A global artificial intelligence summit kicked off in New Delhi on Monday with big issues on the agenda, from job disruption to child safety, although some attendees warned the broad focus could make concrete commitments from world leaders less likely.

Japanese economic growth fell short of market expectations in late 2025, official data showed Monday, adding to pressure on Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to stimulate activity after her recent election landslide.

After a roller coaster period since the reciprocal US tariff was announced in April last year, the cut from 20 percent to 19 percent is modest but offers some relief. Under the new deal, certain Bangladeshi RMG and textile products made with US cotton and man-made fibres can enter the US duty free, with volumes tied to Bangladesh’s purchases. Turning this window into real export gains will require careful planning.

Dhaka division remained the largest recipient of remittances in December, receiving nearly half of the total inflows, as migrant earnings continued to strengthen foreign currency reserves and support millions of households, according to a report by Bangladesh Bank (BB).

Technical disruptions necessitated the move in the public interest.

Vietnam has granted a licence to Elon Musk’s Starlink to operate its satellite internet services in the communist country, a government agency said.

The introduction of advertisements and sponsored content in chatbots has spawned privacy concerns for AI users as brands scramble to stay relevant in a fast-changing online environment.

The rising number of Vietnamese agricultural and food products obtaining Halal certification creates a great opportunity for domestic goods to penetrate rapidly global Muslim market.

The European Central Bank said Saturday it will expand access to its euro liquidity backstop to central banks worldwide, in a move aimed at boosting the single currency’s global role.

When global manufacturers shifted capacity out of China, Vietnam treated it as an emergency opportunity. Bangladesh, despite the conferences, the panels and decades of ambition, did not just underperform. In plain words, we failed.

As India races to narrow the artificial intelligence gap with the United States and China, it is planning a vast new “data city” to power digital growth on a staggering scale, the man spearheading the project says.

The loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) in agent banking surged to 70.44 percent in the October-December quarter of 2025, indicating a year-on-year increase driven by a gradual rise in credit disbursements in rural areas.

The government has directed the telecom regulator to allocate a majority share of the remaining 700 MHz spectrum to state-owned operator Teletalk Bangladesh, despite the company having more than Tk 5,500 crore in unpaid spectrum fees and other liabilities.

The contribution of imported goods to inflation rose in the October-December quarter of the ongoing fiscal year 2025-26 (FY26), reflecting higher prices of items brought from abroad.

Faruk Hasan lies bedridden in his home, recovering from bypass surgery. The 64-year-old heart patient needs regular medication to stay alive, but he cannot access the money to pay for it. His life savings -- Tk 80 lakh in fixed deposits -- remain frozen at Aviva Finance, a financial institution now on the verge of liquidation.

The stock market finally found its smile. Shares soared on the first trading day after the February 12 national election, lifting the main index to its strongest single-day gain in the past 18 months.

The benchmark DSEX Index rose 131.61 points

Agricultural credit disbursement increased strongly in the early months of fiscal year (FY) 2025-26, but a sharp rise in overdue loans raised concerns over credit recovery.

Gold prices rose more than 2 percent on Friday and were headed for a weekly gain as weaker-than-expected US inflation data reignited hopes for Federal Reserve rate cuts this year, offsetting concerns from stronger-than-expected jobs data earlier in the week.

LafargeHolcim Bangladesh PLC (LHB) has launched a new salinity- and sulphate-resistant cement, branded “Holcim Coastal Guard”, aiming to capture the 30-lakh-tonne market in the country’s south-western and south-eastern coastal regions.