WASHINGTON, May 14 (Reuters) – Iraqi officials have approached the International Monetary Fund about securing financial assistance as a result of the conflict in the Middle East, a source close to the IMF said on Thursday. Initial conversations took place last month during the spring meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington, and…
Hong Kong’s latest quarterly figures look better than many observers expected. Despite the disruption caused by the war in the Middle East and an unsettled global backdrop, growth has been steady, markets have remained buoyant and visitors have been returning. On the surface, the numbers point to a resilient economy despite heightened global geopolitical tensions…
By Gabriel Stargardter and Raphael Satter PARIS, May 13 (Reuters) – French authorities are examining whether a foreign interference campaign aimed at a hard-left party ahead of March’s municipal elections was carried out at least in part by an obscure Israeli firm called BlackCore, according to three sources familiar with the matter. French intelligence agencies are…
Budget carrier HK Express will cut its fuel surcharge on flights departing Hong Kong to overseas destinations by 12.8 per cent from May 16, reducing the fee by HK$50 (US$6.38) to HK$339 per leg, the airline has said. The reduction, revealed on its website on Wednesday, excludes mainland China routes, and follows lower fuel prices…
Hong Kong will halve tolls for all commercial vehicles using public tunnels for two months from Sunday, in the government’s latest effort to ease business costs amid surging fuel prices driven by the war in the Middle East. Buses, goods vehicles, light buses and taxis registered with the Transport Department will benefit from the measure,…
The Asia-Pacific region’s commercial property investments surged in the first quarter, according to data tracked by analysts, as early signs of recovery in office and retail segments across Hong Kong and mainland China boosted deal volumes. Total investment in offices, retail spaces, industrial units, data centres, hotels, apartments, senior housing and other asset classes climbed…
WASHINGTON, May 12 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he will have a long talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping about the war in Iran during his upcoming trip to China, but added that he does not think he needs Xi’s help. “I don’t think we need any help with Iran. We’ll…
KYIV, May 11 (Reuters) – Nearly 20 countries are interested in drone deals with Ukraine and four agreements have already been signed, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday. Since the outbreak of the Iran war in late February, Zelenskiy has managed to leverage Ukraine’s expertise in drone warfare into a series of successful diplomatic…
A wave of bullishness is sweeping through Hong Kong’s real estate market. A report by S&P Global Ratings on May 5 said an “upside surprise” could materialise. One of the catalysts for a stronger-than-expected recovery was evidence of more competitive bids at residential land auctions in recent months. S&P said, “Hong Kong has become the…
By Nayera Abdallah, Elwely Elwelly and Idrees Ali DUBAI/WASHINGTON, May 11 (Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s swift rejection of Iran’s response to a U.S. peace proposal sent oil prices surging higher on Monday amid concerns the 10-week-old conflict will drag on, keeping shipping through the Strait of Hormuz paralyzed. Days after the U.S. floated an…