Saudi Crown Prince Barrels Ahead With Big Projects to Boost Economy

Saudi Crown Prince Barrels Ahead With Big Projects to Boost Economy

TABUK, Saudi Arabia—This desert kingdom is pushing ahead with multibillion-dollar plans to build a spate of new cities despite the coronavirus pandemic and depressed oil prices, betting that projects closely associated with the crown prince will kick-start its economic recovery. The developments include a futuristic city-state called Neom in the country’s remote northwest Tabuk province, … Read more

China’s Economy Is Bouncing Back—And Gaining Ground on the U.S.

China’s Economy Is Bouncing Back—And Gaining Ground on the U.S.

BEIJING—As the rest of the world struggles to contain the coronavirus, China’s recovery is gaining momentum, positioning it to further close its gap with the U.S. economy. Across China, restaurants and gyms are busy again. Subway cars and airport departure lounges are packed. Children are preparing to return to classrooms with few of the restrictions … Read more

Japan’s Economic Backslide Likely to Take Years to Reverse

Japan’s Economic Backslide Likely to Take Years to Reverse

TOKYO—After nine months of a shrinking economy, Japan has dug itself into a deep hole that it might not emerge from for at least two years. The world’s third-largest economy after the U.S. and China was smaller in real terms in the second quarter of 2020 than it was in the final quarter of 2012, … Read more

Japan’s Economy Shrinks in Second Quarter

Japan’s Economy Shrinks in Second Quarter

TOKYO—The Japanese economy shrank less than the U.S. and European economies did in the April-June quarter, but it fared worse than Asian counterparts. Japan’s gross domestic product fell 7.8% in the second quarter of 2020 compared with the previous quarter, the worst drop on record in the period since 1980, when comparable data began to … Read more

Coronavirus Chased Off Tourists—Lots of Locals Don’t Want Them Ever Flocking Back

Coronavirus Chased Off Tourists—Lots of Locals Don’t Want Them Ever Flocking Back

KYOTO, Japan—The bustle of tourists has disappeared from this ancient capital—only to be replaced by dissension over whether they should ever be welcomed back. Mimiko Takayasu, 80 years old, is proprietress of a century-old tea house where geisha entertain wealthy Japanese with traditional music and dance. Until the coronavirus pandemic, the streets of Gion, Kyoto’s … Read more

How did we do in these seven decades of Independence? Actually better than expected

How did we do in these seven decades of Independence? Actually better than expected

Of course, we could have done better. But what is better than being a united and optimistic nation? Synopsis In 1947, agriculture accounted for 54% of India’s GDP. In 2019, it is at about 13%. But at the time of Independence, 60% of India depended on agriculture for a living. In 2017, it is about … Read more

UAE announces normalisation of diplomatic ties with Israel under deal brokered by Trump

UAE announces normalisation of diplomatic ties with Israel under deal brokered by Trump

DUBAI/WASHINGTON: The UAE and Israel on Thursday agreed to establish full diplomatic relations in a deal brokered by US President Donald Trump, a breakthrough the three nations say will advance peace in the Middle East and result in Jerusalem suspending its plans to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank. “This historic diplomatic breakthrough … Read more

Focus on 4 recovering sectors and let the market do its thing: Ravi Dharamshi

Focus on 4 recovering sectors and let the market do its thing: Ravi Dharamshi

This year you may actually end up underestimating the earnings and this quarter till now has demonstrated just that, says CIO, ValueQuest Investment Advisors. How do you think this market will manage to climb the wall of worry?As long as the worries persist I guess. The way I think about this market is that the … Read more

PM Narendra Modi meets financial regulators; discusses measures to revive COVID-hit economy

PM Narendra Modi meets financial regulators; discusses measures to revive COVID-hit economy

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a brainstorming session with financial sector regulators and discussed various measures to revive the economy hit hard by COVID-19 crisis. According to sources, the meeting discussed various steps that regulators, especially the Reserve Bank of India, can take to push economic growth staring at the risk … Read more

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asks heads of 23 CPSEs to boost capex plans

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asks heads of 23 CPSEs to boost capex plans

As part of the government’s plan to accelerate economic growth, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman urged central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) to boost their capital expenditure (capex) and achieve their targets, in a virtual meeting on Tuesday. Sitharaman said CPSEs played an important role in pushing the economy forward while reviewing their performance, adding that a … Read more