ABU DHABI: United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Abu Dhabi on Thursday for talks focused on Middle East developments, regional security and the broader UAE-UK relationship. The meeting brought together two close partners at a time of heightened concern over security in the Gulf, the durability of a recently announced ceasefire and the need to protect maritime trade routes that are critical to energy supplies and the wider global economy. During the meeting, Sheikh Mohamed and Starmer discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and their implications for regional and international…
Author: menewscast.com
ISLAMABAD: Gold prices held steady on Thursday as investors weighed a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire, preparations for talks in Islamabad and a fresh round of U.S. inflation data that could shape the Federal Reserve’s next move on interest rates. The metal stayed range-bound after a volatile week in which easing fears over a wider regional conflict competed with renewed concern that higher energy costs could keep price pressures elevated and reduce the case for near-term monetary easing in the United States. Spot gold was little changed at $4,715.45 an ounce by 0716 GMT, while U.S. gold futures for June fell 0.8% to $4,739.40. The market’s muted…
TOKYO: Japan’s Nikkei share average fell on Thursday as investors pulled back after a powerful relief rally, with renewed concern over Middle East tensions and higher oil prices prompting a more defensive tone across the Tokyo market. The Nikkei 225 closed down 0.73% at 55,895.32, while the broader Topix lost 0.9% to 3,741.47. The retreat ended a four-session advance and came a day after both indexes surged on hopes that a ceasefire would ease pressure on energy markets and global supply routes. The reversal followed a sharp rise of 5.4% in the Nikkei on Wednesday, when markets rallied on news of a two-week…
BEIJING: China’s foreign exchange reserves fell to $3.3421 trillion at the end of March, official data showed on April 7, as a stronger U.S. dollar and weaker prices for major global financial assets weighed on the value of the country’s reserve holdings. The March total was down $85.7 billion, or 2.5%, from the end of February, reversing the increase recorded a month earlier and marking one of the sharper monthly swings in the headline reserves figure over the past year. The State Administration of Foreign Exchange said the dollar index rose in March while prices of major global financial assets declined under the influence of…
TOKYO: Japan posted a current account surplus of 3.93 trillion yen, or about $24.8 billion, in February, as strong returns on overseas investments helped offset softer trade-related gains and a continued shortfall in services. Preliminary balance of payments data released by the Ministry of Finance showed the surplus was nearly unchanged from a year earlier, edging down 0.1%, but rose sharply from a revised 931.0 billion yen in January, reflecting the scale of income flows from abroad into the world’s third-largest economy. The largest contribution came from primary income, which recorded a surplus of 4.24 trillion yen in February, up 11.6% from…
MANILA: The Asian Development Bank has launched a new multi-partner trust fund with about $25 million in initial backing to accelerate preparation of cross-border energy and transmission projects in Southeast Asia. The new vehicle, called the Regional Connectivity Fund for Energy in Southeast Asia, is aimed at advancing the ASEAN Power Grid, the regional bloc’s flagship effort to achieve fully integrated electricity grid operations by 2045 and expand the flow of power across national borders. Initial contributions come from Australia, Canada, the European Union, Germany and the United Kingdom. ADB said the fund will provide technical assistance and project-readiness grants for energy infrastructure…
SHENZHEN: Shenzhen Port handled 8.5227 million foreign-trade containers measured in TEUs in the first quarter of 2026, official customs data showed, as one of China’s biggest maritime gateways posted steady year-on-year growth at the start of the year. The quarter’s throughput was up 7.81% from a year earlier, lifting the southern port complex above the 8 million TEU mark for the period and reinforcing the scale of cargo flows moving through terminals tied to factories, traders and shipping companies across the Pearl River Delta. The first-quarter total covers foreign-trade containers and provides a more precise update to earlier reports that said Shenzhen…
ANKARA: Türkiye has raised electricity and natural gas prices for households and several business categories, with the biggest increases reaching 25% and taking effect on April 4. The Energy Market Regulatory Authority said residential electricity tariffs rose 25%, while prices increased 17.5% for public and private services, 5.8% for industrial users and 24.8% for agricultural activities. The regulator also said a household using 100 kilowatt hours of electricity will now pay 323.8 lira, reflecting the latest nationwide adjustment in regulated utility charges. Natural gas prices were also increased under the new schedule published at the start of the month. Residential gas prices rose by…
ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates entered the world’s top 10 merchandise exporters in 2025 for the first time, ranking ninth globally after its goods exports rose to $707 billion, according to the latest World Trade Organization trade statistics. The WTO’s main merchandise table also showed the UAE ranked 13th in goods imports at $619 billion, underscoring the country’s growing role in global trade flows as it expands beyond its long-standing position as a regional trading and logistics hub. The WTO data showed the UAE’s combined trade in goods and services climbed to $1.637 trillion in 2025, up from $949 billion in 2021. Goods trade…
ABU DHABI: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni held talks in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, focusing on regional developments and their impact on security and stability, as well as maritime security, energy supplies and the global economy. The meeting took place during Meloni’s visit to the United Arab Emirates and added to a series of high-level exchanges between Abu Dhabi and Rome that have accelerated over the past year across political, economic and strategic files. The two leaders also reviewed bilateral cooperation and reaffirmed support for strengthening ties in ways that serve shared interests.…