India’s Forex Reserves Jump By Over $2 Billion To 703.3 Billion Amid Iran War

Mumbai: India’s forex reserves jumped by USD 2.362 billion to USD 703.308 billion during the week ended April 17, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said on Friday. In the previous reporting week, the forex kitty had increased by USD 3.825 billion to USD 700.946 billion. The country’s forex reserves had expanded to an all-time […]

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How long can Iran withstand a US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz?

The US naval blockade of Iranian ports and Iran’s subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz has escalated pressure on global energy flows, raising questions about how long Tehran can sustain itself under restricted export conditions. Analysts say Iran’s survival timeline depends on a mix of stored oil, alternative revenues, and political resilience, with some […]

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US sanctions China’s ‘teapot’ refinery for buying Iranian oil

The United States has sanctioned a Chinese oil refinery for buying hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian oil. Ahead of potential new talks on ending the US-Israeli war on Iran, the US Treasury Department on Friday said that it was targeting Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery, China’s second-largest “teapot” or independent refinery. Hengli is […]

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China and Turkmenistan Launch Major Gas Project as Energy Cooperation Surges

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special representative, Ding Xuexiang, stated on Friday that the successful launch of the fourth phase of the Galkynysh gas field will take China-Turkmenistan energy cooperation to a new level. Ding, also Chinese vice premier and a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China […]

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Bangladesh’s new PM faces early setback as Iran war hits stabilization plans

DHAKA: Despite efforts to mitigate supply disruptions, Bangladesh was forced to hike fuel prices on Sunday, as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s economic stabilization plans are facing a setback from the US–Israeli war on Iran. A country of 170 million people, which relies on imports for 95 percent of its energy needs, Bangladesh has been struggling […]

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Russia and Belarus Boost Freight Flows to Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan has recorded a sharp rise in demand for road freight transport in the first quarter of 2026, with shipments from Russia and Belarus leading the surge. Transport requests into Uzbekistan jumped 72% year-on-year and rose 57% compared with the previous quarter. The strongest increase came from Russia, where demand climbed 80%, while requests from […]

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Strait of Hormuz blocked as gaps remain on Iran peace talks

WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD: Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was at a standstill on Sunday after Iran reasserted control over the strategic waterway that is key to global energy supply, days before a fragile ceasefire with the United States was set to expire. Iran’s top negotiator said recent talks with the US had made progress, while President […]

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No real fuel shortage in Bangladesh, crisis artificially created: Energy minister

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood today (19 April) said unscrupulous traders are hoarding and black marketing fuel in different parts of the country, creating an artificial fuel crisis. “An artificial crisis is being created due to panic buying and hoarding,” he said in response to a tabled question from opposition MP […]

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South Korea exports to rise most in nearly 5 years, imports also higher on Mideast conflict: Reuters poll

South Korea’s March exports probably rose at the strongest pace in nearly five years on a boom in chip demand fuelled by artificial intelligence investment, although the Iran war was set to drive up imports and inflation, a Reuters poll showed on Monday. Exports from Asia’s fourth-largest economy, a bellwether for global trade, were projected […]

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India delays US trade talks after Supreme Court rejects Trump tariffs, source says

NEW DELHI: ‌India has delayed plans to send a trade delegation to Washington this week, chiefly because of uncertainty after the US ​Supreme Court struck down tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, a source in its trade ministry said on Sunday. One of the first concrete reactions among Asian nations to the decision, it follows […]

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