tag

The dollar steadied in a narrow trading range on Wednesday ahead of the release of a number of US economic data that could determine the direction of Federal Reserve (US central bank) expectations regarding interest rates.Most currencies fell in early Asian trading, with the Australian dollar down 0.3 percent to USD 0.6717 following inflation data that came in below expectations, though it quickly recouped those losses.The British pound was steady at USD 1.3502, while the Japanese currency edged up slightly to 156.63 yen per dollar.The euro rose 0.03 percent to USD 1.1692 after having lost 0.3 percent.The dollar index saw little change at 98.58, while the New Zealand dollar stood at USD 0.5784.

Eurozone inflation ‌slowed as expected last month, ‍hitting the European Central Bank's 2% target before likely moving lower in the ⁠coming months as falling energy costs ⁠offset lingering domestic price pressures, Eurostat data showed on Wednesday.Inflation in the ‍currency bloc slowed to 2.0% in December from 2.1% a month earlier, in line with expectation for 2.0% in a Reuters poll of economists, as energy prices continued to pull down overall price growth, offsetting a pick up in food inflation.A more crucial figure on underlying prices, which exclude volatile food and ‌energy costs, meanwhile eased to 2.3% from 2.4% on a modest slowdown in services and industrial goods inflation.Price growth has hovered on either side ‍of the ECB's 2% target ⁠for most of ‌2025 and the bank sees it near this level for years to come, even if most of this year and next could be spent below target.While some policymakers have expressed concern that low readings could perpetuate anaemic inflation by deflating wage demands, most appear to have taken a relaxed view, arguing that the dip is temporary and mostly caused by energy volatility.Indeed, the ECB last month signalled it was in no hurry to adjust policy any further, cementing market ​expectations that it would keep ‌its 2% deposit rate steady through all of 2026.Still, figures going deeply under 2% ⁠could reignite the debate over ‍easing, but only if they raise the prospect of persistent undershooting, since monetary policy works with long lags and would do little in the near term.In any debate, the ECB will need to reconcile a host of forces that will tug inflation in opposing ​directions.Falling energy costs, a strong euro, surging Chinese imports and moderating wage demands could all pull prices lower.But increased defence spending, Germany's fiscal splurge, a tight labour market, healthy domestic demand, and geopolitical stress could push prices up.These forces make projections especially uncertain and will likely prevent the ECB from giving any guidance beyond the short term, suggesting that rate cuts will not be taken ⁠off the table, even if more easing cannot be ruled out.The ECB will next meet on February 5. 

Ooredoo Qatar has delivered uninterrupted, high-capacity connectivity across a series of major international sporting championships and conferences hosted in the country throughout this year.The network delivered high-capacity connectivity across events that collectively welcomed more than 1.5mn spectators and delegates, handling over 300 terabytes of mobile data traffic and 6mn voice calls, while maintaining a 99.99% call setup success rate.Peak moments generated extreme surges in data and voice traffic, with 5G services accounting for more than 60% of total traffic and VoLTE usage exceeding 95%, delivering superior voice clarity and reliability.Ooredoo Qatar CEO Sheikh Ali bin Jabor bin Mohammad al-Thani said, “As Qatar continues to attract major international gatherings and position itself as a global destination, our role extends beyond providing connectivity.“We are building the intelligent, resilient digital infrastructure that enables the nation's long-term objectives. Every successful event reinforces Qatar’s global reputation and demonstrates what's possible when technology, planning, and execution align.” 

Asian markets extended losses with Wall Street Tuesday as investors prepared for key US jobs and inflation data, while sentiment remains subdued by worries over a possible tech bubble.In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 closed down 1.6% to 49,383.29 points; Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index ended down 1.5% to 25,235.41 points andShanghai - Composite closed down 1.1% to 3,824.81 points Tuesday.After a healthy tech-led run this year, traders appeared to be seeing it out on a tepid note amid questions over the huge sums pumped into artificial intelligence and indications the Federal Reserve will pause cutting interest rates.All eyes are on the release later in the day of US November jobs data and the delayed reading for October, which will be followed on Thursday by consumer price index figures.The readings will be pored over for some idea about the Fed's plans for borrowing costs as officials debate whether or not to continue lowering them in January.Comments from decision-makers show the policy board split, with recent reductions coming on the back of worries about the weakening labour market but concern now turning to stubbornly high inflation.Governor Stephen Miran - an appointee of Donald Trump - warned that rates are still too high, while New York Fed boss John Williams said they were at about the right place and Boston president Susan Collins called the decision a "close call"."After essentially missing the October jobs report due to a lack of survey data, the Fed will closely scrutinise the November figures when setting out the path of monetary policy through early 2026," Matt Weller, head of market research at City Index, said."That said, traders are currently pricing in only a one-in-four chance of another rate cut in January, meaning that the market reaction to the release may be more limited unless it shows a large deterioration in the labour market."With the chances of a cut appearing limited for now - with some putting them at about 25% for next month - equity traders were turned sellers for now.Seoul lost more than 2%, while Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Taipei were all more than one percent lower. Sydney, Singapore, Manila, Mumbai, Bangkok and Jakarta also fell.London, Frankfurt and Paris opened lower.Worries over the tech sector were also weighing on sentiment, with recent warnings about an AI-fuelled bubble compounded by weak disappointing earnings last week from Oracle and Broadcom.Speculation that the hundreds of billions of AI investments will take some time to make returns, if at all, has also acted as a drag."Jitters over the AI theme have resurfaced in recent sessions, not helped by Broadcom's failure to provide concrete guidance for the quarter ahead, nor by reports that Oracle's data centre construction may be delayed," wrote Pepperstone's Michael Brown."Concern also lingers over the increase in debt-financed capex, especially from the likes of Oracle, though those concerns seem more likely to linger in the background into next year, as opposed to sparking significant fear in the now."The downbeat mood on equity markets has filtered into the crypto sphere, with bitcoin briefly falling to as low as $85,171, while gold - a go-to asset in times of uncertainty - hovered around $4,300 and close to a new record high.The yen held gains against the dollar ahead of an expected rate hike by the Bank of Japan on Friday. 

Turkiye’s central bank cut interest rates for the fourth time in a row, accelerating the pace of reductions following favourable inflation data.The Monetary Policy Committee led by Governor Fatih Karahan lowered the one-week repo rate to 38% from 39.5%, according to a statement on Thursday.“In November, consumer inflation was lower than expected due to a downward surprise in food prices,” the MPC said. However, it emphasised caution, saying broad expectations of price rises and price-setting behaviour by firms continue to pose risks to the disinflation process.The lira was little changed after the decision, trading at 42.62 per the US dollar at 2.49pm in Istanbul. Shorter-dated bonds extended gains, with the two-year yield dropping 22 basis points to 37.63%.“The cooling in inflation paved the way to a 150bp rate cut from the Turkish central bank today, which was larger than our call,” said Maya Senussi, lead economist at Oxford Economics. “We expected the central bank to err on the side of caution and resist a larger cut given the rise in medium-term inflation expectations.”Global banks were almost evenly divided in expecting a reduction of 150 basis points and 100 from the Turkish policymakers, though tilted slightly more toward a smaller cut. Bloomberg reported earlier that people briefed by Karahan said the bank was likely to pay closer attention to negative developments than the positive inflation data.The central bank evaluates rates decisions on a “meeting-by-meeting basis with a focus on the inflation outlook,” the MPC said on Thursday. “Monetary policy stance will be tightened in case of a significant deviation in inflation outlook from the interim targets.”The bank also lowered its overnight lending rate to 41% from 42.5% and overnight borrowing rate to 36.5% from 38%.Annual inflation slowed more than forecast to 31.1% in November and is poised to end the year around that level, according to Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek. That’s above this year’s target of 24% and stems from unexpectedly high food prices in recent months, the central bank previously said.Minimum WageInvestors are now on the lookout for the government’s decision on the minimum-wage increase, expected later this month. The adjustment has major implications for domestic demand, corporate-pricing behaviour and the inflation trajectory.Analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co expect a 25% raise.“We think annual inflation will ease below 30% in early 2026, assuming a moderate hike in the minimum wage,” Senussi said. She expects interest rates of 26.5% by the end of next year.Nick Rees, head of macro research at Monex Europe, said “the recent softening in price growth opened the door” to a larger-than-expected cut on Thursday. “This risks looking like an overly dovish bias — which would pose a challenge to the Turkish central bank’s perceived credibility if this pattern persists into 2026.” 

Seaborne shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to China in November are set to drop for a 13th straight month on an annual basis, extending a slump in purchases as domestic output and piped imports remain strong.Deliveries are expected to be around 5.81mn tons, according to Kpler, an analytics firm that tracks shipping data to make forecasts. That’s about 5.5% lower than the same month last year, according to Chinese customs data.China’s LNG demand has been soft this year, with buyers shying away from expensive seaborne cargoes of the super-chilled fuel in favour of cheaper piped gas from Russia and Central Asia. Domestic production has also been robust.There will likely be no urgent need for China to dip into the spot market even as winter sets in. Early forecasts show normal to mild temperatures across the country, which has already secured the heating fuel it will need for the next few months via long-term contracts.China was the world’s top importer of the fuel last year, and sluggish demand is raising concerns about a global glut later in the decade as new projects come online in several countries. Even if lower prices entice Chinese importers, the country is still unlikely to absorb all the new LNG and an oversupply would persist in the coming years, according to analysts from Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

The Qatar Central Bank (QCB) Sunday launched its mobile application, enabling users to access data, reports, and all updates instantly and efficiently. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the user experience and keeping pace with technological advancements and the requirements of digital transformation within the financial sector.This launch aligns with the Third Financial Sector Strategy and supports Qatar National Vision 2030, which seeks to build a knowledge-based digital economy. The mobile application has been designed according to the latest technical standards, with a user-friendly interface that allows for easy browsing and searching. The mobile application can be downloaded through the App Store.

As enterprises worldwide race to become their own AI and data platforms over the next three years, EnterpriseDB (EDB) sees that the Gulf region is out in front. EDB has opened a new regional headquarters in the Gulf area to help local organizations accelerate their paths to data and AI sovereignty.“This region is one of the most future forward and innovation focused,” said Kash Rafique, VP and general manager of Middle East and Africa at EDB. “Our new office will serve as a regional hub to deepen collaboration with customers and partners, and it will support the region’s unique and complex requirements for sovereign AI.”A sovereign-minded market Across the region, national AI strategies have catalyzed investment in skills, platforms, and governance, raising the bar on data stewardship and accelerating enterprise readiness. But this momentum isn’t only geopolitical or led by policy. It’s increasingly a private-sector choice, as boards push for innovation without sacrificing control over where data and models live.That enterprise demand shows up in the numbers: In EDB’s global study of 2,050 executives across 13 economies, the region posted the highest share of organizations “Deeply Committed” to data and AI sovereignty, at 17% versus a 13% global average. These leaders deploy roughly twice as many mainstream AI applications, report up to 5x higher ROI from AI, and are 2.5x more confident they will lead their industries within three years.EDB says the region’s combination of executive conviction and platform ambition is creating a “sovereign hub” effect—clusters of enterprises treating AI and data as sovereign assets that attract capital, talent, and partner ecosystems, compounding each other’s success. The result is an enterprise culture that sees sovereignty as a foundation for a growth flywheel that compounds innovation speed, customer experience, and cost efficiency.**media[375219]**Turning sovereignty from vision to practice “Sovereignty without ownership is only half the equation,” said Rafique. “Enterprises can’t believe in sovereignty as a theoretical idea—they have to design, build, and operate their AI and data platforms on their own terms.” Turning intent into reality, he added, requires deliberate design at the infrastructure level and consistent execution.EDB’s research identifies four practices that separate those achieving durable ROI from those still experimenting:Build for sovereignty from day one. Treat data and AI as a single platform, with policy and observability embedded at design time—not bolted on.Run AI where the work is. Use a hybrid approach to place workloads in the most performant, cost-effective, and compliant environment as needs change.Standardize on open technology. Avoid lock-in; keep optionality as markets and regulations evolve. Postgres® is a frequent choice for new agentic/GenAI applications (30% AI leaders are already building on this).Invest in skills and operating models. Pair platform decisions with local expertise—solution architects, data stewards, SREs—and clear ownership so that sovereignty accelerates delivery rather than slowing it. Building a winning architecture for the next decadeThe next three years could define a generational divide between those who operationalize sovereignty and those who talk about it. The former could achieve speed, scale, and ROI; while the latter could face growing compliance and opportunity gaps.The practical playbook is clear: Unify AI and data, design hybrid first, and preserve architectural choice with open technology.EDB is aligning its technology and ecosystem to that vision with its sovereign, open source–based platform, EDB Postgres AI (EDB PG AI). Through hybrid management and unified observability, enterprises can innovate faster, scale securely, and move new AI applications into production up to three times faster than they can with traditional architectures.A long-term commitment to the Gulf EDB’s effort is ecosystem first, combining EDB’s platform with partners in infrastructure, cloud, and systems integration, while investing in certifications and training to grow regional talent.“We’re investing for the long haul across the Gulf,” said Rafique. “That means ongoing hiring, ecosystem partnerships, and local enablement to help customers move their agentic and GenAI from pilots to production with clear ROI, securely and on their terms.”

QNB Group has been awarded the “Best Data Protection Innovation of the Year 2025” at the 11th Middle East Enterprise AI & Analytics Summit held recently in Doha, for the second consecutive year, which highlights QNB’s advanced use of technology to strengthen data protection and compliance with privacy regulations.The award recognises organisations that demonstrate exceptional innovation in utilising technology to enhance data protection practices. QNB was honoured for its cutting-edge approach to ensuring secure data management, safeguarding customer information, and maintaining the highest international standards of data privacy.The independent jury panel highlighted QNB’s continuous investment in technological advancement and innovation, which has positioned the bank as a regional leader in data governance, privacy and compliance.This recognition reflects QNB Group’s unwavering commitment to protecting its customers’ data and build trust through advanced technologies and robust privacy frameworks. QNB’s data protection strategy forms part of its broader digital transformation roadmap, which emphasises leveraging AI and analytics to deliver secure, efficient, and customer-centric banking experiences.

The dollar drifted higher against its major peers on Thursday as traders waited for the delayed release of US consumer inflation data on Friday, while digesting trade threats between Washington and Beijing. The yen weakened to a one-week low against the dollar as the market awaited details of a big stimulus package from new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, widely viewed as a fiscal and monetary dove. Sterling remained under pressure after British data on Wednesday showed consumer inflation held steady at 3.8% last month, defying economists' estimates for it to accelerate. The US dollar index, which measures the currency against the yen, sterling, euro and three other peers, edged up 0.5% to 98.979. The dollar added 0.17% to 152.21 yen, and earlier touched 152.26 yen for the first time since Oct. 14. Sterling sagged 0.09% to $1.3345. The euro eased 0.06% to $1.1604.

Gold prices edged lower on Thursday, weighed down by a firmer dollar as investors looked forward to key US inflation data later this week for more cues on the interest rate path. Spot gold slipped 0.3% to $4,082.95 per ounce, while US gold futures for December delivery rose 0.8% to $4,097.40 per ounce. Prices have surged about 56% since January, touching an all-time high of $4,381.21 per ounce on Monday. The rally has been driven by a mix of economic uncertainty, expectations of interest rate cuts, and strong buying by central banks across the world. Spot silver fell 0.4% to $48.31 per ounce, extending its decline after reaching record highs earlier this month. Platinum slipped 1.4% to $1,598.65 per ounce, while palladium also dropped 1.4% to $1,438.47 per ounce.

Gold prices extended their decline on Wednesday amid profit-taking following recent record highs, as investors awaited key US inflation data this week for further indications on the Federal Reserve's potential path toward interest rate cuts. Spot gold fell 0.3% to $4,113.54 per ounce, after plunging more than 5% on Tuesday — its sharpest daily drop since August 2020. Meanwhile, US gold futures for December delivery rose 0.5% to $4,129.80 per ounce. Despite the recent correction, gold prices have surged about 56% so far this year, hitting an all-time high of $4,381.21 on Monday. The rally has been driven by heightened geopolitical and economic uncertainty, growing expectations of interest rate reductions, and sustained central bank demand for the yellow metal. Among other precious metals, spot silver fell 0.9% to $48.29 per ounce, platinum dropped 1.1% to $1,534.44, while palladium was steady at $1,406.76 per ounce.