IMF warns Iran war disruptions are pushing global economy towards ‘adverse’ scenario; growth risks rise

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday warned that continued disruptions from the Iran war are pushing the global economy closer to an “adverse” scenario marked by slower growth, tighter financial conditions and rising inflation risks, AFP reported.Last month, the IMF’s World Economic Outlook projected global growth at 3.1 per cent for 2026 under its…

Read More

Piyush Goyal seeks stronger India-Africa trade integration through aligned standards

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday called for aligning standards, customs procedures and business practices between India and African nations to accelerate bilateral trade and deepen economic partnerships, PTI reported.Addressing a curtain raiser event for the upcoming India-Africa Business Dialogue (IABD) and Exhibition, Goyal said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), valued…

Read More

Govt caps gold imports under advance authorisation at 100 kg, tightens compliance rules

The government has capped gold imports under the Advance Authorisation scheme at 100 kilograms and tightened compliance and monitoring norms for importers in the gems and jewellery sector, according to a DGFT notification issued on Thursday.The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) inserted five new notes under Standard Input Output Norms (SIONS) M-1 to M-8…

Read More

Singapore Airlines profit falls 57% as Air India losses and absence of Vistara merger gain weigh on earnings

Singapore Airlines (SIA) Group on Thursday reported a 57.4 per cent decline in net profit to 1.184 billion Singapore dollars (SGD) for the financial year ended March 2026, impacted by losses from Air India and the absence of a one-time accounting gain recorded in the previous year from the Air India-Vistara merger, PTI reported.The airline…

Read More

ICICI launches dollar denominated debit cards for non-residents through GIFT City account

Mumbai: ICICI Bank has launched a USD-denominated debit card in partnership with Visa, marking a shift in how Non-Resident Indians manage offshore wealth by eliminating currency conversion layers for dollar spending.The product allows NRIs to spend directly in USD without incurring the typical 3.5% currency markup fee and GST that applies when using Indian NRE…

Read More

India’s financial conditions remain tight amid oil shock, rupee weakness and FPI outflows: Crisil

India’s financial conditions remained under pressure in April as elevated crude oil prices, continued foreign investor outflows and a weakening rupee tightened stress across markets amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, according to a Crisil report.The Crisil Financial Conditions Index (FCI) stood at -1.2 in April compared with -1.4 in March. The report noted that…

Read More