LONDON — Traders bet on more Bank of England rate cuts this year after weak retail sales data added to the latest in a run of data surprises this week. Sales volumes fell 0.3% month-on-month in December, the Office for National Statistics said Friday, versus the 0.4% increase forecast in a Reuters poll of economists. […]
China’s economy grew 5% last year, matching the government’s target, but in a lopsided fashion, with many people complaining of worsening living standards as Beijing struggles to transfer its industrial and export gains to consumers. The imbalance raises concerns that structural problems may deepen in 2025, when China plans a similar growth performance by going […]
US stocks surged higher Wednesday after an encouraging inflation report and blockbuster profits for some of America’s biggest banks. The Dow surged 703 points, or 1.65%, to close at 43,222. The S&P 500 rose 1.83% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite ended the day higher by 2.45%. The closing bell concluded a rally on Wall Street […]
A marginal dip in the headline rate of inflation would not normally determine much, if anything. Inflation rising at 2.5% rather than 2.6% does not change much in big economics, nor in the cost of living squeeze felt by households. The fall is entirely accounted for by falls in hotel prices and a smaller-than-usual rise […]
Justice is slow but it comes. If you have ever been charged more when withdrawing cash from an ATM, you are in luck! The hidden fees that have outraged us so many times now have legal consequences for banks, and you could be one of the beneficiaries of this historic agreement. We are going to […]
MANDATING BUSINESSES to adopt digital payment solutions for transactions could help promote financial inclusion and stoke economic activity as it could stimulate consumer spending, analysts said on Tuesday. “Mandating the adoption of digital payment services in government and merchant transactions has strong potential to promote financial inclusion in Philippines,” John Paolo R. Rivera, a senior […]
The conventional wisdom may be that buy now, pay later (BNPL) options are best suited for lower- to middle-income consumers, for smaller ticket items, and being able to afford necessities. But a spate of recent announcements underscores the widespread appeal of paying over time — where stretching out transactions over weeks or months helps improve […]
China will reduce import tariffs on ethane and certain recycled copper and aluminium raw materials from next year, the government said on Saturday. The Ministry of Finance announced adjustments to various import tariff categories, effective Jan. 1, aimed at increasing imports of high-quality products, expanding domestic demand and promoting high-level opening-up, it said in a […]
India on Tuesday delayed the implementation of market share caps for a popular digital payments method by two years, a move that will benefit Google Pay and Walmart (WMT.N), opens new tab-backed PhonePe. According to the proposal, first made in November 2020, digital payment firms would not be allowed to hold more than 30% share […]
Garanti BBVA has added a new innovative solution to its range of digital banking products by launching a used vehicle digital loan available via mobile banking, making it the first of its kind in Türkiye. With this online loan, customers need only enter the required information, without the hassle of having to sign a loan […]
US markets wrapped up a blockbuster 2024 by marking an achievement so rare that it’s only ever happened a handful of times. Despite US stocks closing lower Tuesday in a disappointing December that saw the Dow drop over 2,000 points, or about 5%, and the S&P 500 slide 2.5%, this was a stellar year for […]
Although many stores are closed on the federal holiday of New Year’s Day, the same isn’t the case for New Year’s Eve, which for 2024 falls on Tuesday, Dec. 31. And while most retailers are open on New Year’s Eve, many have shortened hours or close early. Here’s what’s open and closed on New Year’s […]
