Analysis: Indices

IMF urges South Africa to adopt clearer debt rule 

JOHANNESBURG, Feb 11 - The International Monetary Fund has urged South Africa to adopt a clearer and more binding limit on government debt, warning that risks to the country's economic outlook are...

TSX pulls back from record intra-day high as Shopify slides

Canada's main stock index pulled back on Wednesday from an intra-day record high as declines for technology offset gains for commodity-linked stocks, but the move was limited ahead of expected fiscal...

WTO chief urges members to discuss core MFN rule as reform debate grows

The head of the World Trade Organisation on Wednesday urged members to consider major reforms and hold discussions on its core Most Favoured Nation concept, as trade ructions threaten the global trade...

Indonesia biodiesel pause, rising output seen limiting palm oil gains

Indonesia's move to pause biodiesel expansion and expectations of higher production in the coming months are likely to pressure palm oil prices, although strong demand and slowing growth in overall...

Kenya to join growing list of African countries buying gold for reserves

Kenya's central bank anticipates going into the purchase of gold, its governor said on Wednesday, becoming the latest African country looking to buy the precious metal as a way of diversifying its...

Pakistan central bank chief expects broader recovery than IMF forecast

Pakistan's central bank chief expects the economy to grow as much as 4.75% this fiscal year, pushing back against a recent downgrade by the International Monetary Fund. Governor Jameel...

South African rand gains after key US jobs data

The South African rand rose on Wednesday as investors digested key U.S. labour market data and looked ahead to Friday's inflation report for clues on the Fed's policy path. At 1500 GMT,...

China's Li inspects rare earth facilities, hints at leverage in US rivalry

China's second-ranking official, Premier Li Qiang,inspected rare earth facilities in the southern province of Jiangxi on Tuesday, state news agency Xinhua reported, using the visit to hint at...

Zenyum, MakeO Toothsi to merge, creating Asian consumer dental group

Singapore-based consumer dental firm Zenyum and India's MakeO Toothsi said on Wednesday that they were planning to merge, aiming to create what they called Asia's leading consumer dental company...

Mexican billionaire Slim's Grupo Carso confirms Pemex contract for Macavil gas field

Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim's Grupo Carso confirmed on Tuesday that it had signed a contract with state energy company Pemex to develop the onshore Macavil field in southern Mexico, focusing on...

EU must cut power prices to be competitive, central European leaders say

The European Union must act to cut electricity prices to safeguard the competitiveness of its industry, the prime ministers of Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia said on Tuesday ahead of a...

Kenyan airport workers could go on strike next week

Kenyan aviation workers could go on strike next week, disrupting operations at airports across the country, after their union gave seven days' notice to the civil aviation authority, a letter from the...

Ethiopian Airlines half-year revenue up 14% from previous year

Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's biggest commercial carrier, said on Tuesday that its half-year revenue rose 14% from the previous year, helped by the introduction of new destinations, more flights and...

French wine, spirits export volumes sink to at least 25-year low

French wine and spirits exports fell last year to their lowest volume in at least 25 years as U.S. tariffs and Chinese duties hit sales and a strong euro made some alcohol more expensive, industry...

South Korea to start reviewing US investment projects ahead of enacting bill

South Korea will set up a committee to conduct preliminary reviews of U.S. investment projects as it seeks to speed up the implementation of a $350 billion investment package pledged under a trade...

India regulator stalls new exchanges' entry into options market, sources say

India's market regulator has stopped the country's two newest exchanges from offering trading in equity derivatives, asking them to build their share-trading businesses first, two regulatory sources...

Trump administration prepares to gut climate laws

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Gregor Stuart Hunter Global stocks are at fresh peaks, helped by the seemingly indefatigable tech sector, while new moves by...

India's gold ETF inflows top equity mutual funds for the first time

Indian investors piled into gold exchange-traded funds in January as prices soared amid rising geopolitical risk, surpassing flows into equity funds for the first time, industry data showed on...

Gold drops as investors brace for US jobs and inflation numbers

Gold fell more than 1% on Tuesday as the market consolidated ahead of U.S. jobs and inflation data that could offer further clues to the Federal Reserve's interest-rate outlook. Spot...