The private sector in the two biggest Gulf Arab economies grew at the slowest pace in years in October, corporate surveys showed on Tuesday, indicating low oil prices are starting to slow business activity across the region. The seasonally adjusted Emirat
Bhutanese people are getting happier as living standards improve, but social isolation is increasing in the remote kingdom that famously prioritises Gross National Happiness over wealth, the prime minister said on Tuesday. Tshering Tobgay said that while
New car registrations in Germany, a key measure of demand in one of the most important sectors of Europe's top economy, edged higher in October, data showed Tuesday, appearing to shrug off fears the Volkswagen pollution-cheating scandal could weigh on sal
Inflation in Ukraine will fall in 2016 to 12.3 percent, around quarter of the 20-year high it is expected to record in 2015, raising chances for a war-torn economy to return to modest growth, a Reuters survey showed on Wednesday. Analysts predicted Ukrain
French tyre maker Michelin said on Tuesday it was planning to close three production sites in Europe within three years, shedding 1,500 jobs. The Fossano factory in Italy and the Oranienburg factory in Germany would be shut by the end of 2016, and Ballyme
The third quarter of 2015 saw a record $52 billion in merger and acquisition announced deals in the defence and aerospace industry, more than the whole of 2014, according to a report released by the US arm of audit firm Price Water house Coopers.
China's commercial banks posted an average non-performing loan (NPL) ratio of 1.59 percent as of the end of September, the highest since the 2009 global financial crisis, an official at the country's banking regulator said late on Wednesday. The provision
Time Warner Inc cut its 2016 adjusted profit forecast, citing a strong dollar, sending its shares plunging more than 8 percent on Wednesday. The company said it now expected earnings of $5.25 per share, compared with its earlier forecast of "close to $6".
Time Warner Inc cut its 2016 adjusted profit forecast, citing a strong dollar, sending its shares plunging more than 8 percent on Wednesday. The company said it now expected earnings of $5.25 per share, compared with its earlier forecast of "close to $6".
The eurozone should introduce a single scheme to protect savers across the euro zone, the president of the European Central Bank said on Wednesday, adding that failure to make such a reform undermined the currency union. While not the first time Mario Dra
US private employers maintained a steady pace of hiring in October and a jump in new orders buoyed activity in the services sector, suggesting the economy was strong enough to support an interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve in December. The economi
British and Kazakh companies signed deals and agreements worth $5 billion on Tuesday during Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's visit to London, his office said. The biggest agreement, announced separately by Britain's Independent Power Corporation (I
The direct impact of China's economic slowdown on euro zone growth via trade will be modest, but the impact from indirect channels may be more significant, the European Central Bank said on Wednesday. China's economic growth dipped below 7 percent in the
Australian retail sales posted a second month of solid growth in September, while spending for the whole third quarter made moderate gains amid subdued price pressures. Official data issued on Wednesday showed that while prices for Australia's key resourc
Canada's trade deficit narrowed more than expected in September, helped by a modest pickup in exports and reinforcing economists' views that the country pulled out of recession in the third quarter. The trade gap declined to a deficit of C$1.73 billion ($
Eurozone private business growth remained tepid last month but activity in China's services industry expanded at its fastest pace in three months, easing concerns about persistent weakness in its economy, surveys showed on Wednesday. There was little sign
Chances are, the world economy has been in worse shape than you thought for years. Especially if you were reading the headline forecasts from the IMF, World Bank and OECD. Having repeatedly overestimated the world economic rebound since the 2007-08 crisis
On Tuesday, at Pakistan Mercantile Exchange (PMEX), value traded was PKR 5,389 million as compared to PKR 3,382 million reported on Monday. The number of lots traded also increased to 26.94 million from 19.87 million. PMEX Commodity Index closed at 2,609.
Wheat futures on the Chicago Board of Trade closed higher on Tuesday in largely technical trade, rallying on ideas that a sell-off of nearly 3 percent one day earlier was overdone, traders said. CBOT December traded between support at its 20-day moving av
Asia's naphtha crack rose for the fifth straight session on Tuesday to around a 4-1/2 month high of $103.95 a tonne, supported by expectations of strong demand as petrochemical units are mostly operating at high rates, traders said. Spot demand for first-
Export premiums for corn and soyabeans shipped from the US Gulf Coast eased on Tuesday along with weaker CIF basis values, with corn additionally pressured by dull demand for US supplies, traders said. Basis offers for US wheat, FOB Gulf, were unchanged i
The Ethiopian government has purchased about 800,000 tonnes of milling wheat of optional origin in a giant international tender for up to 1 million tonnes, European traders said on Tuesday. Offers in the tender had been submitted on October 23. Negotiatio
Rainfall in Vietnam's coffee belt has delayed the harvest and disrupted drying in the world's top robusta producer, but fresh beans plus the country's huge stocks will be sufficient for loading, traders said on Tuesday. The rainy season often ends during
The Karachi Port handled 106,766 tonnes of cargo comprising 80,326 tonnes of import cargo and 26,440 tonnes of export cargo including 5,774 loaded and empty containers during the last 24 hours ending at 0700 hours on Wednesday. The total import cargo of 8
A downward trend was again witnessed on the cotton market on Wednesday as a result of panic selling by the ginners, dealers said. The official spot rate failed to halt slide for the second day in a row, losing Rs 50 to Rs 5350, dealers said. In Sindh, see
Tea prices in Bangladesh fell for a second straight session at the weekly auction on Tuesday due to larger supplies of inferior quality, although robust demand for quality leaf capped the slide. Bangladeshi tea fetched an average 189.18 taka ($2.44) per k
Modest trading activity was seen on the local grain market on Wednesday as leading participants were reluctant in making new purchasing owing to high rates, dealer said. On the cereals side, Masoor Canada after maintaining a stable trend for a long-time s
Saudi Arabia's stock market rebounded from near technical support on Wednesday but most major Middle Eastern bourses were weak, weighed down by concern about slowing economic growth. The Saudi stock index, which has support at its August low of 6,921 poin
Indian shares headed for a second consecutive session of mild gains on Wednesday tracking higher global shares, while auto makers surged after Tata Motors reported strong October sales, but foreign sales capped broader gains. US shares climbed for a fifth
Wall Street was lower on Wednesday, following two straight days of gains, after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said a rate hike in December was a "live" possibility, but not a certainty. "What the committee has been expecting is that the economy will
Big tech and energy sector gains drove US stocks higher on Tuesday, as an index of 100 major Nasdaq companies finished at a record closing high. The three major indexes continued a positive start for November, after posting their best monthly performances
US benchmark and short-dated Treasury yields hit over six-week highs on Tuesday on continued expectations of a December Federal Reserve interest rate hike, while surging corporate issuance contributed to long-dated yields touching six-week highs. Analysts
US benchmark and short-dated Treasury yields hit over six-week highs on Tuesday on continued expectations of a December Federal Reserve interest rate hike, while surging corporate issuance contributed to long-dated yields touching six-week highs. Analysts
Taiwan stocks rose on Wednesday, following strong gains in markets overseas. The gains also came just hours after Taiwan and China announced their leaders would meet for the first time since the Chinese civil war ended in 1949. As of 0323 GMT, the main TA
Japanese stocks rose on Wednesday in heavy trade, buoyed by gains on Wall Street and a strong debut by three Japan Post shares, which surged as investors rushed to get a piece of the group's $12 billion initial public offering. Rallies in China shares als
China stocks rallied on Wednesday after President Xi Jinping made comments on its economy and the government unveiled the proposal of its 13th five-year plan, a blue-print for economic and social development between 2016 and 2020. The CSI300 index rose 2.
European shares rose on Wednesday, led by mining stocks, although Germany's bluechip index sharply underperformed after a scandal at carmaker Volkswagen widened. Volkswagen fell 9.4 percent after it said it had understated the fuel consumption of 800,000
Australian shares pared early gains on Wednesday after banks took a breather, but natural resources held their ground. The S&P/ASX 200 index ended flat at 5,242.3 points, not far from a recent one-month low of 5,162.7. In contrast, New Zealand's benchmark
Most Southeast Asian stock markets gained on Wednesday amid strength in Asia and oil prices lifting energy-related shares, while the Malaysian benchmark closed at a one-week high on expectations the central bank will keep interest rates on hold. Kuala Lum
UK shares advanced on Wednesday, buoyed by company results from Marks and Spencer that beat forecasts and hopes that mining commodity Glencore is reducing its debt. The bluechip FTSE 100 index was up 0.8 percent at 6,433.08 points at 0922 GMT, broadly in
The dollar firmed on Wednesday in line with higher US Treasury yields, as a regional rally in equities whetted investors' appetite for risk. The dollar index, which tracks the US currency against a basket of six major rivals, last stood at 97.342, up abou
The dollar inched towards 2-1/2 month highs against a basket of currencies on Wednesday, buoyed by returning expectations of a rise in US rates and better growth globally, which has prodded yields on US government bonds higher this week. The euro, a suffe
The dollar soared on Wednesday after US jobs, trade and services activity data beat expectations, bolstering the case for a Federal Reserve interest rate hike in December. The dollar rose to a more than three-month high against the euro and jumped to sess
The dollar edged higher on Tuesday, spurred by rising US bond yields and generally in-line US economic data that fed investor expectations for a Federal Reserve interest rate hike before year end. The greenback rose 0.6 percent to trade at $1.0945 against
China's yuan firmed against the dollar on Wednesday after President Xi Jinping said the country could maintain its economic growth and some state-owned banks sold dollars to support the Chinese currency, traders said. The People's Bank of China set the mi
Interbank buy/sell rates for the taka against the dollar on Wednesday. 78.14-78.18 (previous 78.14-78.15). 02.75-05.00 percent (Previous 03.00-05.00 percent).
Emerging Asian currencies rose on Wednesday as risk sentiment improved in the light of a probable increase in euro zone stimulus and a solid services survey from China that assuaged fears of a deepening economic slowdown. The Indonesian rupiah hit a near
Sterling hit a ten-week high on a trade-weighted basis on Wednesday after data showed Britain's dominant services sector grew at a faster-than-expected pace in October, bolstering a view that growth is picking up in the final quarter. The purchasing manag
The Australian dollar stood tall on Wednesday in contrast to its New Zealand cousin, which skidded following a disappointing jobs report and weaker global dairy prices. The Australian dollar held at $0.7197, from Tuesday's low of $0.7110 and well off a re
French judges have rejected a request from Russia for the extradition of Nikolay Koblyakov, an activist and opponent of President Vladimir Putin, his lawyer said Wednesday. Koblyakov, a joint French and Russian citizen, is one of the leaders of "Russia-Fr
Shares in Volkswagen took a fresh battering Wednesday after a massive pollution scandal engulfing the company widened to include petrol as well as diesel engines. VW shares were once again the biggest losers on the Frankfurt stock exchange.
Brazil is destroying an area of rainforest the size of Israel every four years despite major conservation progress, the OECD economic grouping said Wednesday. Biologically diverse Brazil will be a key player among the 195 countries at the UN climate confe
Think you have the right stuff to be an astronaut? NASA issued a hiring call on Wednesday for space explorers that may fly on future missions aboard commercially built spacecraft or NASA's deep-space Orion capsule. With the American spaceflight program gr
Top diplomats from Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France will meet Friday in Berlin for fresh talks on the conflict plaguing eastern Ukraine, a German foreign ministry spokeswoman said on Wednesday. "I can confirm that the so-called Normandy format meeting
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Wednesday for a new constitution that would give him greater powers, heightening opposition fears over authoritarian rule. Erdogan also vowed there would be no let-up in the military campaign against Kurdish r
Michelle Obama called for an end to "outdated laws and traditions" preventing millions of girls around the world from completing their education, in an impassioned speech Wednesday in Qatar. The US first lady, on a seven-day trip to the Middle East, told
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday announced the appointment of Martin Kobler of Germany as his new envoy for Libya and said he would take over the struggling peace effort there in the coming days. Kobler will replace Bernardino Leon who broker
Thirty lawmakers from Tunisia's ruling Nidaa Tounes party suspended their membership Wednesday, deepening a crisis threatening to split the party and destabilise the government. The secularist Nidaa Tounes, elected to power last year in a vote hailed as d
French police searched the manor house of far-right National Front (FN) founder Jean-Marie Le Pen on Wednesday as part of investigations into suspected tax fraud, legal sources told AFP. The investigation targeting the 87-year-old founder of the FN, who w
Three Zimbabwean journalists were charged Wednesday over a report alleging that several policemen and wildlife officials were involved in the poisoning of some 60 elephants in recent months. Sunday Mail editor Mabasa Sasa, investigations editor, Brian Chi
Andy Murray's drive to Davis Cup glory got underway in earnest at the ATP Paris Masters on Wednesday with a dominating 6-1, 6-2 second round win over Croatian youngster Borna Coric. The Scot has made it clear that, with the end of the season in sight, his
Steve Smith pledged to maintain Australia's aggressive approach and lead by example on Wednesday as he takes charge as full-time captain in the Test series opener against New Zealand in Brisbane. Smith echoed opener David Warner when he derided New Zealan
FIFA on Wednesday ordered Palestine to play World Cup qualifying matches against Saudi Arabia and Malaysia at neutral venues because of security fears. A FIFA emergency bureau made the decision after the Saudis announced on Tuesday they would refuse to tr
The Government College University in Lahore has won the Inter-collegiate Badminton Championship 2015 organised by the Lahore Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education. The college team beat its Punjab counterpart in the finals by 3-0. Fourteen teams o
Real Madrid and Manchester City qualified for the Champions League knock-out rounds with victories over Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla respectively on Tuesday. And there was relief at Old Trafford as Manchester United ended a 404-minute wait for a goal t
Pakistan grabbed two early wickets to hit England hard in their chase of a 284-run target as the third and final Test heads for an intriguing finish after day four in Sharjah on Wednesday. England were 46-2 with Alastair Cook (17) and Joe Root (six) fight
Former New Zealand cricket captain Chris Cairns pocketed more than a quarter of a million dollars in return for fixing matches, a London court heard on Wednesday. The all-rounder moved to Dubai in 2008 with his partner to work for a family in the rough di
Leading crude exporter Saudi Arabia supports efforts to limit global warming but believes fossil fuels should remain part of the world energy mix, Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi said on Wednesday. Naimi was speaking at a meeting of major fossil fuel producer a
The first refugees left Greece on Wednesday under the second phase of a troubled European Union relocation plan as the number of people entering Europe illegally reached 800,000. And Sweden - a top destination for many asylum-seekers - asked for EU help t
Justin Trudeau was sworn in as Canada's 23rd prime minister Wednesday before a packed, flag-waving crowd, almost 50 years after his father took on the job. The 43-year old former French teacher overcame campaign attack ads claiming he was "just not ready"
London police on Wednesday made several arrests as a student protest against tuition fees that attracted thousands led to a group trying to force its way into a government building. "A small group of protesters threw paint outside the Home Office and anot
Britain's government published proposals for new Internet spying laws Wednesday including allowing partial access to a suspect's Internet browsing history that were condemned by privacy campaigners. Home Secretary Theresa May hailed the draft legislation
A solar flare briefly disabled radar at Sweden's largest airports on Wednesday causing significant flight delays, the Civil Aviation Authority (LFV) said. "At 3:45 pm (2:45 pm GMT), solar storms had disrupted the Earth's magnetic field, causing radar malf
President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday extolled patriotism as tens of thousands marched through Moscow in the Kremlin-choreographed show of unity amid tensions with the West. Russia marked National Unity Day at a time of growing social and economic problem
A Palestinian driver ran over and injured an Israeli border policeman near the West Bank city of Hebron Wednesday and was then killed by Israeli forces, police said. "Running over of border policeman - the terrorist was neutralised - eliminated," a police
At least 36 people were killed on Wednesday when a Soviet-era Antonov plane crashed just after take-off from South Sudan's capital Juba. Police and rescue workers recovered the bodies of men, women and children among the wreckage of the An-12 cargo plane,
The Bosnian and Serbian premiers held their first joint government session since the 1990s Balkan wars on Wednesday, defying the possibility of new conflict after Germany raised fears of fresh fighting. "We are sending a message to our citizens that we lo
Syria's army on Wednesday recaptured the only road into the government-held side of Aleppo city from Islamic State group fighters, state media reported, effectively breaking a nearly two-week-long siege. The army gained full control of the route from the
Disagreement between the United States and China over how to address rival claims in the South China Sea marred a gathering of Southeast Asian defence officials on Wednesday, with a joint statement scrapped after ministers failed to agree on its wording.
The Supreme Court Wednesday asked counsel for Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to submit a fresh black and white response over the matter of reducing number of mobile phone SIMs from 10 to 5 against a single Computerised National Identity Card.
The opposition leader in the National Assembly Syed Khursheed Shah Wednesday said that a politician is a 'public property' and none of his/her actions are personal. In an obvious reference to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan's bashing to
A parliamentary panel has recommended the government to merge Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to effectively deal with natural calamities in future. The Senate standing commi
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in the Punjab has criticised the government for its "dictatorial attitude" towards opponents, saying, "It needs to learn about democratic norms. The criticism came from Insaf Organiser Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar who also d
Grievance Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis Hafiz Ahsan Ahmad Khokhar Wednesday said that three committees have been formed to evolve a strategy how to provide integrated working mechanism to resolve passengers' problems on the spot at national airport
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Wednesday expressed grief over casualties in a factory building collapse at Sundhar Industrial Area, Lahore. The Prime Minister also directed the Punjab Government to expedite rescue efforts.
Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman on Wednesday called on King Abdullah II Ibn El Hussein at Amman, Jordan. The Air Chief conveyed the best wishes and greetings from the government and people of Pakistan. He als
Fuelling the nation for the past 38 years, Pakistan State Oil (KSE: PSO) is the largest oil marketing company (OMC) in Pakistan that is involved in storage, distribution and marketing of various petroleum products. The OMC has motor gasoline, furnace, hig
Fuelling the nation for the past 38 years, Pakistan State Oil (KSE: PSO) is the largest oil marketing company (OMC) in Pakistan that is involved in storage, distribution and marketing of various petroleum products. The OMC has motor gasoline, furnace, hig
Marriott Hotel has launched 'Meetings Imagined', a first-of-its-kind concept that reinvents how meetings are planned, making them more visual, social, and purposeful. Jan Verduyn, General Manager, Marriott, at a press conference on Wednesday informed abou
Business community of Hyderabad has rejected the recent increase in prices of petroleum products. Senior Vice President, Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI), Turab Ali Khawaja said this in a statement issued here on Wednesday. He expressed h
The Met Office has forecast four rainy spells during the month of November, saying that the current month would be wetter than normal. It said that the prevailing climatic trend was a key reason for wetter November following southward track of westerly wa
In order to remove any ambiguity and doubt among the general public, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has reiterated its commitment for promotion and development of Islamic banking in the country. Due to persistent efforts of the State Bank and the federa
Drugs Enforcement Cell (DEC) of Pakistan Customs on Wednesday claimed to have seized 3 kilograms of heroin from a flight PK-211 (Islamabad-Dubai) at Jinnah International Airport (JIAP). According to customs officials, secret information was received that
A delegation of approximately 200 real estate reps of Defclarea visited DHA City Karachi (DCK) project on Super Highway to see the pace and progress of the ongoing development works and spent a busy day at the site. Project Director DCK, Brigadier Muhamma
Pakistan Ready-made Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association's (PRGMEA) central chairman Shaikh Mohammad Shafiq and South Zone chief Irfan Ali on Wednesday demanded of the government to immediately announce a relief package for textile industry.
High Commissioner of Canada, Heather Cruden has said that Canadian companies are being encouraged to visit Karachi in order to explore trade and investment opportunities in this country. Exchanging views during her visit to KCCI, Canadian High Commissione
Peace activists from India, including senior politician Mani Shankar Aiyer, former foreign secretary, Salman Haider and Sudneendra Kulkarni, Head of Observer Research Foundation visited the mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah here on Wednesday.