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DIFC confirmed on Monday that the publicly listed securities firm had received a licence from the DIFC Authority and authorisation from the Dubai Financial Services Authority, the independent regulator overseeing financial services conducted in or from the centre.

The office extends China Securities’ international footprint and is intended to support its engagement with regional institutions while improving links between Chinese, UAE and international capital markets. The firm has operations spanning equity and debt capital markets, investment banking, asset management and institutional services.

The move places China Securities among a substantial group of China-based financial institutions operating from Dubai’s financial free zone. DIFC said the group includes Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, Bank of Communications, China Construction Bank, China International Capital Corporation, China Merchants Bank International and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, alongside other securities and financial services businesses.

China’s five largest banks together account for more than 30 per cent of total assets in DIFC’s Banking and Capital Markets sector, underscoring the scale of their existing presence within the centre. China Securities is the latest investment bank from the country to join that cluster.

DIFC said the opening followed sustained engagement with China Securities, during which the financial centre worked with the firm to explain opportunities available through Dubai, develop its understanding of the regional market and support its longer-term international expansion plans.

The Dubai base also gives the investment bank a presence within a financial centre that has been expanding rapidly. DIFC had 10,018 active registered companies at the end of the first half of 2026, crossing the 10,000 threshold for the first time. The total was 30 per cent higher year on year, after 2,318 new active registered companies were added over the preceding 12 months.

The number of regulated financial services firms in DIFC reached 1,134 during the same period, up 16 per cent from a year earlier. Banking and capital markets firms numbered 327, while the centre had 592 wealth and asset management companies and 165 insurance and reinsurance entities.

China Securities’ arrival comes as financial institutions seek to capture increasing business flows between Asia and Gulf markets. For the firm, the DIFC office provides a platform for direct interaction with Middle East clients and investors rather than relying solely on operations elsewhere in its international network.

The regulatory approvals are central to that expansion. A DIFC Authority licence establishes the company’s corporate presence in the financial centre, while DFSA authorisation covers regulated financial services carried out within or from the jurisdiction. The precise category and detailed scope of China Securities’ DFSA permissions were not specified in DIFC’s announcement.

The firm’s regional expansion also adds another securities house to a Chinese financial network in Dubai that already covers commercial banking, investment banking and capital-markets services. China International Capital Corporation and several of China’s largest commercial lenders are among the institutions with an established DIFC presence.

DIFC operates a separate legal and regulatory framework for financial businesses based in the centre, with the DFSA responsible for regulating financial services. That structure has helped attract international banks, investment managers, insurers and other financial institutions seeking a regional operating base.

The centre’s first-half figures show that growth has extended beyond banking. Wealth and asset management companies increased 35 per cent year on year to 592, while insurance and reinsurance entities rose 22 per cent to 165. Banking and capital markets businesses grew 13 per cent over the same period.

For China Securities, the immediate focus of the Dubai operation is engagement with clients, investors and financial institutions across the Middle East. DIFC said the office would also support connections between capital markets in China and the UAE and wider international markets.

Founded in 2022, Skyro has already established a strong presence in the Philippines, where it uses an AI-powered credit-scoring model designed to serve customers who may be underserved by traditional banks. Since its founding, the company has disbursed more than USD 600 million in loans, expanded its user base to more than 7 million and reached operating break-even in the first half of 2026.

Skyro plans to adapt the business model that has proven successful in the Philippines to the Malaysian market. The company enters Malaysia as the country’s consumer credit sector is undergoing significant regulatory reform, following the introduction of the Consumer Credit Act 2025 and the establishment of the Consumer Credit Commission.

Arsen Liametov, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Skyro, said:

“We use advanced AI-based scoring tools to provide convenient and intuitive credit products to people underserved by traditional banks. Our success in the Philippines gives us confidence in this approach, which we plan to adapt for other markets across Southeast Asia and beyond.”

With a population of around 35 million, Malaysia represents an important market for the expansion of digital financial services. While most of the population has access to bank accounts, consumers with limited credit histories or without verified income may find it difficult to obtain traditional bank loans. In the Philippines, Skyro uses AI and alternative data to assess creditworthiness, and it intends to apply a similar approach in Malaysia that has been adapted to local conditions and regulatory requirements.

Nasim Aliev, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Skyro, said:

“Ambitions shouldn’t have to wait. Across Southeast Asia, we see the same pattern: hardworking people are held back not by a lack of effort but by a temporary cash gap standing between them and a real opportunity. In Malaysia, we plan to develop credit products that give people a solution to this challenge while ensuring full control and transparency over their spending.”

Skyro plans to enter the Malaysian market with cash loans and intends to introduce further credit products in Malaysia over time. Skyro has also announced plans to expand into other markets, including Saudi Arabia, and to build an ecosystem of financial products.

Hashtag: #Skyro

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

About Skyro

Skyro is a high-growth, digital-first fintech group delivering scalable, responsible financial access across high-potential emerging markets. Powered by proprietary data science, AI-driven credit decisioning, and alternative-data scoring, the company combines a mobile-native experience with modular fintech architecture to serve underserved client segments at scale.

As of 2026, Skyro has a registered user base of more than 7 million and a credit portfolio exceeding USD 200 million. The company’s ambition is to become a leading full-spectrum financial services group across high-potential markets by combining capability proven at scale with a commitment to building each business around the needs of the market it serves.

https://www.skyro.io/skyro-story

Alibaba to become Nets’ Official Jersey Patch Partner, and bring Real-Time 360° Replay and personalized fan collectibles to Barclays Center

Hashtag: #AlibabaGroup

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

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The companies said on Monday that the partnership would combine FSI’s access to Italy’s mid-market businesses with Temasek’s sector expertise and international network, with a focus on helping companies expand into new markets.

FSI manages about €5 billion and concentrates on growth investments in mid-sized businesses. Temasek has previously invested in FSI funds and will make further commitments to future vehicles, including FSI Scale-up Capital Solutions, a fund aimed at high-growth small and medium-sized enterprises.

Nagi Hamiyeh, president of Temasek Global Investments, said Italy was “an integral part” of Temasek’s European strategy. He said the Singapore investor had built its portfolio and relationships in the country over more than a decade, with the pace of investment accelerating in the past few years.

“Our partnership with FSI extends this commitment to the mid-market,” Hamiyeh said, adding that Temasek could use its sector capabilities and global networks to support Italian companies seeking international expansion and long-term growth.

The transaction builds on a relationship that began with Temasek’s investment in FSI funds in 2018. Temasek was an investor in FSI I, which closed in 2019, and FSI II, which closed in 2024. It is also participating in the Scale-up Capital Solutions vehicle launched this year.

FSI’s website says its flagship FSI I and FSI II funds have commitments of €1.4 billion and €1.6 billion respectively, while Scale-up Capital Solutions extends its investment strategy into the lower mid-market. The new vehicle is targeting businesses with growth potential, including companies seeking capital for expansion, acquisitions or international development.

Maurizio Tamagnini, FSI’s chief executive and managing partner, said Temasek had been a founding investor in the firm’s funds and that the two teams had worked together beyond those commitments to identify opportunities across Italian companies of different sizes.

“Today’s step therefore builds on a shared investment culture, experience and deep mutual trust between the leadership of the two institutions,” Tamagnini said. He described FSI as a channel connecting global institutional capital with Italy’s small and medium-sized businesses.

Temasek’s investment also increases its exposure to Italy, where it has invested for more than a decade. Its holdings include interests in luxury groups Ermenegildo Zegna, Golden Goose and Moncler, giving the Singapore company an established presence in one of Italy’s prominent consumer sectors.

The group has also been increasing allocations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. It aims to invest between €14 billion and €17 billion in the region by 2029 and deployed about €13 billion there during the two financial years ended March 31, 2026.

Temasek reported a net portfolio value of S$518 billion for the year ended March 31, 2026. The company is wholly owned by Singapore’s Minister for Finance, but operates commercially and makes investment decisions independently of the government, according to Singapore’s Ministry of Finance and Temasek’s governance framework.

For FSI, the investment brings a major global institutional investor directly into its management company while preserving the firm’s focus on Italian businesses. FSI says its team has invested more than €3 billion in 25 companies over 15 years and completed more than 50 acquisitions.

Temasek’s move does not give it control of FSI’s management company. The investment is structured as a minority holding, while the additional fund commitments place capital alongside other institutional investors. The arrangement expands the relationship at both the management-company and investment-fund levels without altering FSI’s investment mandate.

Its investment model targets businesses where fresh equity and strategic support can finance expansion without relying primarily on leverage. The firm identifies family-owned companies, fragmented domestic industries and businesses with limited access to capital markets among the areas where it sees opportunities.

Carlsberg’s Brewmaster Zoran Gojkovic takes his pairings from the brewhouse to Singapore’s boldest tables, with exclusive deals on Grab Dine Out

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 28 September 2026 – Carlsberg Asia is partnering with Grab, Southeast Asia’s everyday superapp, to launch exclusive dine-out deals with Brewmaster-curated beer pairings at 28 restaurants in Singapore. Available until 25 October, the campaign invites consumers to discover unexpected pairings and enjoy them firsthand at partner restaurants.

Guided by Carlsberg’s Brewmaster, Zoran Gojkovic, this first-of-its-kind collaboration takes diners on a seamless journey, from digital inspiration to tableside enjoyment. Diners can explore curated food-and-beer pairing experiences, unlock exclusive vouchers, and head to partner restaurants to savour the perfect pairing. Whether it’s a spicy weeknight supper with local favourites, a long weekend brunch or a premium fine dining experience, every pairing is designed to turn everyday meals into memorable beer moments.

Carlsberg’s Brewmaster Brings His Expertise to Singapore’s Boldest Tables

To bring this to life, Carlsberg’s Brewmaster, Zoran Gojkovic, travelled across Southeast Asia, trading the brewhouse for the region’s most exciting kitchens. At every stop, he sat down with chefs, restaurant partners and local food communities to explore the rich culinary traditions behind each dish and share the brewing science behind great pairings. Along the journey, Zoran drew on his decades of expertise to match every innovative dish with the perfect brew from Carlsberg’s portfolio, revealing how local food culture and brewing craftsmanship blend seamlessly at the same table.

With exclusive deals now available on Grab Dine Out, Carlsberg is redefining the modern beer occasion in a bustling city filled with vibrant local flavours. The partnership allows food lovers to discover local spots, unlock personalised deals, and explore expertly crafted beer pairings tailored to diverse tastes.

Olga Pulyaeva, General Manager, Carlsberg Singapore, said: “By bringing our premium portfolio onto Grab and tapping into its extensive ecosystem, we are connecting with digitally engaged consumers and turning online discovery into real dining experiences. Paired with Zoran’s expertise in matching our beers with the city’s diverse flavours, this partnership is taking diners from inspiration to the table in just a few taps.”

Discovering the Perfect Pairing in Singapore’s Vibrant Dining Scene

The food-and-beer pairing experience spotlights a curated selection from Carlsberg’s portfolio, including the citrusy and refreshing 1664 Blanc, the rich and velvety Connor’s Stout Porter, the refined Japanese lager Sapporo, the easy-drinking Carlsberg Smooth Draught, and the OG, well-balanced Carlsberg Danish Pilsner. Each chosen to distinctively bring out the best of the city’s culinary concepts. From contemporary Chinese to an energetic Japanese gastrobar and open-flame grill mastery, the pairings are designed to showcase how Carlsberg’s beer styles complement the chefs’ creations.

At Empress, the contemporary Chinese restaurant overlooking the Singapore River, time-honoured classics such as Empress Roast Duck and a savoury Popcorn Chicken Spicy Sichuan Style take center stage. Connor’s Stout Porter‘s robust, roasty malt perfectly echoes the lacquered, smoky skin of the duck, while Carlsberg Danish Pilsner’s crisp mouthfeel and hoppy notes balance the popcorn chicken’s rich, spicy flavours.

Over at Kinki, a vibrant Japanese fusion gastrobar on Collyer Quay, bold, modern plates like Jeju Pork Jowl and Saikoro Pepper Steak meet a buzzing atmosphere. The bright, aromatic citrus notes of 1664 Blanc cut through the richness of the pork jowl, lifting every savoury note with a bright, refreshing finish. Sapporo’s light, well-balanced finish complements the tender richness of the pepper steak.

Fireplace by Bedrock, a modern wood-fired concept spotlighting premium ingredients, turns up the heat with the deep smokiness of 6-Hour Wood-Fired Pork Belly. Its robust flavours call for the mellow and easy finish of Carlsberg Smooth Draught to reset the palate between bites.

From Grab to the Table: Turning Everyday Meals into Beer Occasions

Going from craving to table takes just a few taps. On the dedicated Carlsberg selection page in the Grab app, consumers can browse participating restaurants and explore curated food-and-beer pairing deals. Simply pre-purchase a deal in the app and then redeem it at the restaurant to enjoy the exact pairing featured in the campaign. Together, Carlsberg and Grab are making great pairings easier to find and enjoy: one deal, one pairing, one shared table at a time.

Hashtag: #Carlsberg #Grab #BeerPairing

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

About Carlsberg Asia

Established in 1847 by brewer J.C. Jacobsen, the Carlsberg Group is one of the leading brewery groups in the world, with an attractive portfolio of beer and other beverage brands. With over 37.000 employees, and with a presence in more than 150 markets, the Group has a purpose of brewing for a better today and tomorrow. Doing business responsibly and sustainably supports that purpose – and drives the efforts to deliver value for shareholders and society.

Carlsberg Asia is a dynamic and diverse region comprising of 8 operating markets: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong S.A.R. (Macau and Taiwan), Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore and Vietnam. Altogether we have 35 breweries in operation and some 13,000 employees spreading across the Asian markets. The Asia Regional Office is based in Hong Kong.

About Grab

Grab is a leading superapp in Southeast Asia, operating across the deliveries, mobility and digital financial services sectors. Serving over 900 cities in eight Southeast Asian countries – Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – Grab enables millions of people everyday to order food or groceries, send packages, hail a ride or taxi, pay for online purchases or access services such as lending and insurance, all through a single app. We operate supermarkets in Malaysia under Jaya Grocer and Everrise, which enables us to bring the convenience of on-demand grocery delivery to more consumers in the country. As part of our financial services offerings, we also provide digital banking services through GXS Bank in Singapore and GXBank in Malaysia. Grab was founded in 2012 with the mission to drive Southeast Asia forward by creating economic empowerment for everyone. Grab strives to serve a triple bottom line – we aim to simultaneously deliver financial performance for our shareholders and have a positive social impact, which includes economic empowerment for millions of people in the region, while mitigating our environmental footprint.

The US 10-year Treasury yield eased to about 5.16% on Friday after touching 5.2297%, its highest level since 2007. The 30-year yield climbed as high as 5.5319%, a level last recorded in 2004, before retreating as falling oil prices offered bond markets some relief.

Japan experienced an equally striking move. The benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond yield reached 3.121% on Friday, its highest since 1996, extending a rise that has challenged assumptions about the pace at which the country can adjust to higher borrowing costs after decades of exceptionally loose monetary policy.

The surge came despite the Bank of Japan raising its policy rate this month. The central bank lifted the overnight call-rate target to around 1.25%, with the new setting taking effect from September 24, as policymakers continued withdrawing monetary accommodation amid persistent inflation pressures.

Bond prices move inversely to yields, meaning the sharp rise reflected heavy selling by investors. The moves have increased financing costs for governments and businesses and strengthened the transmission of tighter monetary policy into mortgages, corporate debt and other forms of credit.

Pressure has spread across major developed markets rather than remaining concentrated in the United States. Five of the Group of 10’s leading central banks raised rates during September, while others signalled possible further tightening or warned that inflation risks remained elevated. That broad shift has forced investors to reassess expectations that borrowing costs would decline quickly.

Energy prices have been an important driver. Oil’s advance during the Middle East conflict revived fears that higher fuel and transport costs would feed into broader inflation, reducing the appeal of fixed-income securities and increasing expectations that central banks may have to keep policy restrictive for longer.

Some of that pressure eased on Friday as oil prices fell roughly 3% amid hopes of progress towards a US-Iran truce. The retreat helped stabilise Treasuries and encouraged modest declines in some yields, but it did not erase the week’s dramatic repricing.

The scale of the turbulence was reflected in the ICE BofA MOVE Index, a widely followed gauge of US bond-market volatility, which jumped roughly 30% over the week, its biggest weekly increase since the tariff-related market turmoil of April 2025.

Federal Reserve policy expectations have also shifted. Markets have increasingly priced the possibility of further rate increases as policymakers confront inflation risks linked to energy costs and an economy that has remained resilient enough to complicate hopes for easier monetary conditions.

The Federal Reserve raised its target range by 25 basis points this month to 3.75%-4.00%. The combination of tighter policy expectations and persistent inflation concerns has pushed yields higher across the Treasury curve, increasing the government’s cost of refinancing debt and lifting benchmark rates used throughout global markets.

Japan presents a different but connected challenge. Rising domestic yields are changing the economics for investors accustomed to negligible returns at home. Higher Japanese yields can make domestic bonds more attractive relative to overseas assets, potentially affecting international capital flows at a time when US and European governments face substantial financing requirements.

The yen strengthened against the dollar on Friday as yields eased from their peaks, with the US currency falling to around 157.22 yen. Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said currency weakness had been discussed during high-level talks in Washington earlier in the week.

Equity markets nevertheless remained comparatively resilient. US shares advanced on Friday, supported by renewed enthusiasm around artificial intelligence companies, while the broader global equity index also rose. That divergence underscored how investors were separating strong corporate themes from the pressure building in sovereign debt markets.

European bonds have faced similar strains as investors weigh inflation alongside fiscal risks. Earlier in the week, benchmark 10-year yields in Germany, France and Britain remained elevated, while France’s borrowing premium over Germany widened amid concern about its budget outlook.

Android shopping-app installs in India grew 85% between the third quarter of 2024 and the second quarter of 2026, compared with 2% globally, according to AppsFlyer’s State of eCommerce for Marketers in India 2026 report. India accounted for 63% of Android shopping installs and 71% of sessions across the markets measured, underscoring the scale of mobile-led commerce.

The expansion has not translated into equally durable customer relationships. Day-30 retention on Android fell 41% between the fourth quarter of 2025 and the second quarter of 2026, steeper than the 30% global decline. Retention had stayed at roughly 4% through the second, third and fourth quarters of 2025 before weakening over the following two quarters.

Marketing allocations moved in the same direction. Remarketing expenditure in India dropped 42% between the fourth quarter of 2025 and second quarter of 2026 while user-acquisition spending rose 10%. Android remarketing conversions subsequently fell 62% in the second quarter, suggesting businesses were putting more money into attracting users while spending less on bringing existing customers back.

Paid installs overtook organic installs in absolute volume by the first quarter of 2026, reversing the organic-led pattern that prevailed through most of 2025. The shift increases the importance of measuring whether customers acquired through advertising remain active long enough to justify acquisition costs.

“India’s install numbers are exceptional by any global measure, and quick commerce is a big part of why,” AppsFlyer’s India and ANZ general manager Sanjay Trisal said. He said engagement was holding up even as install growth cooled, adding that businesses could under-invest in existing customers when acquisition remained strong.

Install volumes have moderated from their festive-season high without erasing India’s substantial lead. Android installs were 22% below their third-quarter 2025 peak by the second quarter of 2026, while sessions declined only 5%. On iOS, sessions increased 13% over the same period, indicating that established users continued opening shopping apps even as new-install momentum eased.

The festive surge was particularly pronounced. Android shopping installs climbed 136% year on year during the Navratri quarter, while organic installs rose 143%. The figures help explain why acquisition has remained attractive to marketers despite signs of weaker retention farther into the customer lifecycle.

Quick commerce is an important driver of that activity. Redseer Strategy Consultants estimates the segment closed the 2025-26 financial year at about $13 billion to $14 billion in gross merchandise value, equivalent to roughly 17% of India’s online retail market. It has expanded beyond grocery into categories including beauty, personal care, electronics and fashion, increasing the number of shopping occasions served through apps.

Broader online retail demand also remains strong. Redseer estimates the market grew about 25% year on year in the first half of 2026 to roughly $38 billion and expects it to exceed $90 billion for the full calendar year. That growth provides a large pool of transactions for shopping platforms, while placing greater emphasis on whether customer acquisition produces repeat purchasing.

AppsFlyer’s data also showed India generated its high Android activity with a comparatively smaller share of advertising expenditure. The country represented 19% of global Android user-acquisition spend among measured markets despite accounting for 63% of installs and 71% of sessions. On iOS, it accounted for 16% of installs but 2% of user-acquisition expenditure.

Traffic quality strengthened over the longer measurement period. India’s Android install-fraud rate declined from 10% in the third quarter of 2024 to 3% in the second quarter of 2026, against a 7% global rate. The iOS fraud rate stood at 1%, compared with 3% globally, although Android fraud increased quarter on quarter in the latest period.

By K Raveendran The meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping carried all the ceremony expected when the leaders of the world’s two most powerful countries sit across the table. On artificial intelligence, however, the encounter produced little that matched either the scale of the technology’s advance or the urgency surrounding its risks. The two […]

The article AI Rivalry Eclipses Safeguards And Regulation At Trump-Xi Summit appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

By Nitya Chakraborty Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, whom Rabindranath Tagore had hailed as the symbol of ‘ajeya paurasha, akhanda manushyatva’ meaning invincible manliness and indelible humanism, was the tallest among the social reformers and educators in 19th century Bengal. His 71-year-long life from September 26, 1820 to July 27, 1891 was the story of an unparalleled […]

The article Decoding Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar On His 206th Birth Anniversary appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

By P. Sreekumaran THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The VD Satheesan-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Government has temporarily stayed an order implementing minimum marks for classes VI-II, IX and X in the 2026-27 academic year. Implementation of minimum marks was one of the most significant and debated decisions of the previous LDF Government. The LDF had in 2024 approved […]

The article Keralam Govt Stays Implementation Of Minimum Marks In Schools appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

By Dr. Gyan Pathak Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojna (DDU-GKY) will complete 12 years on September 25, 2026. It was launched by PM Narendra Modi led government with great fanfare on September 25, 2014 under the National Rural Livelihood Mission. The chief objective was to equip rural youth with relevant skills and access to […]

The article Skilling And Placement Of Rural Youth Under DDU-GKY Is Dismal appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).