Business

The amount of money deposited in Swiss banks under Bangladesh’s name has surged dramatically, according to the latest data released by the Swiss National Bank (SNB). The central bank of Switzerland published its annual report on liabilities and assets held by Swiss banks for countries worldwide for the year 2024. The report reveals that by the end of 2024, Swiss ...

A “dismal” month for supermarkets led to retail sales falling in May at the fastest pace for more than a year, the UK’s statistics body has said. Sales volumes dropped 2.7% in May, the biggest monthly fall since December 2023, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Food retailers saw lower sales of alcohol and tobacco as households cut ...

In the wake of Eid, retail markets in Dhaka are witnessing rising prices of rice and beef, while broiler chicken and eggs are now available at lower prices. With fish prices relatively stable, many shoppers are breathing a sigh of relief. Traders report that rice prices have surged at wholesale hubs across the country. According to Dhaka-based retailers, rice mill ...

The World Bank on Thursday approved $640 million in loans to Bangladesh for two projects to support the country in enhancing its gas supply infrastructure and improving air quality. The Energy Sector Security Enhancement Project ($350 million) will help improve gas supply security by facilitating access to cost-effective financing for Petrobangla, a state-owned company. A World Bank press release confirmed ...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday approved a $400 million loan to help Bangladesh strengthen its resilience to climate change, reduce emissions in critical sectors, and promote inclusive growth. This funding supports the second phase of the Climate-Resilient Inclusive Development Program (CRIDP), which also includes nearly $113 million in cofinancing from the Agence Française de Développement and $400 million ...

Stock markets in Asia edged lower on Thursday while safe havens such as gold and the Japanese yen gained as investors remained on edge over the possible entry of the United States into the week-old Israel-Iran air war. President Donald Trump kept the world guessing about whether the United States will join Israel’s bombardment of Iranian nuclear sites, telling reporters ...

Chocolate prices in the UK rose at the fastest pace on record in May as the overall cost of food continued to climb, official figures suggest. The main rate of inflation remained at 3.4% in the year to May, the highest for more than a year. However, food prices grew for the third month in a row, as some economists ...

US stocks fell on Tuesday after former President Donald Trump intensified his language over the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, raising fears of a wider escalation that unsettled markets. In social media posts, Trump called for Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!” and hinted at potential U.S. involvement as the hostilities entered their fifth day. The sharp tone shift came after markets had shown optimism ...

A deal removing some trade barriers between the UK and US has been signed off by President Donald Trump. The move will bring into force parts of an agreement agreed between the two countries last month, and reduce tariffs on UK cars being shipped to the US. It comes after weeks of talks to implement parts of the pact, which ...

The dollar firmed against major currencies on Monday, driven by safe-haven buying from investors fearing the Israel-Iran fighting could escalate into a broader regional conflict as they braced for a week packed with central bank meetings. As both Iran and Israel showed no signs of backing off from their attacks, the prospect that Tehran might seek to choke off the ...