Business
Middle East War Triggers Global Economic Ripples – SUCH TV
LONDON: The ongoing Middle East conflict is sending shockwaves through the global economy, impacting energy supplies, financial markets and inflation expectations worldwide.
Here are the key economic developments linked to the war:
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Drones Near Oil Field
Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry confirmed that drones targeting the Shaybah Oil Field in the kingdom’s southeast were intercepted and destroyed.
Authorities reported that seven drones in total were shot down before reaching the oil facility.
Leaders of the Group of Seven major economies are scheduled to hold a virtual meeting to discuss the conflict’s impact, particularly the global energy situation.
Officials say economic coordination among major economies will be crucial to stabilise markets.
Central Bank Warns on Inflation
The president of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, pledged that authorities would take necessary measures to prevent inflation from rising sharply during the crisis.
She said Europe must avoid the surge in inflation experienced during the 2022–2023 energy crisis.
Global Markets React
Financial markets showed mixed reactions:
Paris and London stock markets gained more than 1.5%
Frankfurt stocks rose 2.4%
Seoul market jumped over 5%
Tokyo closed 2.9% higher
However, US stock markets ended mostly lower after early gains.
UAE Refinery Shut After Drone Attack
The major oil refinery in Ruwais Refinery in the United Arab Emirates temporarily halted operations after a drone attack sparked a fire in the industrial complex.
Witnesses reported seeing flames and hearing explosions near the facility.
Egypt Raises Fuel Prices
Egypt increased domestic fuel prices by up to 30%, citing extraordinary global energy pressures caused by disruptions to oil supply and shipping routes.
The price hikes affect gasoline, diesel and vehicle natural gas.
India Tightens Gas Supply Controls
India introduced stricter controls on natural gas and cooking gas distribution after import disruptions.
Restaurant associations warned that continued supply problems could force widespread closures.
Oil Prices Stabilise After IEA Proposal
Oil prices stabilised after reports that the International Energy Agency is considering its largest-ever release of emergency oil reserves to calm markets.
The potential release could exceed the 182 million barrels released globally during the 2022 energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Business
Asda boss rejects profiteering claims as petrol price tops 150p
Motorists are facing higher fuel prices ahead of Easter break due to the conflict in the Middle East, the RAC says.
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Business
E-cheques coming soon? RBI unveils Payments Vision 2028, plans wider oversight of digital players – The Times of India
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday unveiled its ‘Payments Vision 2028’ document, outlining a roadmap that includes exploring electronic cheques, expanding regulatory oversight to digital platforms, and strengthening safeguards in the fast-growing payments ecosystem, PTI reported.The central bank said it will examine the introduction of e-cheques to combine the advantages of paper instruments with the speed and reliability of digital payments. “To leverage the unique benefits of paper-based instruments and the speed and reliability of electronic payments, and cater to new business use cases, the introduction of electronic cheques in India shall be explored,” the RBI said.Alongside, the RBI is considering widening the regulatory ambit to include entities such as e-commerce marketplaces and centralised platforms that play a growing role in facilitating digital transactions.“In addition, e-commerce marketplaces and centralized platforms have been assuming significant responsibilities that could have implications on the orderly functioning of the payments ecosystem. These aspects shall be examined in detail and, if required, the scope of direct regulations shall be extended to cover such entities,” the document said.The vision document also proposes allowing users to enable or disable transactions across digital payment modes, similar to controls available for card transactions.To address fraud risks, the RBI is exploring a “shared responsibility framework” under which both the issuing bank and the beneficiary bank would share liability in cases of unauthorised digital transactions.The central bank also plans to review cheque design and security features, introduce a Domestic Legal Entity Identifier (DLEI) framework for better transaction traceability, and bring in a Cyber Key Risk Indicators (KRI) framework for non-bank payment system operators.Other initiatives include exploring white-label solutions in the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS), developing interoperability in the Trade Receivables e-Discounting System (TReDS), and introducing a ‘Payments Switching Service’ to ease customer migration across platforms.The RBI said it will also review the cross-border payments ecosystem to improve efficiency and streamline authorisation processes, alongside publishing periodic reports on global and domestic payment trends.Additionally, the central bank aims to enhance access to payment data and reimagine the card payments ecosystem by promoting secure tokenisation, improved transparency in pricing, and greater choice for users and merchants.
Business
Hetero rolls out generic semaglutide exports to over 75 countries – The Times of India
Hyderabad: Pharma player Hetero on Friday said it has rolled out exports of its generic semaglutide injection portfolio as part of a multi-year plan to widen access to treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity in more than 75 countries.The Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical company said initial rollouts are under way in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, with additional launches planned in other markets subject to regulatory approvals.The injectable therapies will be sold under the brand names Truglyx, Rolmodl and Moto G. Semaglutide belongs to the GLP-1 class of medicines, which are used in diabetes care and weight management.Hetero said the export launch is part of its broader strategy to improve access to advanced cardio-metabolic therapies, particularly in emerging markets.The company said the products will be offered in multi-dose disposable pen devices designed in line with innovator formats and will be available in several strengths, including 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, 2 mg, 1.7 mg and 2.4 mg, allowing dosing flexibility for both diabetes and obesity treatment.Hetero said it is also awaiting approval from India’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) after completing clinical trials in type 2 diabetes and obesity and plans an India launch after regulatory clearance.Hetero managing director Dr Vamsi Krishna Bandi said the company aims to provide high-quality, affordable generic semaglutide through a single global product platform backed by its manufacturing and development capabilities.He said Hetero would use its commercial networks across Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America to support supply and access. The Hyderabad-headquartered Hetero operates in more than 145 countries and employs over 30,000 people.
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