Negotiating teams from India and the UK are expected to imminently open the next round of talks for the proposed free trade agreement, with the aim of ironing out differences on issues such as the import and export of cars, medical equipment plus the movement of workers. An India government official told the Business Standard […]
Dubai’s Executive Council has approved a plan to stimulate the emirate’s industrial sector and hit the targets set out in the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, has approved a set of new initiatives to enable growth in Dubai’s industrial sector, including incentives for the […]
The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector is set to bounce back in 2024 in the Asia-Pacific region as the economy gradually picks up, providing opportunities for Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises to increase exports, according to the boss of a leading consumer intelligence company. Dzung Nguyen, MD of NielsenIQ’s Asia-Pacific emerging business arm, said: “We […]
The Indian Finance Ministry is launching an amnesty scheme for filing appeals against Goods and Services Tax (GST) demand orders. The scheme, which will be open until 31 January 2024, will be available for entities that were unable to submit their appeals against orders issued by the tax officer on or before 31 March 2023, […]
Financial professionals are optimistic about the power of AI (artificial intelligence) to improve their business processes, according to a new worldwide survey by the ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants). The Digital Horizons survey found that accountants identified a range of key benefits in adopting digital technologies, including AI. These include flexibility/adaptability, and quality […]
Despite the short-term economic challenges facing China, the fundamentals of the economy remain stable and will be the springboard for future growth, a Chinese central bank official has said. Zhang Qingsong, deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), made the remarks at the second Global Financial Leaders’ Investment Summit in Hong Kong. Addressing […]
Mastercard is teaming up with fintech company Pemo to help create a cashless economy for the UAE’s SMEs by providing them with access to spend management software. Combining digital and contactless payment technology, Pemo’s physical and virtual corporate cards allow businesses to digitize and automate the spend management process, including one-click invoice payments and real-time […]
Companies operating in the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector, retail and IT are expected to award employees salary increases of almost 10% in 2024. According to WTW’s Salary Budget Planning Report, Indian companies anticipate granting pay hikes of up to 9.8% over the next 12 months. This puts India at the top of […]
China’s non-manufacturing activity grew in October, thanks to a recovering services sector and a robust construction industry, according to the latest official data National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The purchasing managers’ index for non-manufacturing came in at 50.6 in October – a reading above 50 indicates expansion, while a reading below 50 represents a contraction. […]
