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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.

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.

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.

WWE has confirmed that WrestleMania 43 will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2027, marking the first time the flagship event will be held outside North America. The announcement was made by WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, in partnership with Turki Alalshikh of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority.

Officials say WrestleMania 43 will become part of Riyadh Season, with the Kingdom hosting both the weekend’s celebrations and related WWE programming such as Friday Night SmackDown, Monday Night Raw, NXT, fan events, and community outreach.

This move represents a major shift in WWE’s global strategy. Since 2018, WWE has maintained a ten-year partnership with Saudi Arabia aimed at expanding international entertainment ties under Vision 2030. The deal has already resulted in multiple large WWE events being hosted in the Kingdom.

Levesque described the decision as an opportunity to “show the world … that WWE is a global brand that reaches every corner of the world.” Turki Alalshikh emphasised respect for WrestleMania’s legacy and global prestige, and expressed intent to make the upcoming show “unlike anything the world has ever seen.”

Among those present for the announcement were WWE legends Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker, and current stars including Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair, Liv Morgan, Bianca Belair, Logan Paul, and Stephanie Vaquer.

Negotiations are underway for marquee matchups. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is reportedly in discussions to appear, possibly facing either Roman Reigns or Cody Rhodes, which, if confirmed, could involve one of the largest wrestler paydays ever.

ReNew Energy Global Plc is negotiating with several international banks to secure a loan of about $815 million aimed at refinancing its debt, according to sources familiar with the matter. The funds would help the renewable energy firm restructure existing liabilities and improve its financial flexibility.

The discussions involve major global lenders, though the identities of those banks have not been confirmed. The loan is expected to offer terms that reflect both ReNew’s large asset base in wind, solar and hydroelectric power, and the current pressure in credit markets driven by rising interest rates.

ReNew, founded by Sumant Sinha with operations largely in India, has been expanding aggressively across clean energy segments. The company has more than 150 projects across ten states and is developing a supply-chain business through its solar cells and modules units. The refinancing exercise appears linked to balancing growth investments while managing existing financial obligations.

Financial analysts see this move as part of ReNew’s broader strategy to optimise its debt servicing costs. Earlier fundraising rounds for ReNew include a sizeable investment by British International Investment into its solar manufacturing arm, which underscores the company’s aim to develop internal manufacturing capabilities. Cost of debt and maturity profiles of its outstanding instruments have been flagged by market watchers as challenges in the current high-rate environment.

Singapore is gearing up to reveal a comprehensive “value unlock” package by the end of the year aimed at reviving the nation’s stock market, regulators said. Key initiatives will likely build on the Equity Market Development Programme, stronger listing incentives, streamlined regulations and enhanced shareholder rights, intended to improve liquidity, listings and investor confidence.

The EQDP, a S$5 billion programme announced earlier in the year, will see its first tranche of S$1.1 billion allocated to three asset managers—Avanda Investment Management, JP Morgan Asset Management and Fullerton Fund Management—to invest in Singapore-listed equities. These selections were made partly based on alignment with objectives to broaden participation beyond large-cap stocks and strengthen asset-management capabilities.

Alongside co-investment funding, tax incentives are being offered for primary and secondary listings. A 20 per cent corporate income tax rebate applies for qualifying new primary listings, and a 10 per cent rebate for secondary ones. There is also pressure to ease regulatory requirements around prospectus disclosures, shorten IPO-approval timelines, and allow earlier investor outreach in IPOs.

Regulatory reforms under consideration include reducing the profit requirement for Mainboard listings, aligning secondary listing rules with international disclosure standards, and possibly removing the financial watch-list mechanism for loss-making firms while increasing the role of disclosure over prescriptive reporting.

Market analysts welcome the measures but caution that they may not address deeper structural weaknesses. Singapore’s exchange has seen more delistings than IPOs in many months, a low number of growth-stage listings, a prevalence of companies with weak profitability, and low free floats among many issued shares. These factors have limited trading depth and made it harder for mid-caps to attract institutional investors.

Insolvency reform is also part of the picture. Proposed changes to Singapore’s Companies Act would broaden the so-called cross-class “cram-down” powers, letting restructuring plans be imposed even over dissenting shareholders in certain cases. The proposals include streamlining processes for issuing new shares or disposing of assets during restructuring, and revising compensation frameworks for restructuring managers.

Regulatory agencies such as the Monetary Authority of Singapore, Singapore Exchange Regulation, and the Equities Market Review Group are all involved in shaping the yet-to-be-announced package. Public consultations on many proposals have taken place or are underway, especially around IPO rules, listing thresholds, and listing admission criteria.

China has seen financial flows totalling about US$4.5 trillion, a figure that many analysts believe marks a turning point in how its markets are engaging with the world. The scale of cross-border investment—both inbound and outbound—is now surpassing trade in many respects, reflecting Beijing’s accelerating liberalisation efforts and a growing confidence among foreign and domestic investors.

The financial sum comprises equity, bond, and other capital movements, and corresponds with recent policy moves designed to reduce restrictions and open up China’s capital markets. One key driver is the Stock Connect programme, which allows mainland Chinese investors to purchase eligible Hong Kong–listed stocks and gives international investors access to A-shares. Southbound flows—money moving from mainland China into Hong Kong—have been especially significant, gathering close to US$100 billion within the first half of 2025. That alone matched the total stock in 2024 via that channel.

Yields on Chinese government bonds have hit highs not seen since late 2024, suggesting investors are now demanding greater returns, but also that they perceive risks such as inflation and currency pressures to be easing. The 10- and 30-year yields climbing indicates that institutions expect stabilization in key macro indicators, even if headline economic growth remains uneven. The bond market, however, has also become more volatile, driven by leveraged buying of equities and speculative pressure in certain sectors.

Another contributing factor is the behaviour of domestic institutional investors. With over 160 trillion yuan in household savings, China’s policy makers are encouraging pension funds, insurance companies, and sovereign funds to shift more capital into domestic equities. These kinds of flows reinforce the internal market strength, even as external capital enters or exits depending on global risk appetite.

Hong Kong’s IPO market has benefited greatly. Several major mainland firms—including tech and battery makers—have either listed in Hong Kong or signalled plans to do so. This has helped Hong Kong reclaim its spot among the world’s most active IPO hubs in 2025. The changes to listing rules, including shorter approval times for eligible mainland firms, have been essential in this revival.

NMDC Group PJSC and ADNOC Logistics and Services Plc forged a three-year agreement today to assess joint delivery of maritime services for offshore projects, reinforcing their partnership in Abu Dhabi’s energy infrastructure.

The agreement, signed by Engineer Yasser Zaghloul, Group Chief Executive of NMDC Group, and Captain Abdulkareem Al Masabi, Chief Executive of ADNOC L&S, at NMDC’s headquarters, lays the groundwork for a stronger framework for offshore EPC collaboration. It covers marine services and integrated logistics, signalling both organisations’ dedication to supporting the emirate’s offshore energy operations. This expanded collaboration reaffirms the offshore maritime services pact strengthening cooperation between the two groups.

Zaghloul highlighted NMDC Group’s five decades of expertise in multi-sector marine engineering, procurement, construction delivery and complex project logistics. He underscored that the launch of NMDC LTS, the group’s latest business unit, allows the market to leverage these capabilities. He praised ADNOC L&S for its leadership in offshore energy support and hydrocarbon logistics, pointing out that both entities operate some of the region’s largest marine fleets. He said the pact would “ensure a robust framework between our two powerhouse organisations” to drive synergies, market differentiation and value growth, ultimately fortifying the industrial marine sector in Abu Dhabi and beyond.

Captain Al Masabi said the collaboration aligns with ADNOC L&S’s long-term ambition to deliver top-tier, integrated logistics that underpin the UAE’s offshore energy expansion. He commented that combining strengths with NMDC would unlock new opportunities, deliver value to ADNOC, its shareholders and clients, and support the UAE’s broader economic development.

Splash247 noted that the pact establishes an “expanded framework for continued collaboration on offshore EPC projects in Abu Dhabi,” emphasising its role in promoting synergies and value growth. It also highlighted ADNOC L&S’s aim to enhance performance through such partnerships.

This development follows earlier significant milestones and investments by NMDC that demonstrate its pivotal role in regional marine and energy infrastructure. In 2024, NMDC secured a contract worth more than US$200 million from ADNOC for marine dredging works in the Ruwais LNG Project, involving removal of approximately 15 million cubic-metres across a five-kilometre channel and installation of navigational aids. NMDC also launched the NMDC LTS unit as part of efforts to diversify into logistics and technical services, reinforcing its leadership in the UAE’s marine EPC, dredging, and logistics sectors.