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Qais Mohammed Al Yousef, Chairman of the Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones, held talks in Muscat with Harsha Amarasekera, Chairman of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission, on opportunities to link the two countries’ zone-development strategies. The discussions covered commercial and real estate development, mechanisms to improve the business environment, and ways to draw high-quality investments into projects designed to support sustainable growth.

The meeting marks a targeted attempt to move bilateral economic ties beyond conventional trade into the management, promotion and regulation of investment destinations. Both sides reviewed experience in developing and administering special economic zones and examined international practices that could raise operational efficiency, improve investor services and strengthen competitiveness.

For Oman, the engagement fits a wider policy push to make economic zones central to diversification under Vision 2040. OPAZ, established in 2020, supervises key destinations including the Special Economic Zone at Duqm, Sohar Free Zone, Salalah Free Zone and Al Mazunah Free Zone, while promoting a network of industrial estates and logistics-led investment sites. The zones offer incentives such as full foreign ownership, capital and profit repatriation, customs advantages and tax exemptions that can run up to 30 years for qualifying projects.

The policy framework was reinforced by Royal Decree 38/2025, which brought special economic zones and free zones under a unified law that took effect in April 2025. The legislation replaced separate legal regimes for free zones and Duqm, introduced clearer provisions for foreign ownership and licensing, and strengthened the case for a one-stop system to cut procedural delays for investors.

Duqm has become the most visible test of that strategy. Oman signed ten agreements and memoranda this month for projects in the zone with estimated investments of $7.5 billion, including a $4.2 billion green hydrogen development by ACME Group. The package underlines how Muscat is using zone-based infrastructure to capture capital in clean energy, downstream industry, logistics and export-linked production.

Sri Lanka approaches the talks from a different but complementary position. The island’s post-crisis recovery has made investment promotion a policy priority, with foreign direct investment crossing $1 billion in 2025. The Board of Investment approved 146 projects worth about $1.9 billion during the year, with manufacturing, port development and tourism accounting for the largest shares of inflows.

Colombo Port City gives Sri Lanka a flagship platform for the dialogue with Oman. Built on 269 hectares of reclaimed land next to Colombo’s central business district, the project is structured as an international service-oriented special economic zone, with an initial investment of $1.4 billion and expected overall investment of about $20 billion when fully developed. Its commission acts as a single-window facilitator for investors and grants incentives for businesses of strategic importance.

The Omani-Sri Lankan conversation also highlighted small and medium-sized enterprises, an area where both economies are seeking wider participation in export growth and innovation. Sri Lanka’s SME base is tied to apparel, services, technology, tourism and light manufacturing, while Oman is trying to deepen local supply chains around ports, industrial estates and energy projects. Collaboration could extend from investor promotion to training, supplier development and zone management systems.

The timing is significant. Sri Lanka remains under an IMF-backed reform programme after its 2022 financial crisis, with fresh financing approved in May to support reserves and policy stability. Growth remains exposed to external pressures, including energy-price volatility and climate shocks, making durable foreign investment more important than short-term inflows. Oman, meanwhile, is positioning itself as a stable Gulf logistics and production base as investors reassess supply chains.

By K Raveendran The US-Iran deal marks a genuine easing of one of the most dangerous geopolitical shocks to hit the energy market, but it should not be mistaken for a reset button. The immediate risk of a military breakdown has declined, and that matters for every stakeholder: Washington, Tehran, Gulf producers, Asian importers, shipping […]

The article Oil’s Peace Dividend Is Real But No Return To Pre-War Situation appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

The jump, flagged at an IBPC Dubai logistics session, reflects a wider disruption in maritime corridors linked to Middle East tensions, fuel-cost volatility, security-risk surcharges and capacity constraints. Paras Shahdadpuri, Governor of IBPC Dubai and Chairman of Nikai Group, said the disruption had tested businesses while reinforcing confidence in the UAE’s ability to respond effectively. “Freight rates have risen from $1,000 to $7,000, putting pressure on businesses, but the speed of response here has helped maintain confidence in uncertain times,” he said.

The impact is being felt most sharply by businesses with thin margins or long replenishment cycles. Consumer electronics, appliances, automotive parts, food products, textiles, building materials and pharmaceutical consignments are among the categories most exposed to higher freight, delayed vessel schedules and tighter booking windows. Importers face a difficult choice: absorb added costs, renegotiate supply contracts, delay shipments or pass part of the burden to consumers.

Dubai’s response has centred on route diversification, customs facilitation and closer coordination among ports, logistics operators, carriers and government agencies. The Green Corridor linking Dubai and Oman has become a critical pressure valve, allowing cargo arriving through Omani ports and airports to move overland through streamlined procedures. Customs declarations through the corridor rose from about 12,000 in March to nearly 100,000 in April, while the value of goods moved increased from Dh1 billion to more than Dh8 billion.

The corridor has helped sustain flows for containers destined for Jebel Ali, goods entering the local market and re-export cargo bound for other destinations. More than 100,000 TEUs have already moved through Green Corridor initiatives, underlining how quickly shippers have adapted to alternative supply routes. Food security shipments and refrigerated cargo movements have remained stable, a key benchmark for a market dependent on uninterrupted imports.

Freight inflation is not confined to the UAE lane. Global container benchmarks have moved higher as peak-season demand started earlier than usual and conflict risk reshaped vessel deployment. The World Container Index climbed to $3,549 per 40ft container in mid-June, while Asia-Europe and transpacific routes also recorded rate increases. Fuel costs, insurance premiums and route deviations have widened the gap between contracted and spot-market pricing.

The UAE’s logistics model has so far avoided the deeper breakdown seen during earlier global supply-chain shocks. Jebel Ali remains central to regional trade, while Fujairah, Khor Fakkan and Omani gateways have gained strategic importance as alternative access points. Cargo owners are mixing sea, land and air solutions to balance cost against reliability, making multimodal logistics a boardroom issue rather than a back-office procurement function.

The pressure comes at a sensitive time for India-UAE trade, which has expanded under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement that entered into force in 2022. Bilateral trade reached $101.25 billion in FY2025-26, with the UAE ranking as India’s third-largest trading partner and second-largest export destination. Higher freight costs risk eroding some of the tariff and market-access gains achieved through the pact, particularly for mid-sized exporters and distributors operating on fixed price commitments.

Business groups say the crisis is accelerating changes that were already under way. Importers are adding supplier options in Southeast Asia and the GCC, splitting shipments across ports, increasing buffer stocks for critical items and using digital tracking tools to manage delays. Logistics providers are offering blended products that combine ocean freight, bonded trucking and air cargo, while retailers are reviewing inventory cycles before the next seasonal demand peak.

The strain is also prompting fresh attention to contract design. More companies are inserting freight-adjustment clauses, separating shipping costs from product pricing and seeking clearer force-majeure language for geopolitical disruption. For smaller traders, the biggest challenge is cash flow: a container that once required a modest upfront freight payment can now tie up several times more capital before goods even reach the warehouse.

The West Synchrony™ Prefillable Syringe (PFS) System offers strategic infrastructure to support Chinese biotech innovators to expand their global footprint in biologics and vaccines.

SHANGHAI, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 16 June 2026 – West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (NYSE: WST), a long-standing partner to China’s pharmaceutical industry, today announced the availability of its West Synchrony™ prefillable syringe (PFS) system to drug developers at CPHI & PMEC China 2026, taking place June 16-18, 2026. This innovative platform uniquely integrates the syringe barrel, plunger, and needle shield/tip cap into a fully harmonized, verified system from a single supplier and emphasizes the company’s commitment to supporting the development of China’s biopharmaceutical sector in alignment with the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan. By strengthening the innovation ecosystem and accelerating development and time to market, the company supports China’s biopharmaceutical companies in achieving biotechnology breakthroughs and reaching global milestones.

Enabling China’s Next Phase of Global Biopharmaceutical Growth

To support Chinese biopharmaceutical companies in their ambitions, West has now made the West Synchrony™ PFS system available in the country.

This gives Chinese innovators the infrastructure needed to compete on quality, safety, and regulatory compliance across international markets, with greater confidence and efficiency.

“Chinese biopharmaceutical companies today have established themselves as serious global innovators, with significant opportunities to sustain momentum through high‑quality innovation,” said Maha Guruswamy, Vice President & Managing Director, Commercial, Asia Pacific. “The challenge is that a traditional, individual-component system introduces significant technical and regulatory complexities. West Synchrony addresses these by providing a fully verified and integrated containment and delivery system from a single source, allowing our partners to accelerate development and focus on delivering therapies to patients.”

Deepening A Long-Term Partnership with China’s Pharmaceutical Ecosystem

The introduction of the West Synchrony™ PFS system reflects the company’s decades-long commitment to supporting pharmaceutical innovation. This investment extends beyond product offerings to include technical expertise, regulatory support, and a single source of accountability that serve both domestic Chinese companies and multinational partners operating in China.

“As China’s biopharmaceutical companies continue to strengthen their capabilities and expand their presence globally, West is committed to partnering with them at every stage of their growth journey,” said Philip Wang, Senior Director, Commercial, China. “We aim to enable them to achieve their global ambitions, and the West Synchrony™ PFS system is one example from our portfolio of high‑quality, innovative solutions that provide customers with the same trusted infrastructure relied upon by leading multinational pharmaceutical companies worldwide.”

Join West at CPHI & PMEC China 2026

The West Synchrony™ PFS system will be showcased at CPHI & PMEC China 2026, where an expert from West will present on the role of integrated delivery systems in supporting China’s next phase of biopharmaceutical innovation and its global ambitions for expansion. Trade media and industry stakeholders interested in learning more about the technology and its application in biologics are invited to visit the West booth during the exhibition. The details of the presentation are as follows:

Presentation: “Stop Piecing It Together—Get an Integrated Verified Prefillable Syringe System from One Source”

• Date & Time: June 17, 14:10-14:40

• Location: Shanghai New International Expo Center

• Speaker: Lynn Yao, Senior Manager, TCS, AP

The West Synchrony™ PFS System is now available to bio and pharmaceutical companies in China. Visit West at Booth N5D18 to learn more, or find out more information via the website here.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain forward-looking statements are included in this press release. They use words and phrases such as “achieving biotechnology breakthroughs,” “reaching global milestones,” “accelerate development,” and other similar terminology. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the anticipated benefits of the West Synchrony™ prefillable syringe system in China, the expected growth of China’s bio-health and pharmaceutical industries, and West’s ability to support customers’ development and commercialization efforts. These statements reflect management’s current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this release.

Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, changes in market conditions, regulatory requirements, global economic and geopolitical conditions, customer demand, supply chain constraints, competitive developments, technological changes, and other risks. These important factors are not all inclusive. For a description of certain additional factors that could cause West’s future results to differ from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements, see Item 1A, entitled “Risk Factors,” in West’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year that ended on December 31, 2025. Except as required by law or regulation, West undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Hashtag: #WestPharmaceuticalServices

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.

Headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania, USA, West in its fiscal year 2025 generated USD 3.07 billion in net sales. West is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: WST) and is included on the Standard & Poor’s 500 index. For more information, visit www.westpharma.com.

All trademarks and registered trademarks used in this release are the property of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other jurisdictions, unless otherwise noted.

Overseas funds bought a net US$160.4 million of Vietnamese shares on Monday, the largest daily inflow since 10 September 2020. The buying helped steady a market that had been under pressure from rising oil prices, global risk aversion and sustained foreign withdrawals despite Vietnam’s long-awaited move towards emerging-market status.

The VN-Index rose 0.43 per cent to 1,799.31 on Monday and moved back above the 1,800-point area on Tuesday, keeping the benchmark close to levels that still represent a strong annual advance even after a pullback over the past month. The shift was part of a wider rebound across Asian emerging markets after the United States and Iran agreed on terms aimed at ending hostilities and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, easing concerns over inflation and fuel costs.

The reversal is notable because foreign investors have remained net sellers of Vietnamese equities this year. Even after Monday’s inflow, overseas funds have sold about US$2.6 billion of Vietnamese stocks in 2026, following withdrawals of roughly US$4.8 billion last year. Those outflows reflected concerns over market concentration, heavy exposure to a few large-cap groups, tariff uncertainty, currency pressure and the impact of higher energy prices on a manufacturing-led economy.

“De-escalation in the Middle East and Vietnam’s own underperformance have created a textbook re-entry set-up for foreign capital,” said Quynh Cao, head of institutional business at VNDirect Securities. “Positioning was already tight and it does not take much to flip that.”

Vietnam’s appeal to global investors rests on more than a single trading session. FTSE Russell has confirmed that the country will be reclassified from frontier to secondary emerging-market status from 21 September, with inclusion in global equity indices to be phased through 2027. The upgrade is expected to bring passive inflows of about US$1.5 billion, with broader active flows potentially lifting the total to several billion dollars if market reforms continue.

The reclassification follows changes aimed at improving foreign access, including the removal of full pre-funding requirements for equity trades and the development of a global broker model. These reforms address long-standing obstacles for institutional investors, who had complained about settlement risk, limited access channels and operational frictions that made Vietnam harder to replicate within global index portfolios.

Large-cap names expected to draw attention include Vingroup, Masan Group, FPT Corp and Hoa Phat Group, alongside banks, securities firms, industrial stocks and consumer companies with sufficient liquidity and foreign room. Average daily trading value in Vietnamese equities this year has been around US$789 million, underscoring the market’s growing depth, though liquidity remains uneven across sectors.

The macroeconomic backdrop remains supportive. Vietnam’s economy expanded 8.02 per cent in 2025, helped by strong exports, public investment, manufacturing activity and resilient consumption. Foreign direct investment disbursement rose to about US$27.6 billion last year, while exports reached roughly US$475 billion. Growth is expected to moderate this year, but projections still place Vietnam among Asia’s faster-growing economies.

Higher oil prices had complicated that outlook. Vietnam is exposed to imported fuel and energy costs, making any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz a direct risk to inflation, transport costs and factory margins. The drop in crude prices after the US-Iran accord helped restore confidence among investors looking at countries with strong structural growth but sensitivity to external shocks.

The market is not without vulnerabilities. Retail investors remain a major force in daily trading, making sentiment swings sharper when liquidity thins. Foreign ownership limits continue to constrain buying in some leading companies. Corporate governance, disclosure quality and settlement infrastructure also remain areas under watch as Vietnam seeks eventual MSCI emerging-market status.

Analysts say the latest inflow will need to be sustained before it can be treated as a durable turning point. A single large session can reflect short-covering, index positioning or tactical buying after a sell-off. A lasting reversal would require more consistent foreign participation, firmer currency conditions, stable oil prices and evidence that earnings growth can match valuations after the market’s strong run.

As a core component, James Pereira, general manager of MADSA, will share insights on Malaysian health industry regulations. Adrian Toh, CEO & Executive Director of R Pharmacy, will provide frontline retail channel observations regarding shifting consumer demands. Alex Liao, General Manager of Welbloom Bio-Tech, will represent Taiwan to share how format innovation effectively responds to brand differentiation, consumption experiences, and market compliance needs.

Faced with brands’ attention toward differentiated experiences, Welbloom Bio-Tech will showcase its proprietary, Halal-certified FRESH-Jelly® technology on-site, demonstrating the innovative application to make supplements more food-like. Through ingredient payload capacities, zero- or low-sugar designs, and customized flavor development, FRESH-Jelly® allows supplements to maintain functionality while becoming more enjoyable to consume regularly, providing Malaysian brands with a distinctive option beyond capsules and tablets.

With the rapid rise of Malaysia’s wellness consumer market, its mature distribution channels and exceptional potential for regional expansion are accelerating the country’s growth as a critical hub for the Southeast Asian health industry. Welbloom Bio-Tech states that this forum is a bridging platform connecting Taiwan’s manufacturing capabilities with Malaysian market insights, aiming to unlock commercially viable partnerships for both regions.

The event is organized by The PAGE, co-organized by Welbloom Bio-Tech and SEAbizs, and supported by NTBSA, MATRADE, R Pharmacy, and MADSA.

【Event Information】
Time: June 23, 2026, 09:30 – 14:00
Venue: The Zenith – Connexion Conference & Event Centre, Kuala Lumpur

Hashtag: #WelbloomBioTech

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About Welbloom Bio-Tech

Welbloom Bio-Tech focuses on health supplement R&D, manufacturing, and dosage form innovation. Through forward-looking market foresight and robust R&D technologies, it provides one-stop services from formulation design and flavor development to manufacturing, assisting clients in Malaysia and Singapore to build highly competitive health supplements.

To learn more, please search “Welbloom” or click the link:https://welbloom.com/malaysiaforum2026/

By Nitya Chakraborty Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be taking part in the outreach session of the 52nd meeting of G7 being held in Evans of France hosted by the French President Emanuel Macron. Already the main session started on Monday with the participation of the leaders of the seven nations. The main task of […]

The article Can PM Narendra Modi Redeem India’s Status As Defender Of Global South At G7 Meet In France? appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Under the government-to-government (G2G) framework, guided by both central banks, and with participation from multiple industry stakeholders, the payment linkage has become a benchmark for digital finance cooperation between China and Indonesia, creating profound impact in the following ways.

First, the linkage delivers convenient, secure, and efficient cross-border payment services to the people of both countries, facilitating bilateral people-to-business exchanges and promoting trade relations.

Second, UnionPay has fully leveraged its role as the hub of the payment industry, collaborating with Ant International and Bank of China (Hong Kong) Jakarta Branch to set a prime example of Chinese enterprises working in concert for global expansion.

Third, the project pioneers bilateral local currency settlement, whereby transactions made by Indonesian wallets in the Chinese mainland are settled in RMB, and transactions made by Chinese wallets in Indonesia are settled in Indonesian Rupiah—effectively enhancing the acceptance and user stickiness of the RMB in international markets.

Fourth, the initiative creates a replicable, scalable framework for cross-border payment connectivity, paving the way for an expansion into more regions across the globe, such as Latin America and Europe.

With the full rollout, two-way cross-border QR code payments have achieved near-nationwide coverage. So far, payment networks in seven out of the eleven ASEAN nations are interoperable with UnionPay.

Chinese users can now use the UnionPay App, banking apps integrated with the UnionPay MobileWallet Connect, and Alipay to make QR payments at tens of millions of QRIS (Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard) merchant locations across Indonesia. Likewise, visitors from Indonesia can pay to UnionPay and Alipay QR merchants in the Chinese mainland with dozens of major Indonesian wallets, such as MyBCA, OVO, DANA, GoPay, Mandiri and ShopeePay.

In recent years, UnionPay continues to grow its global card and QR payment networks and enhance its cross-border payment ecosystem. To date, UnionPay has launched over 200 UnionPay-powered wallets in 37 countries and regions outside the Chinese mainland. Since the beginning of 2026, transactions made by these wallets in China have doubled year-on-year in both transaction count and value, while the number of QR payments made outside the mainland by the UnionPay App and Chinese partner wallets has surged over 300% year-on-year. Moving forward, UnionPay will remain committed to its strategic vision of “Trusted Ties, Shared Success”, scale up two-way payment linkages, enhance user experiences, and deliver more benefits to consumers worldwide.

Hashtag: #UnionPay

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.