Sri Lanka will increase electricity rates by up to 18 percent from Monday to offset the additional costs of generating power using thermal plants due to the Middle East war, the Public Utilities Commission said.

How big is the jet fuel threat to Europe’s summer holidays? The EU says it is not facing shortages yet, but it is readying for the worst -- and weighing options including using US kerosene as a back-up.

China was ranked as an upper-middle income economy with 2024 per capita gross national income at $13,660

Consumers using more than 180 units (kilowatt hours) of electricity a month will have to pay an additional 18 percent from Monday

Pakistan Finance Minister Aurangzeb says economy was showing signs of recovery, including rising exports and remittances, despite the war in Iran

Brent crude futures jumped as much as 3 percent on Friday, a ​day after the US and Iran traded air strikes, but pared gains as traders hoped for a ‌longer pause in the fighting that has shut shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Trump administration on Friday appealed ​a court ruling that found a 10 percent global tariff imposed in February was not ‌justified under a 1970s trade law.

US employment rose more than expected in April, alleviating some concerns about the health of the world’s largest economy even as one measure of consumer confidence came in at its lowest-ever level.

Warns an economist as Bangladesh still faces high trade costs, long cargo waiting times

The chamber called for an integrated and efficient logistics ecosystem to support trade and investment

Exports from the manufacturing powerhouse were up 14.1 percent in April

US consumer confidence, however, was an all-time low according to a University of Michigan survey

While European bourses retreated, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq indices both pushed to fresh records on solid US jobs numbers

India is planning to raise spending on its key scheme designed to refund local taxes paid on export goods and extend the programme’s tenure by five years, two government officials said, as the Middle East war clouds the county’s trade outlook.

Robi Axiata posted a sharp rise in profit in the first quarter of 2026, as AI-driven personalised offers and disciplined cost management cushioned the impact of adverse economic conditions.

While prices for crude oil futures have surged and slumped in line with the latest headlines about the war between the United States and Iran, the impact of the crisis in physical markets for refined fuels has been worsening.

Trump vowed last week to raise duties on EU cars and trucks to 25 percent, accusing the bloc of failing to comply with the deal

Brent crude futures were up 78 cents, or 0.8%, at $102.05 a barrel

The dollar fell against most major currencies on Wednesday after the US signalled it may be nearing a deal with Iran, while the Japanese yen suddenly jumped to a more than two-month high as markets braced for ​another round of official buying from Tokyo.

Vacuum cleaners and vapes could get more expensive if the Iran war drags on for much longer, Chinese factory owners and traders warn, as the world’s manufacturing hub reels from “crazy” costs.