United News of Bangladesh

Asian shares were mixed Friday following another bond sell-off that brought U.S. Treasury yields to their highest in years. U.S. futures edged lower. Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.2% to 66,318.14. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 1.7% to 24,333.20. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.5% to 8,660.30. India’s Sensex was up 0.2%. Markets in mainland China, Taiwan and South Korea were closed because of a holiday. Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 was almost unchanged on Thursday, edging down less than 0.1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 0.3%, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq composite climbed less than 0.1%. A global sell-off in the bond market has again added pressure to the stock market, as the yield on the U.S. 10-year Treasury reached its highest since 2007. The U.S. 10-year Treasury eased slightly to around 5.19% early Friday, after rising above 5.20% on Thursday from around 5.11% Wednesday. Government bond yields have been elevated as bond investors are demanding higher compensation under increasing risks and uncertainties, including growing inflationary pressure from the Iran war-driven energy shock and rising U.S. government debt. Oil prices fell early Friday as investors look for signs of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the key waterway for global oil transport. Brent crude, the international standard, dropped 1.4% to $98.84 per barrel, remaining below the $100 mark although it’s still well above the roughly $72 a barrel level in late February before the start of the war. While many investors are also monitoring the meeting in Washington between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, analysts said limited concrete progress has been made, although the two sides touched on topics including trade, artificial intelligence and the Middle East. The U.S. dollar fell to 158.34 Japanese yen from 158.86 yen. The euro was trading at $1.1370, down from $1.1380.   END/

Asian shares traded mixed in early Thursday trading as investors assessed recent movements in oil prices and the US bond market, while also watching currency fluctuations. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 1.3% to 65,883.41 in morning trading, helped by gains among some chipmakers amid continued interest in artificial intelligence. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.7% to 8,700.50. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index declined 0.5% to 24,715.95, while the Shanghai Composite slipped 0.8% to 3,902.33. South Korean markets were closed for the Chuseok autumn harvest holiday. In energy trading, US benchmark crude fell 0.82% to $91.40 a barrel, while Brent crude, the international benchmark, dropped 0.83% to $102.22 a barrel. Brent prices remain well above the roughly $72 a barrel recorded before the war with Iran began. Investors remain concerned that the conflict could disrupt oil supplies in the Middle East for an extended period. Talks between US and Iranian officials are continuing through mediators, but no concrete agreement has emerged so far. US bond yields pressure Wall StreetWall Street came under pressure Wednesday as a stronger-than-expected economic report raised fresh concerns about inflation and pushed US Treasury yields higher. The S&P 500 fell 0.8%, after ending the previous session just 0.4% below its record high set last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 352 points, or 0.7%, while the Nasdaq composite fell 1.1% from its record level. The yield on the 10-year US Treasury rose to 5.10% from 4.96%, a significant move in the bond market. Higher bond yields can weigh on stocks and other investments while also making borrowing more expensive, which can slow economic activity. The 10-year yield briefly reached nearly 5.14% on Wednesday, returning to levels last seen in 2007, before the global financial crisis sent borrowing costs sharply lower. Yields have risen in recent weeks amid concerns about persistent inflation, the US government's large debt burden and other economic risks. Inflation worries intensified after a preliminary report indicated that US business activity had grown at its fastest pace in more than five years. US inflation has remained elevated, prompting the Federal Reserve to raise its short-term interest rate last week for the first time in three years. Fed Gov. Michael Barr said in a speech this week that further rate increases “are likely to be needed” to bring inflation down to the central bank's 2% target. Yen remains weakThe Bank of Japan recently raised its benchmark interest rate in an effort to support the Japanese yen. However, the move had largely been expected by investors, limiting its impact on the currency. A weaker yen puts additional pressure on Japan because the country relies heavily on imported oil, particularly when global energy prices are high. In currency trading, the US dollar slipped to 157.94 yen from 158.30 yen. The euro was little changed at $1.1382, compared with $1.1388. In US markets, the S&P 500 fell 58.61 points to 7,706.03. The Dow dropped 352.10 points to 51,511.59, while the Nasdaq composite declined 308.24 points to 26,936.04.

Bangladesh Jewellers Association (BAJUS) has raised gold prices again, increasing the price of 22-carat gold by Tk 1,691 per bhori to Tk 2,34,621, including VAT. BAJUS announced the new prices in a notice on Saturday, saying the price of tejabi gold (pure gold) had increased in the local market. Considering the overall market situation, the association revised the prices, which came into effect from 10am today. Under the new rates, one bhori (11.664 grammes) of 21-carat gold has been set at Tk 2,24,065 per bhori, 18-carat gold at Tk 1,92,398 and traditional-method gold at Tk 1,57,172. BAJUS said the new prices will remain effective at all jewellery shops until further notice. However, labour charges will apply depending on the design of the jewellery. As VAT is included in the selling price of gold and silver jewellery, jewellers cannot collect VAT separately from customers. BAJUS's previous rules will remain in place for jewellery exchange and purchase, excluding specified VAT, labour charges and the price of stones. BAJUS last adjusted gold prices on Sept 12, when it raised the price of 22-carat gold by Tk 1,050 per bhori to Tk 2,32,930, including VAT. So far in 2026, gold prices in the country's market have been adjusted 116 times. Prices have been raised on 58 occasions, lowered on 57 occasions and VAT adjusted once. Meanwhile, silver prices have also been increased. The price of 22-carat silver has been raised by Tk 116 per bhori to Tk 5,132, including VAT. The price of 21-carat silver has been set at Tk 4,957 per bhori, 18-carat silver at Tk 4,257 and traditional-method silver at Tk 3,208. Silver prices have been adjusted 70 times so far in 2026, with prices increased on 36 occasions and reduced on the remaining 34 occasions.

The 23rd China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) opened on Thursday in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, bringing new business opportunities under the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) 3.0 framework into focus. Running from September 17 to 21, the expo has attracted more than 3,400 companies from over 70 countries and regions. The exhibition area covers about 170,000 square meters, with participating enterprises up 5.3% from the previous edition. Timor-Leste is taking part for the first time as a full ASEAN member and co-host, bringing all 11 ASEAN member states together in Nanning, reports CGTN. AI and the newly opened Pinglu Canal are also key focuses of this year's expo, with dedicated exhibition areas showcasing their potential to drive regional cooperation. The latest CGTN survey shows that 90.9% of global respondents believe the continued hosting of CAEXPO demonstrates China's commitment to high-standard opening up. Meanwhile, 89.5% see the expo as an important platform for business exchanges, industrial matchmaking and sharing regional development opportunities. China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 opens new areas for cooperation The expo comes as China and ASEAN begin implementing the upgraded CAFTA 3.0 framework, which aims to facilitate trade, strengthen supply chains and expand cooperation into emerging sectors. Science and technology authorities and high-tech institutions from countries including Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand have sent delegations to the expo. China has made significant advances in areas such as AI, electric vehicles and renewable energy, said Destarata Mustafa, counselor for political affairs at the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing. "We hope to expand cooperation with China in these fields." More than 50 trade and investment promotion activities are being held during the expo, focusing on trade and investment facilitation, regional economic integration, and cross-border industrial and supply chain cooperation. In the CGTN survey, 84.5% of respondents said deeper China-ASEAN free trade cooperation will inject greater momentum into openness, cooperation and stable growth in the global economy. AI takes center stage at China-ASEAN Expo AI is taking a prominent role at this year's expo, with dedicated exhibition areas at the Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Center and the newly established Nanning AI Compound. The AI exhibition area at the Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Center showcases AI products and technologies covering consumer applications, smart homes, intelligent terminals, robots and embodied intelligence, alongside AI technologies from ASEAN countries. At the 10,000-square-meter Nanning AI Compound, more than 150 AI companies, including Huawei, iFlytek and Unitree Robotics, are presenting applications across 11 themed sections, focusing on industrial and everyday use. The venue will also feature an AI-themed market, service robots, robot competitions and performances. The new exhibition area is also designed to facilitate more targeted cooperation through an intelligent matchmaking system. More than 8,000 pairs of potential cooperation partners have been pre-matched, while nearly 2,000 additional matchmaking sessions are scheduled during the expo. The system has collected around 60 cooperation demand projects from ASEAN countries and matched them with nearly 40 Chinese projects to help companies pursue potential partnerships. The emphasis on practical applications reflects growing efforts to connect China's AI capabilities with the specific industrial and consumer needs of ASEAN markets. How Pinglu Canal could strengthen China-ASEAN trade The newly opened Pinglu Canal has become another highlight of the expo, with a dedicated exhibition area showcasing the 134.2-kilometer waterway and its potential to strengthen regional connectivity. Connecting the Xijiang River shipping network with the Beibu Gulf, the canal allows vessels of up to 5,000 tonnes to reach the sea directly, creating a more efficient route from China's southwestern hinterland to international markets. The canal is expected to shorten shipping distances between southwest China and Southeast Asia by more than 560 kilometers, reduce logistics costs by 18% to 30% and save about 5.2 billion yuan (about $775 million) annually. It also strengthens the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor linking western China with Southeast Asia through railways, roads, waterways and ports. According to the CGTN survey, 87.6% of respondents said multimodal transport, including river-sea and rail-water transport, when efficiently connected with cross-border industrial and supply chain cooperation, will further facilitate regional trade and investment. The new connectivity comes as China-ASEAN trade continues to expand. In the first seven months of 2026, trade between the two sides reached $744.41 billion, up 24.7% year on year and accounting for 21.8% of China's total foreign trade.

Japan’s central bank on Friday raised the benchmark interest rate to 1.25% from 1.0%, a 31-year-high. The move Friday, coming at the end of the two-day monetary policy board meeting, was expected, widely figured into recent global markets. The raise by 0.25 percentage points to the policy rate comes after the Federal Reserve also raised its key rate this week. Pressures have been coming from the U.S. for Japan to raise rates because of concerns about the weakening yen. The nations intervened together recently to prop up the yen. The U.S. dollar is trading at about 155 yen.

Asian markets were mixed Thursday after Wall Street ended lower following the US Federal Reserve's decision to raise interest rates for the first time in three years. US stock futures were higher in early trading. The Fed raised its key interest rate by a quarter percentage point to a target range of 3.75%-4.00% as it seeks to bring US inflation, which has remained above its target, under control. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.2% to 64,067.53, while South Korea's Kospi gained 0.9% to 6,778.49. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 0.7% to 24,533.46, and the Shanghai Composite declined 0.4% to 3,877.46. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 advanced 0.3% to 8,718.20. Taiwan's Taiex climbed 1.3%, while India's Sensex edged up 0.3%. On Wednesday, the S&P 500 fell 0.5%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.2%. The technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite was little changed. The market reaction was largely in line with expectations because the Fed's rate increase had been widely anticipated, said Lorraine Tan, director of equity research for Asia at Morningstar. However, she said the ongoing war in Iran could continue to put pressure on inflation. After the Fed's announcement, the yield on the two-year US Treasury note rose to 4.72%, compared with about 4.67% late Tuesday. The yield on the 10-year Treasury remained elevated at around 5.00%. US government bond yields have stayed higher since the war began, as an energy shock linked to the conflict has increased inflationary pressure. Investors are also concerned about rising US government debt. The US dollar weakened early Thursday to 156.04 Japanese yen from 156.26 yen. The euro rose slightly to $1.1467 from $1.1465. Oil prices edged higher as oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz remained limited. The narrow waterway is a key route for global oil shipments. Oil supply pressures have also increased after Saudi Arabia shut down a major oil pipeline while repairs are carried out. Brent crude, the international benchmark, was up 0.1% at $105.89 early Thursday.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) warned Tuesday that failure to modernize the global trading system could leave global GDP as much as 10 percent lower than under a strengthened multilateral system, as trade policy faces its most serious and sustained disruption in decades. The warning came in the WTO's annual flagship publication, World Trade Report 2026: A Critical Juncture for the World Trading System, which examines the achievements of the multilateral trading system over the past 80 years and the challenges it now faces. "The multilateral trading system has delivered enormous benefits over the past 80 years, helping to create a more integrated and resilient global economy," WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said. About 72 percent of global merchandise trade still takes place under the WTO's most-favored-nation terms, she said. "The global trading landscape has changed significantly but the founding logic of the system, that all economies are better off cooperating rather than acting unilaterally, remains as relevant today as ever," Okonjo-Iweala said. She said WTO members are actively discussing reforms and recognize that "the status quo is not an option." The report models three possible futures for the global trading system. Under a strengthened multilateral framework, global GDP could rise 2.9 percent and exports 17.9 percent by 2050 compared with the baseline trajectory. The other two scenarios envision an erosion of multilateral trade rules. In a "geo-fragmented world," where trade cooperation is organized around geopolitical blocs, global GDP could fall 5.1 percent and exports 18.6 percent, while in a world where multilateral cooperation is replaced by a network of free trade agreements, GDP could fall 6.9 percent and exports 26.9 percent. The difference between strengthened multilateral cooperation and erosion of the system could amount to as much as 10 percent of baseline global real GDP, WTO Chief Economist Robert Staiger said. "If the status quo is unsustainable, as many members believe, this illustrates the potential cost of inaction on reform," he said. The report noted that over eight decades, the system has helped lower trade barriers, expand global trade nearly 50-fold and create a more integrated, rules-based global economy.  

Asian shares traded mostly lower Tuesday after artificial intelligence-related stocks fell on Wall Street amid growing concerns over high valuations and the pace of AI development. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 surged in morning trading but gave up some of its gains in the afternoon, rising 0.2% to 63,621.08. SoftBank Group, a major investor in OpenAI, gained about 8% in afternoon trading in Tokyo, recovering its losses from the previous session. The earlier decline followed comments by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in an interview with Fortune published Saturday. Altman said the company behind ChatGPT would likely wait until next year before selling its shares on Wall Street. The delay could postpone a potential large cash windfall for SoftBank and other early OpenAI investors. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.9% to 8,668.30, while South Korea’s Kospi declined 0.8% to 6,628.99. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 0.6% to 24,773.37 and the Shanghai Composite fell 0.2% to 3,876.25. Markets were also affected by warnings from some AI industry leaders that the rapid development of the technology may need to slow down for safety reasons. “The prospect of a coordinated slowdown in AI development remains uncertain, given intense competition both among U.S. firms and between the U.S. and China,” Ng Jing Wen, an analyst at Mizuho Bank, said in a report. Gains in many non-AI stocks helped limit losses on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 152.09 points, or 0.3%, to 52,421.20, while the Nasdaq composite dropped 146.62 points, or 0.6%, to 26,186.41. The S&P 500 declined 37 points to 7,619.98. AI stocks have faced pressure for some time amid concerns that their prices had risen too sharply during the technology boom. Those concerns intensified over the weekend after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for a deliberate global slowdown in AI development. Amodei cited safety concerns, including the possibility that AI could become capable of directing a swarm of agents that might take control of the entire internet within six to 12 months. Nvidia, whose profits have surged as its chips are used to train AI models, fell 3.4% and was the biggest drag on Wall Street Monday because of its huge market value. SpaceX, which also earns part of its business from AI, dropped 2% after Elon Musk said he agreed with Amodei. In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude rose 1.84% to $103.26 a barrel, while Brent crude, the international benchmark, gained 1.52% to $107.29. Oil prices have continued to rise as fighting in the Middle East disrupts global crude supplies. A major Saudi oil pipeline is expected to remain largely out of service for weeks after an attack last week, two regional officials told The Associated Press. The pipeline allowed Saudi Arabia to shift oil exports to the Red Sea and avoid the Persian Gulf’s Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian attacks have disrupted tanker traffic. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury briefly rose above 5% during morning trading, reaching the level for the first time in nearly three years. It later eased to 4.98% as oil prices moved down from their daily highs. In currency trading, the U.S. dollar rose to 154.78 Japanese yen from 154.30 yen. The euro fell to $1.1541 from $1.1557.

Asian shares were mixed Monday, while shares of Japanese investment giant SoftBank Group, a major investor in OpenAI, plunged more than 10% after leading AI companies called for slower development to improve safety. US stock futures edged lower, while oil prices rose more than 3% as concerns about global supplies increased after Saudi Arabia shut down a major oil pipeline used to bypass the Strait of Hormuz following an attack. South Korea's Kospi fell 2.5% to 6,739.68, while Japan's Nikkei 225 declined 0.8% to 63,474.58. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.3% to 24,886.81, and the Shanghai Composite rose 0.2% to 3,894.28. SoftBank shares fell 11.2% in Japan after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman supported Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's call over the weekend for the AI industry to slow development to ensure greater safety. Altman also told Fortune in an interview published Saturday that OpenAI would not go public this year as it remains focused on safety. Both OpenAI and Anthropic are privately held but are expected to list their shares in the coming months. The decline in SoftBank shares may reflect concerns that regulators could slow AI development to prevent serious risks, said Dan Baker of Morningstar. He also noted that further cases involving loss of control over advanced AI models could lead to a slowdown. Other Asian AI-related stocks also declined. South Korea's SK Hynix fell 5.3% and Samsung Electronics dropped 2.8%. Japan's Tokyo Electron declined 0.9%, while Kioxia Holdings fell 6%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.1% to 8,747.60, while Taiwan's Taiex fell 0.6%. Oil prices rose early Monday as tensions between the United States and Iran remained high and Iran-backed Houthi rebels increased attacks on Saudi Arabia. Brent crude, the global benchmark, gained 3.2% to $107.94 a barrel, compared with about $72 before the war in Iran began in late February. US crude also rose 3.2% to $103.26 a barrel. ING commodities strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey said prospects for a de-escalation of the Iran war and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz appeared weaker. However, they said the situation remained fluid, with significant volumes of oil still moving through the waterway. On Friday, Wall Street's S&P 500 rose 0.9%, ending a four-day losing streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Investors are also watching this week's Federal Reserve meeting, where policymakers could raise interest rates as inflation remains above the Fed's 2% target. Inflation concerns linked to the Iran war's impact on energy prices, along with rising US government debt, have triggered a sell-off in government bonds and pushed Treasury yields higher. The yield on the 10-year US Treasury rose to 4.98% from 4.95% Thursday, despite expanded buyback operations by the US Treasury Department aimed at stabilizing the bond market. In currency trading, the US dollar rose to 154.06 Japanese yen from 153.58 yen. The euro fell to $1.1570 from $1.1598.

  Yanchi County in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is stepping up efforts to take its halal and specialty food products into overseas markets, with the Middle East emerging as a key target for its e-commerce expansion. The initiative was highlighted at the fifth Western E-Commerce and Cultural Tourism Consumption Promotion Series and the Minning Cooperation and Exchange activities, which opened in Yanchi on September 4. The three-day event brought together more than 100 representatives from e-commerce platforms, supply-chain companies, industry organizations and businesses. Discussions focused on cross-border logistics, digital transformation and strategies for reaching overseas consumers. Reaching Overseas Consumers A major focus was helping local businesses, particularly producers of halal and specialty foods, develop new routes into international markets. Representatives from TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Middle Eastern e-commerce platform Noon presented their platform policies and discussed opportunities in emerging markets, including the Middle East. Cross-border service providers also shared approaches to market operations and brand development for companies seeking to expand abroad.The event marked the start of construction of the Ningxia-Yanchi Silk Road E-Commerce Comprehensive Service Center. It also featured the signing of an agreement to establish an overseas warehouse network under the Silk Road E-Commerce initiative, while a digital exhibition hall developed under the Fujian-Ningxia cooperation program was launched. An exhibition area featured agricultural and specialty products, medical devices, industrial materials, halal foods and cultural products, including Tan sheep leather crafts. Yanchi is particularly known for its Tan sheep industry, making halal meat and related products a natural part of its overseas market strategy. Yanchi has been designated as one of China's national demonstration counties for rural e-commerce. The county has cultivated 182 e-commerce businesses and created more than 6,800 jobs. Its "Shicheng Zhenxuan" platform, which is a core digital hub and public-service platform for eastern Ningxia to connect e-commerce resources from the southeast coast and link up with Silk Road cross-border markets, has brought together more than 700 suppliers and offers more than 3,000 products.