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By Nitya Chakraborty All nations in the globe except perhaps Israel have welcomed the ceasefire agreement for two weeks between U.S. and Iran announced by President Donald Trump on April 7 evening US time and later endorsed by the Iranian government. The ceasefire is fragile – Israel has bombed Lebanon killing 254 persons on Wednesday […]

The article Ceasefire Agreement Is Fragile But Islamabad Talks Must Be Used For Stable Peace appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

Vertical villa-style condominium positioned to capture surging investor demand

PHUKET, THAILAND – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 April 2026 – Phuket, a world-class tourist destination, is emerging as one of Southeast Asia’s hottest residential and real estate investment hubs. In 2025, over 10 million international tourists visited Phuket, generating nearly 546 billion baht in tourism revenue.

The condominium market has seen significant growth. Colliers Thailand reports that in 2025, 23 new condominium projects launched in Phuket, totaling over 8,372 units worth more than 47.349 billion baht. A key driver keeping Phuket’s rental market buoyant is the attractive yield of 7–11% per year in prime locations.

Botanica Luxury Villas, a leader in Phuket’s luxury property market with over two decades of experience, has grown its portfolio to meet shifting demand, entering the condominium market for the first time with HYTHE by Botanica. Drawing on its pool villa expertise, Botanica has developed the project under the Vertical Villa concept—combining the privacy and generous space of a villa with the convenience of condo living. Prices start at 10.8 million baht*. The project occupies a prime position in the heart of Laguna Phuket, one of the most sought-after areas among investors, just 6 minutes from Layan Beach and 20 minutes from Phuket International Airport.

Mr. Attasit Intarachooti, Chief Executive Officer of Botanica Luxury Phuket Co., Ltd., said: “HYTHE by Botanica is built to meet the growing demand in Phuket as a global destination for long-term living and investment. The Vertical Villa concept delivers a living and investment experience unlike anything currently on the market. We project rental yield of 5–7%* per year in a location with consistent capital appreciation.”

HYTHE by Botanica comprises four six-story residential buildings with 276 units in total, plus a clubhouse, set across over 21 rai of lush greenery. Units start from 57 sq.m., with options ranging from one to three bedrooms, duplexes with pool access, and penthouses. HYTHE by Botanica is part of Botanica Grand Avenue, a mega project offering a full suite of on-site amenities.

For investors, the project comes with comprehensive after-sales support, including Botanica’s service and maintenance programs. Show units are now open for viewing at the sales gallery, Botanica Grand Avenue, Phuket. For more information, visit botanicaluxuryvilla.com, Facebook: BOTANICA Luxury Villa, or call +66 81 324 2999 and +66 94 636 2836.

Hashtag: #BotanicaLuxuryVillas

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

The ratings agency said elevated oil prices are likely to widen the current-account deficit this year and weaken external buffers, even as it still expects the economy to expand at a healthy pace and the fiscal deficit to narrow over the next two years. S&P projected growth of 5.8% in 2026 after the economy expanded 4.4% in 2025, with softer momentum in the first half and a rebound later in the year.

The decision lands at a delicate moment for Manila. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas warned this week that higher fuel costs were already feeding into broader prices after March inflation accelerated to 4.1%, above the central bank’s 2% to 4% target band and sharply higher than February’s 2.4%. Transport costs were the main driver, with diesel prices up 59.5% from a year earlier and gasoline up 27.3%, while core inflation also edged higher, suggesting second-round effects may be starting to build.

That inflation pulse helps explain why S&P has become more cautious. A country that depends heavily on imported fuel is especially exposed when conflict disrupts Middle East energy flows, and the Philippines has been among the Asian economies hit hardest by the latest oil shock. Reuters reported that Brent crude had risen 55% since the Iran war began on February 28, while the Philippine peso slid to record lows against the dollar, adding another layer of imported inflation pressure.

The external vulnerability is not new, but the conflict has made it harder to ignore. Philippine officials have been scrambling to secure energy supplies, including seeking assurances over safe passage for Philippine-flagged ships and fuel cargoes through the Strait of Hormuz. Manila has also explored alternative sources of crude and emergency measures to protect domestic supply, underlining how quickly a geopolitical crisis can turn into a ratings issue for an energy-importing economy.

For investors, the key point is that S&P did not cut the rating itself. The agency kept the BBB+ grade in place, indicating that it still sees underlying strengths in the economy, including growth potential, remittance support and expectations of gradual fiscal repair. That distinction matters. An outlook change signals rising risk over the medium term, but it is not the same as a downgrade, and it leaves room for the sovereign to stabilise if external pressures ease and macroeconomic management holds firm.

Still, the downgrade in outlook will sharpen attention on the government’s fiscal path. The Philippines has already lowered its medium-term growth targets to reflect the impact of Middle East tensions and shifts in US trade policy. Official forecasts now put 2025 growth at 5.5% to 6.5%, down from 6% to 8%, while targets for 2026 to 2028 have been narrowed to 6% to 7%. That softer growth backdrop makes deficit reduction harder, particularly if the state is forced to spend more on fuel relief, transport support or other measures to cushion households and businesses.

There are signs, however, that the fiscal picture is not uniformly worsening. Treasury data showed the budget deficit in February narrowed marginally from a year earlier, while year-to-date figures improved sharply because of stronger revenues and earlier remittance of dividends. S&P’s own statement suggests it still expects fiscal metrics to improve, even if the war has made that path more vulnerable to setbacks.

Beyond the government balance sheet, the social cost of the energy spike is becoming harder to miss. Reuters reported that some farmers in Benguet province were abandoning harvests because higher fuel, labour and transport costs made it uneconomic to bring produce to market. That kind of strain matters for credit analysis because it shows how an oil shock can move from shipping lanes and currency markets into household spending, food supply chains and political pressure for intervention.

The rebound matters because EAF steel has long struggled to gain ground in China despite official support for cleaner production. The route relies mainly on scrap rather than iron ore and coking coal, making it structurally less carbon intensive than the blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace model that still dominates the country’s steel industry. World Steel Association figures show the global production mix is far more tilted towards EAF than China’s, with electric-arc furnaces accounting for 28.6% of world crude steel output, while average carbon intensity for scrap-based EAF steelmaking is markedly below that of the conventional blast furnace route.

For Chinese mills, the immediate story is not only about decarbonisation but about economics. Higher finished-steel prices and steadier demand for construction steel have made it easier for some EAF operators to restart or raise run-rates after a prolonged spell in which many were squeezed by electricity bills, uneven scrap supply and patchy orders. Reuters reported in late February that warmer weather and the resumption of building activity typically support steel demand in March, while temporary production curbs in northern blast-furnace regions also helped firm futures prices. That backdrop has narrowed the gap between scrap-fed mills and traditional producers, even if the advantage remains fragile.

Yet the broader steel market in China remains difficult. Official and consultancy data cited by Reuters show crude steel output in 2025 fell to 960.1 million tonnes, down 4.4% from 2024 and below one billion tonnes for the first time since 2019. That decline reflected a managed effort by Beijing to address overcapacity, but it also underscored softer domestic demand and the long shadow cast by the property downturn. State-backed forecasts cited by Reuters indicate steel demand is expected to slip again in 2026 after contracting sharply in 2025, suggesting that EAF mills are recovering within a shrinking overall market rather than riding a broad-based industrial boom.

That tension helps explain why Beijing continues to press for structural change. The National Development and Reform Commission said in March that China would curb excess capacity in steel and other heavy industries in an orderly way, renewing a campaign that has featured repeatedly in official policy language. The cleaner EAF route fits that policy direction because it uses recycled feedstock and can reduce reliance on imported iron ore, but steelmakers still take their cues from margins first. When profits weaken, producers often retreat to whichever process best matches raw material costs, local power tariffs and available supply chains.

The environmental case for EAF expansion remains strong. Reuters reported last year that China had aimed to raise EAF steel’s share of crude steel production to 15% by 2025 and 20% by the end of the decade, but the actual share had been stuck around 10%. A 2025 review by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air said missing the 15% milestone would add more than 160 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions compared with a stronger shift towards cleaner steelmaking, while high electricity costs, unreliable scrap flows and financial strain had kept many EAF operators on the back foot.

China’s steel industry also faces an external pressure point: trade. Even as domestic demand softened, exports climbed to a record 119.02 million tonnes in 2025, up 7.5% from a year earlier, according to Reuters. That export surge helped keep mills running, but it also intensified complaints abroad over cheap supply and raised the risk of more trade barriers. For EAF producers, this creates a mixed picture. Strong export channels can support domestic steel prices and improve mill economics, yet any escalation in trade restrictions would feed back into the entire sector, including the greener producers now regaining confidence.

Singapore’s parliament is set to turn its attention on Tuesday to the economic and security consequences of the war involving Iran, with lawmakers filing 62 questions and three ministers due to deliver statements on how the conflict could affect energy supplies, inflation, transport costs and broader national resilience. The questions, lodged by 32 members from both the ruling People’s Action Party and the opposition, underline growing concern in the trade-dependent city-state over the fallout from turmoil in the Middle East.

The scale of parliamentary scrutiny is notable even by Singapore’s standards. According to the order paper for the 7 April sitting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong, Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam, and Acting Transport Minister and Senior Minister of State for Finance Jeffrey Siow are scheduled to address the chamber. The questions range from the immediate effect of higher oil and gas prices to the security of liquefied natural gas supplies and the government’s plans to shield households and businesses from a prolonged external shock.

At the centre of concern is Singapore’s dependence on imported energy and its exposure to global shipping routes. The order paper shows MPs asking whether damage to Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG facilities could materially affect short- and medium-term supply, whether alternative procurement arrangements would be enough to offset any shortfall, and whether disruption in the Middle East might accelerate efforts to diversify the energy mix, including greater investment in alternatives such as nuclear power. That line of questioning reflects a deeper vulnerability: Singapore generates most of its electricity from natural gas and has little room to escape sudden swings in international fuel markets.

Cost pressures are another major theme. Lawmakers have asked how rising fuel and electricity prices may feed through to household expenditure, transport operators and the wider cost of living. For a government already balancing inflation management with fiscal prudence, the debate offers an opportunity to show whether existing buffers are sufficient or whether targeted support may be needed if the conflict persists. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, in a video message on 2 April, had already warned Singaporeans that instability in the Middle East could affect the economy through higher energy prices, supply chain disruption and weaker global confidence, signalling that the government was preparing the public for a potentially difficult external environment.

Singapore’s predicament is shaped by geography as much as policy. The republic sits far from the conflict zone, yet its economy is tied tightly to global trade, imported food and imported fuel. Any threat to Gulf energy production or maritime passage through strategic chokepoints can ripple quickly into Asian benchmark prices, freight costs and business sentiment. Questions filed for parliament suggest MPs are not only concerned about immediate supply disruption, but also about second-round effects on manufacturers, logistics firms, electricity generation and consumers already sensitive to living costs.

The breadth of the questions also points to a broader political calculation. Singapore’s leaders have long framed resilience as a whole-of-government and whole-of-society effort, particularly when external shocks threaten domestic stability. The debate now unfolding in parliament is likely to test how far that framework can stretch in the face of a conflict whose trajectory remains uncertain. Opposition members, including Workers’ Party figures, have pressed for details on fuel reserves, assistance for workers dependent on transport and the likely effect on household budgets, while ruling-party MPs have focused heavily on energy security, diversification and inflation spillovers.

Beyond energy, the parliamentary discussion may widen into questions of diplomacy, national security and public confidence. K. Shanmugam’s planned statement suggests the government sees the crisis as more than a commodity shock. Singapore has consistently sought to position itself as stable, rules-based and open to commerce, which means geopolitical conflict in a key producing region carries implications not only for prices but also for investor confidence and regional security calculations. Ministers will face pressure to reassure the public that contingency planning is in place, even as they acknowledge that a small open economy cannot fully insulate itself from a major war-driven disruption.