on Thursday, extending its fight against inflation, but signalled that a tightening cycle that has seen five rate hikes this year may be nearing an end. The Reserve Bank of India lifted the rep
Greece's unemployment hit a 10-year high in the second quarter and economists expect more pain as austerity policies to shore up public finances cool economic activity. The jobless rate rose to 11.8 percent in the three months to June, from 11.7 percent i
President Barack Obama said on Thursday he wants to advance free trade agreements with US partners, including important ally South Korea, and repeated a vow to double America's exports over the next five years.
Japan's prime minister signalled on Thursday that authorities would keep intervening to curb yen strength as sagging manufacturing confidence underscored the threat the currency poses to the fragile economic recovery. A Reuters monthly poll that tracks th
New US claims for jobless benefits hit a two-month low last week, hinting at some stability in the labour market, while the contraction in factory activity in the Mid-Atlantic region eased in September. Although the reports on Thursday confirmed the econo
FedEx Corp forecast profit for the current quarter that missed expectations and its CEO warned that the economic recovery's pace may slow, pushing shares down more than 3 percent. The company, seen as an economic bellwether because its planes and trucks s
FedEx Corp forecast profit for the current quarter that missed expectations and its CEO warned that the economic recovery's pace may slow, pushing shares down more than 3 percent. The company, seen as an economic bellwether because its planes and trucks s
British retail sales fell unexpectedly in August for the first time in seven months, in a sign the recovery may be stalling even as some of the country's biggest stores announced jumps in profits. The Office for National Statistics said on Thursday that s
The 16-nation eurozone returned an improved global trade surplus in July, the EU said Thursday, although signs of drops in seasonally-adjusted trade data gave rise to some concern. A first estimate gave a 6.7-billion-euro surplus (8.7 billion dollars), up
After mulling over the past couple of weeks trying to seek a direction, cotton futures in New York (ICE) reached sky high this week shattering the ninety cents per pound ceiling for the active December 2010 contract and is now possibly scheming to go beyo
After mulling over the past couple of weeks trying to seek a direction, cotton futures in New York (ICE) reached sky high this week shattering the ninety cents per pound ceiling for the active December 2010 contract and is now possibly scheming to go beyo
Upward trend persisted on the cotton market on Thursday due to acute shortage of cotton, dealers said. The Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) official spot rate was extended, picking up further Rs 150 to Rs 6,850, they said. In the ready business nearly 170
Rising trend persisted on the forward cottonseed oilcake market on Thursday in the process of trading, dealers said. The December vaida that closed at Rs 1113.00 opened with no change at the same rate, dealers said.
Russia, devastated by a severe drought, had harvested 51 million tonnes of grain by bunker weight by September 15, down 34 percent from a year ago, Agriculture Ministry data showed on Wednesday. Russia's worst drought in more than century has sparked a ra
Most of the items tended lower on the wholesale grain and seed market on Thursday as supply position improved after Eid-ul-Fitr holidays, dealers said. On the grams side prices moved both ways as guwar Sindh rose by Rs 50 to Rs 3900-4000, Guwar Punjab fol
The top price for Kenya's benchmark AA coffee grade fell to $222 per 50-kg bag at this week's auction from $367 per bag in the previous sale, the Nairobi Coffee Exchange said. The AA grade sold at $222-213 per bag compared with $367-$270 at last week's sa
UK wheat exports during July, the first month of the 2010/11 marketing year, were 251,733 tonnes, up 52 percent from 165,636 tonnes in the same month last year, customs data showed on Wednesday. The total included an unusual sale of 58,314 tonnes to Vietn
The Karachi Port handled 105,782 tonnes of cargo including 87,030 tonnes of import cargo, 18,752 tonnes of export cargo, 4,360 loaded and empty containers during last 24 hours ended at 0700 hours on Thursday. The total import cargo of 87,030 tonnes compri
The Finance Ministry insists that the concerns of Pakistan Banks Association (PBA) have been adequately addressed in the long awaited draft Corporate Rehabilitation Bill, 2010. Justifying the proposed legislation, Finance Ministry argues that the existing
Rejecting the rumours of any change mere speculations, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday categorically stated that with the present coalition government and the parliament having mandate of people through elections, every member of the pa
Rejecting the rumours of any change mere speculations, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday categorically stated that with the present coalition government and the parliament having mandate of people through elections, every member of the pa
While supporting a political change through Constitutional ways and means, the PML-N Chief has floated the idea of a 'Charter of Pakistan' with a view to drawing a grand strategy for the next 25 years.
While supporting a political change through Constitutional ways and means, the PML-N Chief has floated the idea of a 'Charter of Pakistan' with a view to drawing a grand strategy for the next 25 years.
The Finance Ministry insists that the concerns of Pakistan Banks Association (PBA) have been adequately addressed in the long awaited draft Corporate Rehabilitation Bill, 2010. Justifying the proposed legislation, Finance Ministry argues that the existing
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has extended the date for payment of taxes/duty for the tax period August 2010, and filing of Sales Tax/FED returns, upto September 25, 2010. In this regard, the FBR on Thursday issued instructions to the Chief Commissio
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has extended the date for payment of taxes/duty for the tax period August 2010, and filing of Sales Tax/FED returns, upto September 25, 2010. In this regard, the FBR on Thursday issued instructions to the Chief Commissio
