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☆ India central-bank chief urges fintech firms to form a self-regulatory body
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das speaks during a press conference after a G20 Finance Ministers' and Central Bank governors' meeting at Gandhinagar, India, July 18, 2023. "I would like to use this opportunity to urge and encourage the fintechs to establish a self-regulatory organisation or SRO themselves. From the Reserve Bank, we are willing to engage with you," Das said while delivering the keynote address at the Global FinTech Fest 2023 (GFF). The other advantage is that all the aspects of regulation will not be burdened on the Reserve Bank." Reporting by Siddhi Nayak and Swati Bhat; Editing by Dhanya Ann ThoppilOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Shaktikanta Das, Amit Dave, Das, T, Rabi Sankar, Siddhi Nayak, Swati Bhat, Dhanya Ann Thoppil Organizations: Bank of India, Ministers, Central Bank governors, REUTERS, Rights, Financial, Reserve Bank of India, Reserve Bank, Global, Siddhi, Thomson Locations: Gandhinagar, India, Rights MUMBAI

☆ Texas Power Grid to Resume Normal Operations, Cancels Emergency Alerts
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

(Reuters) - The Texas power grid operator said late on Wednesday it was resuming normal operations after lifting emergency measures, but still encouraged users to reduce power electric use. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which serves more than 26 million customers, had earlier declared an Energy Emergency Alert Level 2 (EEA 2), as operating reserves continued to drop. "No power outages associated with the ERCOT power grid were necessary," ERCOT said, adding that Texas had set a new September peak demand record of 82,705 Megawatts (MW). That was still below its all-time peak demand record of 85,435 MW hit on Aug. 10. Real-time power prices briefly hovered around $5,000 in most of ERCOT's Texas hubs, according to the ERCOT website.

Persons: ERCOT, Swati Verma, Rahul Paswan, Sherin Elizabeth Varghese, Ashitha, Richard Chang, Jamie Freed, Kim Coghill Organizations: Reuters, Reliability, of Texas, Energy, Texas Locations: Texas, EEA, ERCOT's Texas, Bengaluru

Governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey speaks as he attends a press conference for the Monetary Policy Report August 2023, at the Bank of England in London, Thursday, August 3, 2023. "But I think we are much nearer to it on interest rates on the basis of current evidence." It is expected to raise borrowing costs again later this month, taking Bank Rate to 5.5%. In May, Bailey told the same panel of lawmakers that the BoE was "nearer" to the peak in interest rates. After that, the central bank increased Bank Rate in June and in August.

Persons: Bank of England Andrew Bailey, Alastair Grant, Andrew Bailey, we're, we've, Bailey, BoE, I've, Jon Cunliffe, Cunliffe, Swati Dhingra, Dhingra, Farouq Suleiman, Suban Abdulla, Kylie MacLellan, William Schomberg, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Bank of England, Monetary, Companies Bank of England, Treasury, Thomson Locations: London, British

Aug 29 (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Idalia closed in on Florida's Gulf Coast on Tuesday after skirting past Cuba, headed for a U.S. landfall as a powerful Category 3 storm, prompting authorities to order evacuations of vulnerable shoreline areas. [1/3]People walk on a flooded street as Storm Idalia makes landfall in Cuba, Guanimar, Cuba, August 28, 2023. MOVING TO HIGHER GROUNDEvacuations of barrier islands and other low-lying areas of Florida's Gulf Coast began on Monday. Far to the east of Idalia, Hurricane Franklin, the first major hurricane of the season, meandered in the Atlantic, and was forecast to turn to the northeast over the next two days. The Category 4 storm threatened to bring heavy swells to Bermuda and the U.S. East Coast throughout the week.

Persons: Idalia, Buckle, Ron DeSantis, Irma, Michael, Ian, Guan, Storm Idalia, Alexandre Meneghini, We've, Yadira Alvarez, Shannon Hartsfield, Hartsfield, DeSantis, Hurricane Franklin, Rich McKay, Dave Sherwood, Brendan O'Brien, Steve Gorman, Swati Verma, Lincoln Organizations: U.S, Hurricane Center, NHC, Storm, REUTERS, Authorities, Coast, Hartsfield, Tampa International, National Guard, meandered, U.S ., Reuters Graphics Reuters, Thomson Locations: Florida's, Coast, Cuba, Miami, Bend, Florida, Gulf, Mexico, Sarasota, Tampa, Apalachicola Bay, Caribbean, Havana, Guanimar, Pinar del Rio, Florida's Gulf Coast, Georgia, North, South Carolina, Idalia, Hurricane, Bermuda, U.S . East Coast, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Bengaluru

Idalia was expected to intensify rapidly before slamming ashore on Wednesday morning, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC). SURGES UP TO 12 FEET HIGHMost of Florida's 21 million residents, along with many in Georgia and South Carolina, were under hurricane, tropical storm and storm surge warnings and advisories. "I don't panic, I prepare," said Bontrager, 40, who runs six sport and charter fishing boats in Venice along the Gulf Coast near Tampa. From Tuesday through Thursday, Florida's Gulf Coast along with southeastern Georgia and eastern portions of North and South Carolina could face torrential rains of 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm, the hurricane center warned. In some spots, the surge of water could rise 8 to 12 feet (2.5-3.7 m), the hurricane center said.

Persons: Idalia, Ron DeSantis, Irma, Michael, Ian, Milton Bontrager's, Hurricane Idalia, Marco Bello, Anthony Holloway, DeSantis, Guan, Madelin Suarez Morejon, Rich McKay, Dave Sherwood, Brendan O'Brien, Steve Gorman, Swati Verma, David Ljunggren, Joseph Ax, Lincoln, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Hurricane Center, NHC, REUTERS, Federal Emergency Management, CNN, Tampa International, National Guard, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Authorities, Thomson Locations: Florida, Florida's Gulf Coast, Miami, Bend, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Tampa, St, Petersburg, Gulf of Mexico, Cuba, Georgia, South Carolina, Sarasota, Venice, Gulf, North, Cedar Key , Florida, Apalachicola Bay ., CUBA, Caribbean, Havana, Pinar del Rio, Atlanta, Guanimar, Chicago, Los Angeles, Bengaluru, Ottawa, West Stockbridge , Massachusetts

The rupee closed at 82.9350 per U.S. dollar, 0.2% stronger than its close of 83.1075 on Monday. "Inflows for initial public offerings and presence of the central bank around 83.10 levels ensured some strength in the rupee after nearly two weeks of fall," said Anil Bhansali, head treasury at Finrex Treasury Advisors. The easing of the dollar index also aided in helping the rupee strengthen past the 83 mark, a trader with a private bank said. "A large foreign bank was mainly on the selling side," the private bank trader added. India's central bank ensured the rupee did not depreciate significantly despite immense dollar-buying pressure from oil companies, Bhansali said.

Persons: Francis Mascarenhas, Anil Bhansali, Vishnu Prakash R, Jerome Powell's, Jackson, Bhansali, Swati Bhat, Janane Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Treasury, Companies, Aeroflex Industries, Vishnu, U.S, Traders, Jackson, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India

☆ US Atlantic hurricane activity picks up with five systems on watch
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Aug 20 (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Franklin over the eastern Caribbean and a disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico are expected to strengthen over the next two days as U.S. forecasters monitor three other weather systems in the Atlantic. In its latest advisory, the NHC said Tropical Depression Six, near the Leeward Islands was expected to become a remnant low on Sunday night. Next in line is Tropical Storm Emily in the central Atlantic, which could become a post-tropical cyclone in about 36 hours, the Miami-based forecaster said. Meanwhile, a tropical disturbance near the Cape Verde Islands has a 30% chance of becoming a cyclone over the next two days and a tropical depression is likely to form later this week. While the Atlantic has seen relatively mild activity this year, on the U.S. West Coast, the Tropical Storm Hilary unleashed furious flash floods east and west of Los Angeles on Sunday after barreling through Mexico's Baja California peninsula with deadly force.

Persons: Storm Franklin, Emily, Storm Hilary, Swati Verma, Robert Birsel Organizations: Storm, Atlantic . Franklin, U.S, National Hurricane Center, U.S ., Thomson Locations: Caribbean, Gulf, Mexico, Atlantic, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Leeward, Miami, Cape Verde, U.S . West Coast, Los Angeles, Mexico's Baja California, Bengaluru

☆ India imposes 40% export duty on onions to calm rising prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Rajendra Jadhav | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Farmers wait for the auction of onions at Lasalgaon market in Nashik district in the western state of Maharashtra, India, December 19, 2018. "The export duty will make Indian onions more expensive than those from Pakistan, China, and Egypt. Onions are used as the base for traditional dishes across Asia such as biryani in Pakistan and India, belacan in Malaysia and fish curry in Bangladesh. "The Indian duty would prompt China and Pakistan to raise prices, as they have a limited surplus for exports," said the second exporter. India surprised buyers last month by imposing a ban on widely consumed non-basmati white rice sales to dampen price rises.

Persons: Rajendra, Ajit Shah, Rajendra Jadhav, Swati Bhat, Nikunj, Toby Chopra, Clelia Organizations: Insight, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Nashik district, Maharashtra, India, Delhi, Pakistan, China, Egypt, Mumbai, El, Bangladesh, Nepal, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Asia, belacan

☆ India's Titan Co to raise stake in its subsidiary CaratLane
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

MUMBAI, Aug 19 (Reuters) - India's Tata Group-owned Titan Co (TITN.NS) will acquire an additional 27.18% of equity shares in its subsidiary CaratLane Trading Pvt Ltd for 46.21 billion rupees ($555.81 million), it said in an exchange statement on Saturday. Titan has entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire all of the 91,90,327 equity shares held by the founder of CaratLane Trading Private Limited and his family members, representing 27.18% of the total paid-up equity share capital of CaratLane on a fully diluted basis, the release said. ($1 = 83.1400 Indian rupees)Reporting by Swati Bhat; Editing by Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Swati Bhat, Kim Coghill Organizations: India's Tata Group, Titan Co, Trading, CaratLane, Limited, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI, CaratLane

☆ Indian energy company ONGC Videsh secures 3-yr extension to explore South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Amit Dave/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsMUMBAI, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Indian energy company ONGC Videsh has secured a three-year extension from Vietnam to explore 'Block 128' in the South China Sea, it said in a post on social messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter. Conflicting territorial claims over South China Sea stretch back many decades but have intensified in recent years as China and its rivals have reinforced their positions on the rocks and reefs they hold. "India's strategic commitment stays strong as ONGC Videsh continues its exploration journey with its 8th extension till 15 June 2026," the company said in its post. ONGC Videsh is the overseas investment arm of India's top oil explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC.NS). China claims virtually the entire mineral-rich South China Sea and has stepped up its military presence there.

Persons: Amit Dave, Videsh, Swati Bhat, Jane Merriman Organizations: Gas, REUTERS, Rights, Twitter, Natural Gas Corp, Thomson Locations: Ahmedabad, India, Vietnam, South China, China, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan

☆ Texas grid operator deploys emergency response service as reserves drop
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A general view of electric lines as demand for power surges during a period of hot weather in Houston, Texas, U.S. June 27, 2023. REUTERS/Callaghan O’Hare/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 17 (Reuters) - The main grid operator in Texas said on Thursday it had engaged its emergency system after electricity reserves dropped below the critical 3,000 MW level due to increased power usage amid a heatwave. ERCOT said it also expected lower power reserves due to reduced wind generation. Real-time power prices rose above $5,000 in most of ERCOT Texas hubs, according to the ERCOT website. The grid operator had earlier urged consumers to conserve power between 3 p.m. CDT (2000 GMT) and 8 p.m. CDT on Thursday as demand surged.

Persons: Callaghan, ERCOT, Ashitha Shivaprasad, Rahul Paswan, Harshit Verma, Swati Verma, Chris Reese, Paul Simao, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, Texas, Discount, NRG Energy, Thomson Locations: Houston , Texas, U.S, Texas, Houston, ERCOT Texas, Bengaluru

☆ California grid warns heat wave will stoke power demand
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

High tension power lines with winter storm clouds behind them are seen in Sacramento County following multiple winter storms in Sacramento, California, U.S. January 9, 2023. REUTERS/Fred GreavesCompanies California Independent System Operator Corporation FollowAug 13 (Reuters) - California's Independent System Operator (ISO) warned of high temperatures and increased electricity usage during the coming week as the grid operator prepares for tight conditions works to ensure adequate supply. In a notice released on Saturday, ISO said it is closely monitoring the power grid as widespread heat waves can cause supply shortages, with resources stretched thin across multiple Western states. But if weather or grid conditions worsen, it may issue emergency notifications to secure additional resources, and prepare for potential shortages and conservation. Current demand stood at 35,472 megawatts as of Sunday evening in California, compared with an available capacity of 43,873 MW, the ISO website showed.

Persons: Fred Greaves, Anushree Mukherjee, Swati Verma, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Fred Greaves Companies, Thomson Locations: Sacramento County, Sacramento , California, U.S, Fred Greaves Companies California, California, Bengaluru

☆ India rate panel to dial up hawkishness even as it holds policy steady
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Swati Bhat | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A woman walks past the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) logo inside its headquarters in Mumbai, India, April 6, 2023. A July 13-31 Reuters poll of 75 economists showed the central bank was expected to keep its repo rate unchanged at 6.50% at its Aug. 10 policy meeting. The rise in food prices, however, has been sharper than expected this year and is seen lasting longer. The MPC at its June policy meeting also reiterated its intent of nudging inflation towards its medium-term target of 4% and not just holding it below 6%. "It will also possibly emphasise a larger need to be watchful of the second-round effects of high food prices and inflation expectations."

Persons: Francis Mascarenhas, Shah, Pankaj Pathak, Swati Bhat, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Reserve Bank of India, REUTERS, MPC, Capital Economics, DBS Bank, DBS, ANZ, U.S, Fed, AMC, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, MUMBAI

Economists polled by Reuters last week forecast BoE rates would peak at 5.75% later this year. The BoE forecast inflation would fall to 4.9% by the end of this year - a faster decline than it had predicted in May. Wage rises had been a bigger driver of high inflation than companies' profit margins, the BoE said. The BoE forecast housing investment would fall 5.75% this year and 6.25% in 2024. (This story has been corrected to clarify that the unemployment rate forecast is for late 2025, not late 2024, in paragraph 17)Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Hollie Adams, BoE, Andrew Bailey, Catherine Mann, Jonathan Haskel, Swati Dhingra, Rishi Sunak Organizations: Bank of England, City of, REUTERS, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Reuters, MPC, Markets, Thomson Locations: City, City of London, Britain

☆ Bank of England set to raise rates for 14th time in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( David Milliken | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A pedestrian carrying an umbrella walks near the Bank of England in the City of London, Britain, July 30, 2023. Market expectations for peak Bank Rate reached 6.5% on July 11 after data showed record wage growth before falling back to 5.75% after a sharp decline in consumer price inflation. Investors see a two-in-three chance of the BoE raising Bank Rate to 5.25% on Thursday but for most economists polled by Reuters the BoE's decision is finely balanced. However, some BoE critics argue it risks causing an unnecessary downturn, and that higher rates are a poor tool to tackle inflation caused by higher food and energy prices. "The main winners are banks, whose profits have flourished thanks to higher rates," said Fran Boait, co-executive director of campaign group Positive Money.

Persons: Hollie Adams, Bailey, BoE, Rishi Sunak, James Smith, Smith, Andrew Bailey, Dave Ramsden, Swati Dhingra, Silvana Tenreyro, Megan Greene, Fran Boait, ING's Smith, David Milliken, William Schomberg, Giles Elgood Organizations: Bank of England, City of, REUTERS, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Mortgage, Investors, Reuters, ING, Kroll Institute, Monetary, Thomson Locations: City, City of London, Britain, Germany

☆ Goldman upgrades oil demand outlook as market tempers growth pessimism
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Goldman Sachs Group Inc FollowJuly 30 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs on Sunday revised up its global oil demand forecast for the year while sticking to its 12-month Brent price projection of $93 per barrel as higher realized inventories offset the demand boost from a less pessimistic growth outlook. Goldman analysts estimate global oil demand climbed to an all-time high of 102.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in July and see solid demand driving a larger-than-expected 1.8 million bpd deficit in the second half this year and a 0.6 million bpd deficit in 2024. A reduced recession risk and a strong effort by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to push up prices support Goldman's view on higher oil prices and an outlook for less volatility, the analysts wrote in a note. Oil prices hovered near three-month highs on Monday, set to post their biggest monthly gains in over a year on expectations that Saudi Arabia would extend voluntary output cuts into September and tighten global supply. The Wall-Street bank upgraded its oil demand estimate by around 550,000 bpd and sees 2023 supply higher by around 175,000 bpd.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Brent, Goldman, Ananya Bajpai, Swati Verma, Tom Hogue Organizations: Goldman Sachs, Organization of, Petroleum, Goldman, Saudi, West Texas, Thomson Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Bengaluru

☆ Bank of England set to raise rates to 5.25% as high inflation persists
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( David Milliken | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Expectations for peak BoE rates reached 6.5% on July 11 after data showed record wage growth. But they fell back after a bigger-than-expected decline in consumer price inflation. Still, that inflation rate is nearly four times the BoE's 2% target and double the rate in the United States. Following the end of Silvana Tenreyro's tenure on the BoE's Monetary Policy Committee, fellow external member Swati Dhingra is likely to be alone in making the case that producer price inflation - rather than wage growth - is a better guide to future consumer price inflation trends. Annual producer price inflation fell to 0.1% in June, its lowest since December 2020, down from a high of nearly 20% last July, which it hit just a few months before CPI peaked at 11.1%.

Persons: BoE, Andrew Goodwin, BoE Governor Andrew Bailey, Dave Ramsden, Ramsden, Peter Schaffrik, Cathal Kennedy, Silvana Tenreyro's, Swati Dhingra, Megan Greene, Bailey, Huw Pill, David Milliken, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Bank of England, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Oxford Economics, Reuters, MPC, HSBC, RBC, Committee, Kroll Institute, Tenreyro, Monetary, Thomson Locations: Britain, United States, Germany

☆ US working with India on platform to speed energy transition - Yellen
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Aftab Ahmed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen addresses the media, along with Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on the sidelines of a G20 meeting at Gandhinagar, India, July 17, 2023. REUTERS/Amit DaveGANDHINAGAR, India, July 17 (Reuters) - The United States is working with India to develop an investment platform to lower the cost of capital and increase private investment to fast-track India's energy transition, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Monday. The visit is Yellen's third to India this year, indicating the growing closeness between the two countries. Australia and Japan are hoping to make progress during the G20 meeting on the global minimum tax. Yellen will visit Vietnam after the G20 finance meetings end on July 18.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Nirmala Sitharaman, Amit Dave GANDHINAGAR, Yellen, Sitharaman, Narendra Modi's, Swati Bhat, Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Christian Schmollinger, Lincoln, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: . Treasury, Indian Finance, REUTERS, Treasury, Thomson Locations: Gandhinagar, India, United States, U.S, Gujarat, Washington, Australia, Japan, Vietnam

☆ US working with India on platform to speed its energy transition - Yellen
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Aftab Ahmed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

GANDHINAGAR, India, July 17 (Reuters) - The United States is working with India to develop an investment platform to lower the cost of capital and increase private investment to fast-track India's energy transition, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Monday. The visit is Yellen's third to India this year, indicating the growing closeness between the two countries. Yellen said the two nations have been collaborating across a range of economic issues, including commercial and technological collaboration and strengthening supply chains. "In particular, we look forward to working with India on an investment platform to deliver a lower cost of capital and increased private investment to speed India's energy transition," she said. Yellen will visit Vietnam after the G20 finance meetings end on July 18.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Nirmala Sitharaman, Narendra Modi's, Yellen, Swati Bhat, Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Treasury, Thomson Locations: GANDHINAGAR, India, United States, U.S, Washington, Vietnam, Lincoln

☆ Gold firms as US jobs data raises doubts on aggressive rate hikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FUNDAMENTALS* Spot gold was up 0.1% at $1,925.49 per ounce by 0104 GMT. * An increasing number of countries are repatriating gold reserves as protection against the sort of sanctions imposed by the West on Russia, according to an Invesco survey of central bank and sovereign wealth funds published on Monday. * SPDR Gold Trust , the world's largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, said its holdings fell 0.3% on Friday. * Data on Friday showed COMEX gold speculators raised net long position by 12,733 contracts to 99,205 in week ended July 3. * In other precious metals, spot silver gained 0.1% to $23.09, platinum added 0.4% to $911.40, and palladium climbed 0.2% to $1,246.86.

Persons: Janet Yellen, Swati Verma, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: Labor, . Treasury, West, Trust, Thomson Locations: U.S, Beijing, Russia

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) cut its standing deposit facility rate and standing lending facility rate to 11% and 12%, respectively, from 13% and 14% previously. This follows a 250 bps cut at its last policy meeting in June. The central bank raised rates by a record 950 bps last year to tame inflation and by 100 bps on March 3. Sri Lanka's key inflation index peaked at 70% year-on-year in September and has come down gradually. "Now that they are bringing down rates fast, they will issue very long-term bonds and reduce borrowing costs for the government.

Persons: Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Ranil Wickremesinghe, CBSL, Sri, Dimantha Mathew, Uditha Jayasinghe, Swati Bhat, Sudipto Ganguly, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: International Monetary Fund, Central Bank of Sri, First, Thomson Locations: COLOMBO, Lanka's, Central Bank of Sri Lanka

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) cut its standing deposit facility rate (SDFR) and standing lending facility rate (SLFR) to 11% and 12%, respectively, from 13% and 14% previously, in line with expectations. The 200 basis point cut follows a 250 bps cut at its last policy meeting in June. The central bank raised rates by a record 950 bps last year to tame inflation and by 100 bps on March 3. Sri Lanka's key inflation index peaked at 70% year-on-year in September and has come down gradually. Analysts expect more rate cuts in coming months to aid economic recovery and reduce borrowing costs for corporates and the government.

Persons: Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Ranil Wickremesinghe, CBSL, Sri, Dimantha Mathew, Thilina Panduwawala, Sudipto Ganguly, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: International Monetary Fund, Central Bank of Sri, First, corporates, Frontier Research, Thomson Locations: COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Central Bank of Sri Lanka

[1/3] Stock brokers monitor new on television screen at a booth, during a trading session at the Pakistan Stock Exchange, in Karachi, Pakistan July 3, 2023. REUTERS/Akhtar SoomroKARACHI, July 3 (Reuters) - Pakistan's benchmark share index scored its biggest single-day jump in 15 years on Monday, gaining 5.9% on the first trading session after the country secured a last-gasp funding deal from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The KSE 100 index (.KSE) closed up 2,442.06 points at 43,894.7, marking its biggest percentage gain since June 24, 2008, when it rose 8.6%, as per Refinitiv data. "Today's gain in the benchmark KSE 100 Index will likely to be highest in the history of Pakistan Stock exchange," it said. Several automakers including Pakistan Suzuki Motor Co (PKSU.PSX) had announced prolonged plant closures in 2023, citing import restrictions.

Persons: Akhtar Soomro, Shehbaz Sharif, Muhammad Iqbal Jawaid, Arif Habib, HCAR, Asif Shahzad, Swati Bhat, Lincoln, David Holmes Organizations: Pakistan Stock Exchange, REUTERS, International Monetary Fund, IMF, Topline Securities, Pakistan Stock, Pakistan, U.S ., Pakistan Suzuki Motor, Honda, Pakistan Suzuki, Indus, Toyota, Auto, Arif, Arif Habib Ltd, Thomson Locations: Karachi, Pakistan, Akhtar Soomro KARACHI

☆ India's quarterly current account gap narrows as trade deficit shrinks
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Swati Bhat | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, June 27 (Reuters) - India's current account deficit narrowed sharply in the January to March quarter, helped by a smaller trade gap and increased services exports, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said on Wednesday. The current account deficit (CAD) (INCURA=ECI) stood at $1.3 billion, or 0.2% of gross domestic product (GDP), in the fourth quarter of the 2022/23 fiscal year, compared with the previous quarter's revised deficit of $16.8 billion, or 2% of GDP. The deficit had stood at $13.4 billion in the same period a year earlier, the data showed. Forecasts ranged widely, from a deficit of $5 billion to a surplus of $7.8 billion. For the 2022/23 fiscal year the current account balance showed a deficit of 2% of GDP versus a deficit of 1.2% in the preceding financial year as the trade deficit widened to $265.3 billion from $189.5 billion a year earlier.

Persons: Aditi Gupta, Baroda's Gupta, Siddhi Nayak, Sudipto Ganguly, Clarence Fernandez, David Goodman Organizations: Reserve Bank of India, Reuters Graphics, Baroda, Bank, Baroda's, Thomson Locations: MUMBAI

☆ Suncor Energy says it experienced a cybersecurity incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Companies Suncor Energy Inc FollowJune 25 (Reuters) - Canadian energy firm Suncor (SU.TO) on Sunday said it experienced a cybersecurity incident, adding that some transactions with customers and suppliers could be impacted while they investigate and resolve the situation. "At this time, we are not aware of any evidence that customer, supplier or employee data has been compromised or misused as a result of this situation," the company said in a statement. Suncor's operations include oil sands development, production, offshore oil and gas, petroleum refining in Canada and the U.S, including the company's Petro Canada retail and wholesale distribution networks. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security had earlier said it was aware of reports of an incident affecting Petro Canada but said it did not generally comment on "specific cybersecurity incidents." Reporting by Seher Dareen and Swati Verma in Bengaluru and Raphael Satter Editing by Christopher Cushing and Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Seher Dareen, Swati Verma, Raphael Satter, Christopher Cushing, Louise Heavens Organizations: Suncor Energy, company's Petro Canada, Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, Petro Canada, Thomson Locations: Canada, Petro, Bengaluru

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