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The cryptocurrency market saw more than US$330 million of short positions liquidated over a 24-hour span, reflecting mounting pressure on traders betting on a downturn in Bitcoin and Ethereum. Liquidations of this magnitude underscore the fragility of leveraged positions amid sudden price swings.

Data compiled from derivatives analytics shows that the bulk of the liquidations struck bears — traders who had placed bets that the prices of BTC and ETH would fall. While precise exchange-level breakdowns vary across analytics platforms, the overall magnitude points to a sharp reversal in market dynamics.

The liquidation wave was triggered as both Bitcoin and Ethereum posted upward moves, igniting what appears to be a short squeeze — a market condition where rising prices force short-sellers to cover positions, further accelerating the rally. On-chain volume and open interest metrics surged, suggesting that traders were forced to exit leveraged bets en masse.

Ethereum stood out in the mix: analysts attributed a substantial portion of the liquidated shorts to ETH derivatives. The second-largest cryptocurrency has often been more volatile in these situations, and its recent upward momentum inflicted considerable pain on those betting against it. The pressure on short positions flowed into Bitcoin markets as well, although to a lesser degree.

The exchange derivatives arena—spanning platforms such as Binance, Bybit and OKX—saw divergent stress levels. Some exchanges reported that short liquidations exceeded those of longs by a wide margin, suggesting that hedged strategies and aggressive shorting were particularly vulnerable during the surge. In several cases, individual orders topping tens of millions of dollars were forcibly closed.

Market analysts caution that such events can create feedback loops. Forced liquidations push prices higher, inflicting further losses on lagging short sellers, which in turn intensifies the rally. At the same time, elevated funding rates and reduced liquidity become major risks for momentum traders and institutional participants.

Macro and sentiment factors are believed to have played contributory roles. Speculation around easing monetary policy, stronger demand for risk assets, and renewed interest from institutional crypto funds have been cited by analysts as underlying catalysts. In particular, expectations that interest rates may soften have fuelled investor appetite for higher-volatility assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Nevertheless, this kind of volatility also invites skepticism. Some market watchers warn that forced liquidations of this scale may not reflect genuine organic demand but rather mechanical stress in overleveraged market segments. The question is whether the rally can sustain itself once all forced short covering has played out.

By K Raveendran Bill Gates’ recent revelation about how a critical recruitment drive of fifteen Indian engineers had once saved Microsoft from slipping into irrelevance comes at a time when the United States under Donald Trump is imposing restrictive visa measures that are designed to block the very talent pool that had proven indispensable for […]

The article Trump’s Visa Tariff May Be Blessing In Disguise For India’s Talent Reservoir appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

The city-state’s employers have set a striking pace as they head into the final quarter of 2025: a Net Employment Outlook of 45 per cent signals that nearly three in five organisations expect to expand their workforces. That optimism comes amid shifting global headwinds, structural reforms, and a rising demand for specialised talent.

The ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey canvassed 525 UAE employers across sectors to assess hiring intentions. A positive balance of 45 per cent means that those anticipating workforce increases outnumber those expecting reductions by nearly half. This figure places the UAE among the world’s more aggressive labour markets, especially given challenges such as global trade uncertainty, rising automation, and fluctuating commodity prices.

This projected hiring boom is not evenly distributed. The strongest demand lies in transport, logistics and automotive, energy and utilities, and consumer goods and services. These sectors appear ready to leverage infrastructure projects, green energy transitions, and regional consumption growth. Meanwhile, the information technology sector is showing solid demand at +48 per cent, reflecting sustained digital transformation pushes.

Driving much of this confidence is corporate expansion: 40 per cent of participating firms cited scaling operations as their primary reason for hiring. Another 28 per cent pointed to pivoting business models and growth into new areas. In addition, nearly 30 per cent of respondents acknowledged that talent shortages—and competition for specialised skills—are influencing recruitment strategies.

Yet the buoyant sentiment is tempered by caution. Roughly 10 per cent of employers still expect to trim staff, particularly in roles vulnerable to automation or in sectors facing structural disruption. Around 15 per cent responded that they will hold staffing constant, prioritising internal upskilling over external recruitment. In interviews, some HR executives noted that while they want to hire aggressively, wage inflation, geopolitical uncertainty, and regulatory shifts may prompt them to phase recruitment over several quarters.

Regional and global context strengthens the UAE’s position. In the third quarter of 2025, the UAE recorded a world-leading NEO of +48 per cent. That marked a standout alignment with its long-term growth strategy, and the Q4 figure of +45 per cent suggests sustained momentum rather than a cyclical spike. Elsewhere, the global average NEO stood at +24 per cent during Q3 — placing the UAE’s outlook nearly double the global benchmark.

Analysts view this hiring optimism as part of a broader strategy to reposition the UAE as a knowledge-economy hub. Recent government initiatives have focused on advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, sustainability, and logistics corridors. These programs have triggered demand not only for engineers and technicians but also for data scientists, sustainability consultants, and cross-disciplinary professionals. In one corporates sector round-table, a senior UAE CEO observed that “the competition for deep tech talent is global, and we must offer not just pay but opportunity, stability and a pathway for growth.”

Labour authorities are also aligning policies with employer needs. New visa frameworks, targeted Emiratisation programmes, and regulatory incentives for R&D investment are being synchronized with workforce forecasts. At the same time, the UAE’s PMI for non-oil activity has held above the expansion threshold, underlining demand growth across private sectors and supporting hiring intent.

However, potential headwinds remain significant. Global supply chain disruptions, slowing demand in key export markets, and monetary tightening in major economies could dampen growth. Employers may delay or scale back hiring plans if external pressures intensify. Some labour economists warn of mismatches between skills supplied locally and those demanded, especially in emerging fields.

By Anjan Roy Donald Trump’s high fees for H1B visas are a serious headache for India, not just for the sake of its impact on India’s IT sector and services exports to USA. This is a huge worry for the overall security environment and strategic- diplomatic scenario for India. Among others, if China is able […]

The article China Is Making Every Effort To Attract Talent Thrown Out By America appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Dubai-based AMIS Development has received the opening tranche of Dh5 billion from Singapore’s First APAC Fund VCC, following a memorandum signed in November 2024 to invest the full amount over time. The capital injection will be used to accelerate AMIS’s land acquisitions, expand its project pipeline, and progress ongoing luxury residential developments across Dubai.

Founder and CEO Neeraj Mishra confirmed that the funds are earmarked for strategic purchases in key areas such as Meydan and Dubai Islands, as well as advancing flagship projects already underway. He described the investment as a vote of confidence in AMIS’s vision and execution. Darrell Lim, founding shareholder and director at First APAC Fund, said this initial disbursement marks a milestone in their collaboration and pledged continued support tied to performance.

AMIS is working on multiple high-end residential projects including Woodland Terraces and the recently announced Woodland Crest, scheduled for handover in the second quarter of 2027. The developer previously sold out its Woodland Residences development, valued at Dh425 million, with delivery expected in April 2026. The new funding is set to support these and future projects, giving AMIS greater flexibility to accelerate timelines and expand its footprint.

The First APAC Fund is managed by Pilgrim Partners Asia, licensed under Singapore’s regulatory framework. For the AMIS deal, PPA has appointed Greenback Capital Limited, a Dubai-based firm, as the sub-investment manager to oversee transaction structuring and monitoring. Funds will be deployed in tranches, subject to milestones in AMIS’s project execution.

The Central Bank of the UAE and Dubai Finance today formalised an agreement to deepen collaboration in the development of the country’s capital markets, enabling Dubai to draw on the central bank’s infrastructure to issue dirham-denominated government bonds.

Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the CBUAE, and Abdulrahman Saleh Al Saleh, Director-General of Dubai’s Department of Finance, signed the Memorandum of Understanding in Abu Dhabi before senior officials and assistant governors.

Under the pact, Dubai Finance gains access to the central bank’s systems and platforms to support bond issuance, while both parties commit to joint efforts in fintech, payment systems, and digital currency development. The agreement further encompasses capacity building, knowledge exchange and coordination in regulatory and infrastructural domains.

Balama described the partnership as “an important step toward advancing the country’s financial markets, supporting their growth, and ensuring their readiness to adapt to future changes.” He affirmed that the nation’s leadership is focused on promoting innovation and digitisation in financial services to boost private-sector participation and investor confidence.

Al Saleh said the MoU would help diversify the UAE’s investment tools and align capital market expansion with the vision of the country’s leadership. He emphasised the importance of collaboration with regulatory bodies at both federal and local levels to elevate the nation’s reputation as an investment hub.

The MoU aligns with broader moves by the central bank in strengthening financial infrastructure and market regulation. The central bank has recently advanced its “Financial Infrastructure Transformation” programme, which includes the rollout of the domestic card scheme Jaywan and development of a Central Bank Digital Currency, known as the Digital Dirham. The institution also introduced regulations on Open Finance platforms and has conducted stress tests affirming resilience in the banking sector under diverse macroeconomic pressures.

The UAE’s push to build robust capital markets fits into a regional trend of using debt instruments to broaden funding sources beyond oil and real estate. In December 2024, the CBUAE signed an MoU with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to enhance cross-border debt issuance and settlement between the UAE and Asia, aiming to foster deeper connectivity between debt markets.

Analysts see the newly inked agreement as a mechanism to centralise the infrastructure layer of government debt issuance under one roof, avoiding fragmentation across emirates. Doing so could lower costs, standardise procedures, and deepen liquidity in domestic markets. It may also foster greater issuance activity from state and municipal entities.

QNB Group has shifted its US dollar corporate payment operations in Qatar onto JPMorgan’s blockchain-based platform, enabling business clients to execute dollar payments within minutes, around the clock. The move marks a notable milestone in the uptake of decentralised ledger technology in mainstream banking.

The Doha-based lender will use JPMorgan’s Kinexys Digital Payments system to facilitate 24/7 USD transfers for its corporate clientele. Traditional banking rails, by contrast, typically operate during business days and may take several days to complete a transfer. The QNB–JPMorgan tie-up underscores the intensifying push by major financial institutions to modernise payment infrastructure.

Kinexys, previously known as JPMorgan’s payments and tokenisation arm, has seen growing traction across the Middle East and North Africa. QNB became one of the first banks in the region to adopt the system, following Saudi National Bank’s earlier deployment. The platform allows programmable payments, enabling banks to embed automated rules or compliance checks directly into settlement flows.

Under its new arrangement, QNB clients in Qatar will now enjoy significantly improved settlement speed and liquidity management. Instead of waiting for traditional cut-off windows, funds flow without interruption, reducing operational risk and improving cash-flow efficiency. Internally, the system allows QNB to manage its USD liquidity more dynamically across its branches and treasury operations.

JPMorgan’s wider strategy with Kinexys spans tokenised deposit accounts, cross-border settlements, and programmable payment capability. Earlier this year, the firm announced a GBP-denominated blockchain deposit offering, complementing its USD tokenisation efforts. JPMorgan has also piloted USD deposit tokens built on its Base blockchain in collaboration with institutional clients.

Across the MENA region, several leading banks have gone live on Kinexys. Commercial Bank of Dubai, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Bank ABC are among the adopters. Saudi National Bank currently uses the system for its U. S. dollar-denominated flows and plans to extend the infrastructure to large corporates in its domestic market.

By K Raveendran The global oil market is once again caught between geopolitics and fundamentals, as a new set of developments forces traders, producers, and consumers to recalibrate expectations. With the United States and the European Union signalling a hardening of positions on Russian oil, and with the Middle East simmering in heightened tensions, Brent […]

The article World Oil Flows At A Critical Juncture As India, US Try To Hammer Out A Deal appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).