Copper and other industrial metals fell on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump renewed threats to strike Iran’s power plants and other civilian infrastructure if talks fail to halt a war that has entered its second month, adding another layer of risk to commodity markets already strained by conflict in the Gulf. Bloomberg reported the move across metals markets on April 2, while Reuters and AP reporting […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Silver tumbled on Thursday, extending a volatile run in precious metals as higher oil prices, firmer Treasury yields and a stronger dollar pulled investors out of bullion. Spot silver was reported down about 4.6% on the day, while market data showed the metal trading near $72.31 an ounce and futures dipping to an intraday low around $70.35, leaving the market pressing against […]
Binance has moved into energy-linked crypto derivatives, launching perpetual futures tied to WTI crude, Brent crude and natural gas in a step that broadens its product range beyond digital assets and into commodity price exposure. The exchange said Binance Futures would roll out USDⓈ-margined CLUSDT, BZUSDT and NATGASUSDT perpetual contracts on 1 April, with the contracts linked to benchmark oil and gas markets and designed for […]
Ryanair has warned that jet fuel supplies into Europe could come under pressure from May if the US-Israeli war with Iran continues, with chief executive Michael O’Leary saying as much as a quarter of the airline’s fuel could be at risk during May and June if disruption around the Strait of Hormuz is not resolved by the middle or end of April. The warning, made on April […]
French President Emmanuel Macron is due to meet Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Tokyo on Wednesday, with the war involving Iran and the growing scramble for critical minerals set to dominate talks that reach far beyond bilateral ties. The meeting comes as Japan and France face the same strategic question from different angles: how to protect economic security in a world where energy supplies, shipping routes […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Gold edged higher on Tuesday but remained on course for its sharpest monthly decline since October 2008, as investors weighed a powerful mix of delayed hopes for US rate cuts, a surge in energy prices linked to the Iran war and a stronger dollar through much of March. Spot gold was up about 3.2% at $4,652.31 an ounce by Tuesday, yet still showed […]
AD Ports Group has used its 2025 Annual Report to make a broader point than a set of earnings figures: Abu Dhabi’s state-backed ports and logistics champion is seeking to prove that scale, corridor strategy and selective overseas expansion can keep lifting returns even as conflict, tariff friction and supply-chain disruption continue to unsettle global trade. The company said revenue for 2025 reached AED 20.77 billion and […]
By Dr. Gyan Pathak On the very onset of the Financial Year 2026-27, beginning from April 1, 2026, India faces a multi-layered set of risks, given its position as a major energy importer with strong trade, investment, and remittance linkages with the West Asia region, which has turned into a war zone since the United […]
The article India Faces Multi-Layered Set Of Risks At The Onset Of FY2026-27 appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
India’s rupee surged on Monday after the Reserve Bank of India tightened banks’ foreign-exchange position limits, forcing lenders to cut dollar holdings and unwind arbitrage trades that had built up as the currency slid to a record low at the end of last week. The rupee rose as much as 1.4% in early trade and was quoted around 93.48 to 93.85 per US dollar, marking its sharpest one-day gain since February.
The immediate trigger was the RBI’s March 27 directive capping banks’ net open rupee positions in the onshore deliverable market at $100 million by the close of each business day from April 10. That replaced a looser framework under which banks’ boards could set limits up to 25% of total capital. Traders said the order prompted a burst of dollar selling as banks moved to reduce exposures that had become profitable while the rupee was weakening.
The rebound followed a bruising stretch for the currency. On Friday, the rupee hit a record low of about 94.84 to the dollar after heavy pressure from higher crude prices, risk aversion and foreign outflows. Reuters reported the rupee had fallen more than 4% in March, putting it on course for its worst monthly performance in more than seven years, while broader anxiety over the Middle East conflict and its implications for energy markets deepened concern over India’s import bill and external balance.
At the centre of the RBI’s move is the gap between the domestic market and the offshore non-deliverable forward, or NDF, market. Banks had been exploiting pricing differences between the two venues, building large arbitrage books that were profitable during the rupee’s slide. Estimates for those positions vary, but Reuters and other market reports put them broadly in the $25 billion to $50 billion range. By suddenly tightening the rules, the central bank appears to have targeted not only volatility in the spot market but also the speculative mechanics that were amplifying pressure on the currency.
That has given the rupee breathing room, but it has also shifted the strain onto banks. Lenders have warned that rapid compliance could force a disorderly unwinding of positions and crystallise losses in treasury books. Several banks have asked the RBI for three months to comply, arguing that a phased adjustment or permission to hold existing trades to maturity would reduce the risk of market disruption. Equity investors appeared to register that concern, with banking shares falling amid estimates that mark-to-market losses could run into thousands of crores if the unwind is abrupt.
The central bank’s intervention is being read in dealing rooms as one of its strongest attempts in years to reassert control over rupee pricing. Market participants said the RBI has already been active in local and offshore markets, using reserves and liquidity tools to keep the currency from sliding too quickly. The new cap adds a regulatory weapon to that defence. It also sends a signal that the central bank is prepared to curb trading strategies it sees as destabilising, even at the cost of squeezing bank profitability in the short term.
Whether the rupee can hold on to these gains will depend less on technical unwinding and more on the backdrop that pushed it down in the first place. Brent crude has climbed sharply, with Reuters reporting a move above $115 a barrel on Monday and a monthly gain of nearly 60%. For an economy that imports the bulk of its oil, that raises the risk of a wider current account deficit, imported inflation and renewed pressure on the currency. Bond yields also edged higher, indicating that traders remain alert to the wider macroeconomic fallout even as the rupee recovers ground.
Disneyland Paris has formally opened a new phase of its long-running expansion, using the March 29 debut of World of Frozen to relaunch its second gate as Disney Adventure World, a move the company says marks the biggest transformation in that park’s history. Official announcements from Disneyland Paris, backed by Reuters and Associated Press reporting, show the renamed park now centres on a large new Frozen-themed land, […]
U. S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds recorded their heaviest one-day net withdrawals in three weeks on Thursday, with investors pulling about $171.2 million as Bitcoin slid below the $70,000 mark and broader market nerves rose over the risk of a fresh flare-up in the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. The outflow, based on market data compiled by SoSoValue and widely tracked across the crypto […]
Banks are pressing the Reserve Bank of India to soften a new foreign-exchange rule that dealers say could force the unwinding of large arbitrage positions, deepen trading losses and add fresh strain to the rupee at a fragile moment for the currency market. The central bank has told lenders to keep their net open rupee positions in the onshore deliverable market within $100 million by the end of each business day from April 10, replacing a far more flexible regime under which banks’ boards could set limits linked to capital.
The pushback from lenders has grown because the rule change lands after weeks of pressure on the rupee from higher oil prices, foreign portfolio outflows and war-driven risk aversion across global markets. The rupee touched a record low of 94.84 against the US dollar after a sharp slide this week, underscoring the urgency with which the central bank is trying to contain volatility and regain influence over price formation in the domestic market.
At the heart of the dispute is a trading structure that banks have used to profit from differences between the onshore market and the offshore non-deliverable forward, or NDF, market. Under the earlier framework, dealers could offset positions across the two venues without breaching broader exposure limits. The new rule narrows that room sharply by capping end-of-day net open rupee exposure in the onshore deliverable market, regardless of how positions are balanced elsewhere. Traders told Reuters that arbitrage books likely to be affected are worth about $10 billion to $18 billion, while Bloomberg reported that banks see total unwinding pressure building toward roughly $30 billion.
That distinction matters because the RBI appears to be targeting a channel through which offshore pricing has increasingly spilled back into the domestic market. By tightening end-of-day exposure, the central bank is seeking to reduce the ability of banks to transmit volatility from the NDF market into onshore rupee trading, while making its own intervention in the domestic market more effective. That objective fits with a broader pattern this month, as the RBI has been active in spot, futures and non-deliverable forward markets to steady the currency.
Banks, however, argue that the speed of implementation could be costly. Treasury officials have warned that compressing positions before the April 10 deadline may force disorderly exits, widen onshore-offshore spreads and crystallise mark-to-market losses on trades that had previously been profitable. The immediate complaint is not only about tighter oversight but also about the lack of transition time for legacy positions built under the old regime. Reports from the domestic financial press say lenders have asked the central bank to reconsider or provide relief, reflecting concern that a hard cap applied uniformly across banks does not distinguish between speculative bets and market-making activity.
The central bank’s tougher line comes as India’s external buffers, while still substantial, have been tested by intervention. RBI data cited in a Reuters report showed foreign-exchange reserves at $709.76 billion as of March 13, enough to cover 11.2 months of imports and about 95 per cent of outstanding external debt. Even so, reserves had fallen notably over the month as the central bank sold dollars to smooth rupee moves. That means policymakers are trying to balance two goals at once: preserving confidence in India’s macro-financial resilience while discouraging trading structures that may amplify pressure during periods of external shock.
Another layer of complexity is that the RBI had, only weeks earlier, proposed broader reforms that would ease some foreign-exchange transaction norms for authorised dealers and give market participants greater flexibility in hedging and balance-sheet management. That makes the present clampdown look less like a reversal of liberalisation and more like a targeted response to extraordinary market conditions. For banks, though, the contrast has sharpened frustration: one arm of the regulatory agenda promises flexibility, while another has suddenly imposed a hard operational ceiling on rupee positions.
Intercontinental Exchange, the parent of the New York Stock Exchange, has expanded its push into prediction markets with a fresh $600 million investment in Polymarket, tightening a partnership that could take its total commitment to almost $2 billion and further pull event-based trading into the financial mainstream. ICE said the new cash injection forms part of a previously announced arrangement and does not expect to materially affect […]
By K Raveendran US President Donald Trump’s attempt to jawbone oil lower has run into the hard edge of market reality. At the start, the strategy appeared to work. When he signalled that peace talks with Iran were possible and suggested a diplomatic opening, crude quickly gave back a large share of its war premium. […]
The article Energy Markets See Through Shallow Peace Talk, Move On Their Own Terms appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).
Bitcoin slid to a two-week low on Friday, dropping below $67,000 as a wave of forced liquidations swept through crypto derivatives markets and a broader retreat from risk assets gathered pace. Ether also moved down towards the $2,000 mark, underscoring how quickly sentiment has turned as traders confront weaker equities, elevated oil prices and fading conviction in leveraged bets. The pullback reflected more than a routine bout […]
African Development Bank Group is set to launch the 2026 edition of its Africa’s Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook report on 30 March at its headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, placing the continent’s growth prospects, debt strains and inflation risks under fresh scrutiny at a time of heightened global uncertainty. The event is expected to draw policymakers, investors and development specialists looking for updated guidance on how African […]
Safe-haven demand pushed the US dollar towards its strongest monthly advance since July, as investors sought liquidity and relative shelter from a widening Middle East energy shock while also scaling back expectations for Federal Reserve easing this year. The dollar index was trading near 100.17 on March 27 and was up about 2.6 per cent for the month, a move that outpaced most major peers. Currency […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Shareholders of Al Ansari Financial Services have approved a full-year dividend for 2025 at the company’s Annual General Meeting, reinforcing a payout approach that signals stability in earnings and confidence in cash flow generation. The approved distribution includes a final dividend of AED 148.5 million, equivalent to 2 fils per share, for the second half of the financial year. This follows an identical […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Prices for one of Rolex’s most recognisable sports models have climbed sharply on the secondary market, as collectors position themselves ahead of a major annual watch industry showcase that often sets the tone for production shifts and new releases. The stainless steel Rolex GMT-Master II with its distinctive red-and-blue “Pepsi” bezel has seen renewed demand among traders and enthusiasts, with resale values edging […]
Bittensor’s TAO token has fallen towards the $270 mark as escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz ripple through global markets, prompting investors to rotate capital across digital assets and reassess risk exposure tied to artificial intelligence-linked cryptocurrencies. The decline reflects a broader pullback in crypto markets as geopolitical uncertainty drives volatility across risk assets. Analysts point to heightened concerns over energy supply disruptions in the Gulf […]
Dogecoin has remained pinned close to the $0.10 level as geopolitical uncertainty and cautious investor sentiment weigh on the broader cryptocurrency market, extending a downtrend that has persisted since October 2025. The meme-based digital asset, once buoyed by speculative enthusiasm and social media momentum, has faced sustained selling pressure as global markets react to escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. Analysts say the cryptocurrency’s lack […]
XRP is showing signs of renewed upward momentum, with a combination of technical indicators and market activity pointing to a possible shift after an extended period of muted performance. Trading data indicates that buyer pressure has strengthened across major exchanges, reversing a phase marked by low volatility and cautious sentiment. Analysts tracking order books and liquidity flows report a steady increase in bid-side dominance, suggesting that accumulation […]
Matein Khalid The past eight weeks have seen a multi-trillion-dollar market cap meltdown. Wall Street developed a sudden aversion to software companies, viewing them as victims of the AI revolution. At the same time, the war in the Gulf has led to a sharp rise in the Volatility Index, the US dollar and US Treasury bond yields. These are macro headwinds for high-beta Nasdaq sectors, including software, and have […]
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Currency markets shifted sharply on Monday as investors sought safety in the US dollar amid intensifying tensions in the Middle East, triggering a broad sell-off in equities and risk-sensitive assets. The greenback strengthened against major peers, reflecting a flight to liquidity as geopolitical uncertainty deepened and hopes for de-escalation appeared increasingly fragile. Trading in Asia and Europe saw the dollar index climb, reversing […]
