The Federal Reserve sets the price of money for the world’s largest economy, but the battle now unfolding in Washington is about far more than the next rate decision. President Donald Trump and his economic advisors are pushing to narrow the central bank’s mission and pull it closer to the White House. For international investors, this is not a distant Beltway turf fight. It’s a direct threat […]
By Nantoo Banerjee Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s recent claim of the country’s unemployment rate being the lowest among the G20 nations at two percent seems to lack credibility as per the records available with various government and non-government agencies connected with the matter. Mandaviya’s reference to India’s low unemployment rate came during […]Swiss private bank Lombard Odier executives have stressed that the Middle East is no more inherently risky than other global markets—but warned that wealth managers must perform rigorous due diligence to avoid regulatory pitfalls in future. The bank is increasing its investment in the region and is aiming to more than double its assets under management there. Frédéric Rochat, managing partner at Lombard Odier, and Ali Janoudi, […]
BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 September 2025 – In Shougang Park, a former ironworks site in western Beijing, new technologies from AI to cloud computing and green innovation are on display amid the rusty blast furnaces and steel relics. The 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), featuring digital innovation and intelligent technologies, is underway in the park, gathering nearly 2,000 enterprises, […]
Abu Dhabi is now home to over US$758.79 billion worth of active development projects, industry reports show, as the capital’s property, construction and investment sectors receive considerable investor attention at the International Real Estate & Investment Show. Urban construction projects lead the charge at roughly $221.56 billion, followed by transportation ventures valued at $238.01 billion, industrial projects totalling $151.36 billion, utilities at $130.29 billion, and oil & […]
Majid Al Futtaim has opened six HyperMax outlets in Bahrain, coupled with an online store offering, as it pushes its grocery retail ambitions further into the Gulf market. The launch delivers a brand positioned on local produce, value pricing and convenience, aiming to align with Bahrain’s Vision 2030 goals on sustainable growth and economic diversification. With a workforce exceeding 1,600 staff, HyperMax will draw upon partnerships with […]
Gold surged past levels not seen in over four months after growing confidence that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this month boosted demand for bullion, while silver climbed above $40 per ounce for the first time in over a decade.
Spot gold rose around 0.9% to roughly US$3,486.86 per ounce, reaching highs last marked in late April. US gold futures for December delivery also advanced, riding momentum from dovish comments by San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly and a U. S. appeals court decision that struck down most of former President Trump’s tariffs, which weighed on the dollar. Silver jumped about 2.2%, to near US$40.56, its best since September 2011. Other precious metals followed: platinum added 1.5% and palladium rose around 0.8%.
Investors have been digesting a weakening US dollar, cautious labour market indicators, and signals from policymakers suggesting the Fed could lower rates by 25 basis points. Some traders contemplate a larger cut, although forecasts remain varied. Demand for gold as a hedge has been reinforced by geopolitical uncertainty and concerns around the independence of central banking.
Analysts at ANZ and UBS have revised their forecasts for gold upward. ANZ now expects gold to average about US$3,800 per ounce by year-end, with upside toward US$4,000 by mid-2026. UBS similarly raised its year-end target, citing robust central bank buying, persistent inflation pressures, and the likelihood of further policy easing.
Silver’s rally, driven by industrial demand and tight supply, outpaces gold in percentage gains. ETF inflows have also favoured silver, reflecting investor appetite for high-beta exposure in the precious metals space.
Haitham Al Ghais, Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, has affirmed that OPEC will remain a pillar of market stability and a critical voice for oil’s role in the world for decades. Delivered to coincide with OPEC’s 65th anniversary, his remarks emphasised the organisation’s long‐standing mission and future direction.
OPEC projects oil demand to reach around 123 million barrels per day by 2050, driven by economic expansion and growing populations. Al Ghais warned that predictions of a near-term decline in relevance or “peak oil” should be viewed with scepticism in light of long‐term demand forecasts and OPEC’s historical resilience.
He noted that oil remains indispensable across many spheres of daily life: transportation, construction, food production and healthcare. Oils and petroleum derivatives, he said, are foundational not just for consumers but for societal and economic prosperity more broadly. Without them, critical infrastructure and supply chains could be severely disrupted.
Al Ghais described OPEC’s foundation in 1960 as a unifying vision for oil-producing nations, asserting sovereign control over production, supporting regular supply to consuming nations, and ensuring a fair return for investors. He reflected on the group’s evolution, including its expansion and the formation of the OPEC+ framework in 2016, which he said strengthened its ability to respond to global shocks such as those caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 65-year mark, he argued, is not simply an anniversary but a reaffirmation of core objectives: balancing producer and consumer interests; dialogue and cooperation with non-OPEC producers; and emphasizing a holistic, multi-technology approach to energy security and poverty alleviation in developing regions.
He also stressed that energy security is “inconceivable without oil,” especially for societies coping with energy poverty. For OPEC, the challenge ahead involves ensuring that growth in demand is met “in a sustainable way” that incorporates environmental, social and economic considerations, while keeping market stabilisation efforts front and centre.
JAKARTA, INDONESIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 15 September 2025 – Finex, an acclaimed Indonesian broker, announces the grand winner of the Get X2 promo, a 2025 New Year’s promotion celebrating skill, persistence, and rewarding trading. Finex started 2025 with an ambitious event: the Get X2 promo. Finexers were invited to showcase their trading skills while exchanging traded lots for valuable prizes. The promotion ended with the […]
Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki has approved the deployment of NATO forces on Polish territory as part of Operation Eastern Sentinel, authorising foreign allied units to bolster national defences. The approval came through a decree issued by the National Security Bureau, granting permission for allied troops from other NATO member states to be stationed in Poland. The decree is classified, and precise details—such as numbers, locations, or which […]
Ubisoft employees have challenged company leadership about a possible funding partnership with Saudi Arabia tied to new downloadable content for Assassin’s Creed Mirage. Management insists it retains full creative control, but internal concerns focus on ethical and reputational risks. Workers from Ubisoft’s Social and Economic Committee posed questions after the announcement of a free expansion set in AlUla, historically significant as a UNESCO World Heritage site now […]
Bitcoin mining operations are undergoing a transformation as firms leverage their substantial electricity capacity and infrastructure to meet booming demand for artificial intelligence compute. Companies that once focused solely on mining are now converting parts of their facilities into AI data centres, pressing for more stable revenue amid tightening profit margins in crypto. CoreWeave’s $9 billion acquisition of Core Scientific stands out as a major move in […]
Memecoins have surged across cryptocurrency markets as traders shift bets toward a probable interest-rate cut by the Federal Reserve and the possibility of U. S. altcoin ETF approvals. Bitcoin’s market share has declined by about 3.5% over the past month, while indexes comparing altcoin performance versus Bitcoin have entered so-called “altseason” territory.
Expectations that the Federal Reserve may reduce rates by 25 basis points later this month are currently priced in at over 90% by market observers using tools such as Polymarket and the CME’s FedWatch. A rate cut is widely seen as a trigger boosting risk-assets by lowering the comparative appeal of fixed-income securities.
The CoinDesk Memecoin Index rose roughly 7.1% over 24 hours, led by tokens like SHIB and BONE. These gains came despite Shiba Inu’s layer-2 network, Shibarium, being hit by a flash-loan exploit, which did not dampen investor enthusiasm.
Analysts point out that falling Bitcoin dominance, which reflects a shrinking slice of total crypto market capitalisation for the biggest token, often heralds a shift into altcoins. Indexes from providers including CoinMarketCap and CoinGlass have signalled this rotation of capital away from Bitcoin toward altcoins.
Institutional momentum is also tightening around altcoin exchange-traded funds; proposals for ETFs covering DOGE and TRUMP tokens are reportedly under consideration for U. S. markets in the final quarter of the year. Approval of such funds could draw both retail and institutional capital into memecoin-adjacent assets.
The India-Nepal border has begun reopening across several crossings following days of closure caused by violent protests in Nepal. Checkpoints at Sonauli, Rupaidiha, Kheri, Siddharthnagar and Balrampur have resumed partial movement of goods, under enhanced security and supervision by the Nepal Army.
At Rupaidiha’s Integrated Check Post, over 20 tankers loaded with petroleum, diesel, cooking gas and medicines have entered Nepal, helping to curb shortages of essentials. Nearly 1,000 trucks carrying foodstuffs, machinery and medical supplies await clearance amid prioritisation of life-saving and energy supplies. Market traders and transporters, impacted by steep price rises of commodities such as biscuits and cooking gas, have expressed relief. The border reopening comes amid tight controls, with curfews still in place in sensitive areas and heightened security patrols, including drone surveillance. Authorities warn that full restoration of trade and cross-border traffic will be gradual, given damage to infrastructure and logistical disruptions caused during the unrest.
Nepal is now under an interim government led by Sushila Karki, who took office after anti-corruption protests driven by Gen Z activists forced Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli to resign. Her appointment as the first woman to lead the government was confirmed after negotiations involving the president, military leadership and protest representatives. Parliament has been dissolved, and new elections are scheduled for 5 March 2026.
Protesters had demanded transparency, political accountability and an end to nepotism and corruption. The protests were triggered by a controversial social media ban, but escalated rapidly, resulting in more than 50 deaths and over 1,300 injuries in clashes with security forces. Many government buildings, including parliament and the presidential residence, were set ablaze. Curfews were imposed in Kathmandu and neighbouring districts while transport, banking and other services came to a standstill.
With the new government now operating, authorities in Nepal are prioritising restoring law and order and ensuring that those who died or lost property during the unrest receive appropriate investigation and accountability. International reaction has been largely supportive of the transition, with neighbouring countries invoking hopes of stability and peace.
Quadrille Capital has completed a €500 million capital raise aimed at funding technology ventures in Europe and the United States. The firm has allocated €285 million for direct investments, €70 million for its primary fund backing VC and growth funds, and €150 million for a secondary fund focused on later-stage opportunity. The fundraising elevates its assets under management to approximately €1.8 billion. Jérôme Chevalier, CEO, noted that […]
OpenAI will purchase approximately $300 billion worth of cloud computing capacity from Oracle over a five-year period beginning in 2027, according to statements from the companies and industry analysts. The deal is among the largest ever in the cloud infrastructure sector, and is intertwined with OpenAI and Oracle’s joint Stargate initiative. The agreement requires Oracle to supply 4.5 gigawatts of power-capacity for the data centres that will […]
Frontline medical residents in Nigeria launched a five-day warning strike on Friday, demanding unpaid allowances, salary arrears and better welfare. The strike, ordered by the National Association of Resident Doctors, is a response to what the doctors call government inaction on long-standing financial and professional concerns. NARD Secretary-General Dr. Oluwasola Odunbaku confirmed that work stopped at 8 a. m. across federal and state hospitals. The association insists […]
Harare has been thrust into the spotlight over severe human rights violations linked to mining operations, as watchdog groups and local activists issue alarming reports of forced displacement, environmental destruction and labour abuse. The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition has accused mining firms and state actors of orchestrating “grave human rights violations” against residents in mining regions. These include evictions without proper compensation, widespread water and air pollution, […]
Fitch Ratings has cut France’s long-term issuer default rating from AA- to A+, marking the lowest rating ever assigned to the country by a major agency. The outlook is stable, but the downgrade reflects mounting concerns over fiscal deficits, political instability, and France’s diminishing ability to rein in a swelling public debt. The agency flagged France’s deficit at about 5.8 per cent of GDP for 2024, far […]
Dubai’s events sector is being reshaped by a new digital platform aiming to simplify how people organise celebrations. The PartyPlatform, founded by Patrick Narracott, has introduced an online marketplace linking customers directly with vendors, allowing users to either hire full-service planners or assemble their own teams of vendors. The business addresses long-standing challenges in event planning, especially in terms of transparency and vendor discovery. Traditional methods often […]
Security researchers at ESET have identified a new malware strain called HybridPetya that combines traits of Petya and NotPetya ransomware with advanced boot-kit functionality to infect systems protected by UEFI Secure Boot. It exploits the vulnerability CVE-2024-7344 in the Howyar “Reloader” UEFI application to bypass signature checks, allowing unverified code execution. HybridPetya was first spotted when samples uploaded to VirusTotal in February 2025 caught the eye of […]
Singapore is witnessing a sharp decline in wealthy mainland Chinese individuals relocating to the city-state, driven by stricter financial regulation, tougher compliance requirements, and more burdensome permanent residence and family-office rules. The flow is shifting instead toward Hong Kong, Japan and the Middle East.
Applications from wealthy Chinese seeking family office status or residency in Singapore have dropped by about 50 per cent compared to 2022, according to legal advisers involved in vetting such clients. One lawyer noted that platforms offering cryptocurrency, tokenised equity or stablecoins must now obtain licensing even when serving clients outside Singapore, and approval will be rare. Minimum capital thresholds have been introduced, along with anti-money laundering, technology-risk and conduct obligations.
The Fujian money-laundering scandal of 2023 is widely cited as a turning point. Following that case, Singapore’s financial institutions and regulators re-screened clients and intensified know-your-customer processes. Some family office applications have taken over a year to process; others have been rejected or delayed because of stricter background checks, including detailed disclosures about dependents and family relationships that many find invasive.
Hong Kong has responded by making entry and residency procedures easier. Earlier this year, its Capital Investment Entrant Scheme was reformed so that applicants need only six months of asset holding instead of two years, and family-held wealth or investments via family companies are now accepted. Dubai and Japan are similarly pulling ahead with more streamlined family office incentives.
Henley & Partners projects that only 1,600 millionaires will move to Singapore in 2025, less than half the number projected in the previous year. Meanwhile, many Chinese family offices already based in Singapore are relocating their operations back to Hong Kong or setting up in the Middle East or Japan.
Regulation focusing on crypto activity has been particularly discouraging. New rules require licensing for platforms offering crypto or tokenised financial products even to clients outside Singapore; approvals are expected to be rare and compliance burdens steep. Some crypto firms have already departed because of the regulatory regime.
Kuwait Petroleum Corp is evaluating a plan to lease sections of its pipeline network as part of its drive to raise between $5 billion and $7 billion, to support a broader investment programme totalling $65 billion that spans upstream oil operations and petrochemicals. The deal under consideration would see 13 pipelines leased out on a 25-year basis. The firm has appointed Centerview Partners LLC as an adviser […]
