Author: Lucas

Pakistan’s ambitious $6 billion refinery upgrade programme has hit another roadblock after a visiting team of IMF tax experts refused to compromise on the controversial sales tax exemption that has stalled investment in the country’s oil sector. According to a report by a national daily, the IMF mission rejected proposals from the Petroleum Division aimed at breaking the deadlock created by the Finance Bill 2025, which exempted petrol, diesel, kerosene, and light diesel oil from sales tax. This exemption has prevented refineries from claiming input tax adjustments, a key incentive for investment. “The IMF experts gave no relief,” a senior…

Stock Market Live Updates, Indian Share Market News Today: Indian benchmarks were trading firmly higher on Wednesday, supported by strong global cues. At 12 noon, the Nifty50 was trading at 26,143.95, up 259.15 points or 1%, while the Sensex stood at 85,411.09, higher by 824.08 points or 0.97%. The combined market capitalization of all BSE-listed stocks jumped by Rs 4.23 lakh crore to about Rs 473.65 lakh crore. Global markets continued their three-day winning streak as investors priced in the likelihood of a US Federal Reserve rate cut in December 2025. On the Sensex, the top gainers included Tata Motors…

Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) is facing allegations that the shipbuilder unfairly dismissed migrant workers, withheld wages and violated their human rights.A union of subcontracted shipyard workers under the Korean Metal Workers’ Union said in a recent press release that SHI forced three migrant employees, who had worked at its shipyard for about six months under E-7-3 visas for skilled workers, to resign this month despite having two-year contracts.The union said it was unreasonable to believe the E-7-3 visa holders voluntarily resigned, noting that the workers each paid at least 10 million won ($6,800) to come to Korea and would need…

iCapital, the fintech shaping the future of investing, has recently announced the deployment of distributed ledger technology (DLT) to support Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) Wealth Management’s alternatives business. This latest initiative is part of iCapital’s broader strategy to drive digital transformation and deliver seamless connectivity, enhancing efficiencies across the alternatives industry—streamlining investor onboarding, “subscription document processing, pre-trade workflows, and reporting across lifecycle of alternative investments.” Lawrence Calcano, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of iCapital said that by integrating iCapital’s distributed ledger technology into trade workflows, they’re streamlining “the alternative investment process reducing friction, accelerating time to trade, and enhancing transparency and…

Monday 18 April will see the extension to utilities and concession contracts of the principles that have applied to public bodies since April 2015 under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The Utilities Contracts Regulations 2006 will be replaced by the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016, transposing the Utilities Directive 2014/25/EU into law in England, Wales and Scotland. These changes have been introduced to codify case law, simplify procedures, provide additional flexibility and facilitate the market participation of SMEs and start-ups.So what will this mean for utilities? The key message is that pre-procurement preparation will become obligatory and no longer just best…

1. Why has Bitcoin’s volatility increased recently?Bitcoin’s volatility has risen due to concentrated options positions, heavy hedging flows, and a sharp rise in implied volatility during recent price drops.2. How does the options market affect Bitcoin’s price?Large clusters of option strikes trigger hedging by market makers, which can push the Bitcoin price up or down more quickly than in normal spot trading.3. What role does hedging play in Bitcoin’s market swings?When the price nears major strike levels, hedging becomes aggressive, prompting market makers to buy or sell Bitcoin rapidly and increasing volatility.4. Is options trading the main cause of Bitcoin’s…

Gold Rate Today: Gold prices in India have displayed significant volatility in recent times. After surging to an all-time high, the yellow metal’s prices witnessed a massive decline in November. Continuing the upward trend from yesterday, the prices of gold slightly increased today, on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, across all purity levels. It is considered an ideal inflation hedge, with 24-carat gold being the most expensive form of gold, and it is commonly used for investment purposes. Meanwhile, 22-carat gold and 18-carat gold are primarily utilised for jewellery. Gold Price Today in India: November 26, Wednesday Gold prices inched up…

A significant development occurred today (Tuesday) during a meeting of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, when a representative from the Ministry of Defense announced that the ministry is promoting, alongside the legislative process, a military order that will annul the racist restriction on Jews purchasing land in Judea and Samaria – even before the completion of the legislative process in the Knesset.The legal advisor’s statement from the Ministry of Defense was delivered during a session chaired by MK Boaz Bismuth, during which the committee approved for the first reading the bill to abolish the 1953 “Jordanian Law,” which…

KAILUA-KONA, HAWAII- JANUARY 14: The Carnival Miracle cruise ship is anchored in the Pacific Ocean near Kailua Bay during a 15-day cruise on January 14, 2024 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)Getty ImagesAs the AI trade finally shows signs of fatigue and investors reassess stretched valuations, traditional cash-flow businesses are quietly becoming compelling again. One of the most interesting among them is Carnival (CCL), a company tied to real assets, real pricing power, and real demand rather than speculative narratives. With capital rotating out of overheated tech and into under-owned value names, Carnival stands out as a beaten-down…

Back in April, President Donald Trump touted his aggressive tariff policy as a catalyst for the reshoring of manufacturing jobs. Eight months later, reshoring progress is nowhere to be seen.The jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released last week found that while nonfarm payrolls increased by 119,000, there were 6,000 fewer manufacturing jobs, adding to the tally of 59,000 lost factory jobs since Trump’s April vows to ignite domestic manufacturing. The Labor Bureau’s data is consistent with the Institute for Supply Management November report, which indicated an eighth consecutive month of contracting manufacturing jobs.“The US is losing blue-collar…