Import-stage income tax credits to be auto-reflected in e-returns

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has introduced an automated system that allows advance income tax (AIT) paid at the import stage to be directly credited to taxpayers’ electronic returns.
19 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Supreme Court tests limits of Trump’s power over the economy

The US Supreme Court signaled four months into Donald Trump’s second presidential term last year its interest in shielding the Federal Reserve from political interference. When the justices on Wednesday consider the legality of his bid to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook, their willingness to preserve the US central bank’s independence will be ​put to the test.
19 January 2026, 00:00 AM

UCB hosts ‘Cashless Bangladesh Initiative’ programme in Kushtia

United Commercial Bank PLC (UCB) yesterday organised a daylong programme, titled “Cashless Bangladesh Initiative”, in Kushtia under an initiative of Bangladesh Bank to promote a cashless financial system.
19 January 2026, 00:00 AM

India slaps $2.45m fine on IndiGo

India’s civil aviation regulator on Saturday imposed a fine of $2.45 million on IndiGo, the country’s biggest airline, for poor roster planning that led to large-scale flight cancellations in December.
19 January 2026, 00:00 AM

AI bull case gets its biggest booster

It is telling that the head of the world’s most important chipmaker had to talk to his “customers’ customers” to make sure demand for artificial intelligence is, in fact, real. But the $1.4 trillion Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing’s chief executive has done just that to justify a huge increase in capital expenditure for the current year. It’s just the type of validation AI bulls have been waiting for.
19 January 2026, 00:00 AM

American CEOs push back on Trump

Speaking before a darkened ballroom on Thursday, US Chamber of Commerce CEO Suzanne Clark called on executives to be “fearless” in defense of free markets over government control and said the US must remain “open to the world, open to the global exchange of talent and goods and ideas and innovation.”
19 January 2026, 00:00 AM

New mechanised irrigation promises less water, labour

Not all crops require flood irrigation, and using it on wheat, corn, onions, garlic, sugarcane, and other winter crops causes water wastage and may even harm the crop itself. To address this, the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) is testing a centre-pivot irrigation system to deliver water precisely to maintain optimal soil moisture.
19 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Supreme Court tests limits of Trump's power over the economy in fight over Fed's Lisa Cook

The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, heard arguments in November concerning Trump's sweeping global tariffs
18 January 2026, 17:23 PM

Vietnam breaks ground on first domestic chip manufacturing plant

The project is undertaken by the military-run Viettel Group
18 January 2026, 14:51 PM

Trump administration touts push to lower car prices, de-emphasise EVs

The administration has aggressively rolled back electric vehicle rules from former President Joe Biden's administration
18 January 2026, 12:38 PM

American CEOs push back on Trump ... mildly

This month, several CEOs have offered temperate critiques of certain Trump agenda items
18 January 2026, 12:27 PM

Netflix, Warner Bros bonds among $100m bought by Trump

US President Donald Trump purchased about $100 million in municipal and corporate bonds from mid-November to late December, his latest disclosures showed, including up to $2 million in Netflix and Warner Bros Discovery bonds just weeks after the companies announced their merger.
18 January 2026, 00:00 AM

US Fed official says bank should be ready to cut rates

A key US Federal Reserve official said Friday that central bank policymakers should be ready to lower interest rates further, citing “fragility” in the jobs market.
18 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Copper’s surge offers false hope for miners

Mining bosses like BHP’s Mike Henry should, in theory, be digging right now. Copper prices have surged 50 percent over the past year,
18 January 2026, 00:00 AM

China, Canada reach ‘landmark’ deal on tariffs, visas

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on a raft of measures from trade to tourism on Friday at the first meeting between the countries’ leaders in Beijing in eight years.
18 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Oil prices settle up as US begins holiday weekend

Oil prices settled higher on Friday as some investors covered short positions ahead of the three-day Martin Luther King holiday weekend in the US and lingering worries about a possible US military strike against Iran.
18 January 2026, 00:00 AM

OpenAI introducing ads to ChatGPT

OpenAI announced Friday it will begin testing advertisements on ChatGPT in the coming weeks, as the wildly popular artificial intelligence chatbot seeks to increase revenue to cover its soaring costs.
18 January 2026, 00:00 AM

US dollar gains

The dollar gained on Friday after US President Donald Trump praised economic adviser Kevin Hassett at ​a White House event and said he may want to keep him in his current role, prompting speculation he is less likely ‌to be named as chair of the Federal Reserve.
18 January 2026, 00:00 AM

Gold falls over 1%

Gold fell more than 1 percent on Friday as investors booked profits after recent record highs, while signs of easing geopolitical tensions further dampened the metal’s safe-haven appeal.
18 January 2026, 00:00 AM

India looks to finalise ‘mother of all deals’ with EU

A trade deal between India and the European Union will be the “mother of all deals”, Delhi’s Commerce Minister said on Friday, as both sides seek to overcome the final sticking points.
18 January 2026, 00:00 AM