Korea’s market plunge is just the start of Asia’s Iran pain
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Newest first · UTC+11:00Takeaways from Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s government work report
Li raises the curtain on the annual session of the National People’s Congress with a series of targets for the economy
· Laura Zhou
Hong Kong unveils incentives to attract gold refiners and boost global hub plan
Targeted measures, tax incentives and cross-border partnerships aim to bolster city’s role as a global gold trading and refining hub
· Kevin Li
Govt. to provide vouchers, financial aid to SMEs with Middle East exports
Emergency export vouchers and financial aid packages will be provided to small and medium-sized enterprises with exports to the Middle East starting next week to minimize damage stemming from an ongoing regional crisis, the industry ministry said Thursday.
· Yonhap
Chevron warns of economic collapse in California under Gavin Newsom in doomsday letter
California will face economic collapse under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “misguided” climate policy — with crippling job losses and sky-high gas prices, Chevron warned in a doomsday letter to the lefty governor on Wednesday.
· Anthony Blair
Trump sends Fed chair Warsh nomination to Senate
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday officially nominated former Federal Reserve Gov. Kevin Warsh to be the US central bank's next chair, the White House said, putting the president one step closer to installing a rate-cut-friendly Fed chief.
· Reuters
China's economic growth target dips to 4.5% in uncertain times
Chinese Premier Li Qiang speaks during opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Asian shares soar after a rebound on Wall Street
Financial information is displayed on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
$100K reward offered after truck full of Tucker Carlson’s nicotine pouches hijacked in SoCal
Ex-Fox News host Tucker Carlson took a major hit last week when a multimillion-dollar load of his ALP nicotine pouches vanished in a hijacking in Los Angeles. Now he’s offering a financial windfall to whoever tracks them down or the people responsible.
· Nina Joudeh
Elon Musk discusses past tweets, bots as he testifies at Twitter shareholder trial
Elon Musk took the stand in a shareholder trial on Wednesday in San Francisco, where he’s accused of making false and misleading statements that drove down Twitter’s stock price before he bought the social media platform for $44 billion in 2022.
· Associated Press
Hamptons home tied to a diamond-dealing heir asks $45M — one of the area’s first major listings of 2026
An oceanfront Hamptons home owned by the estate of the late Belgian-Armenian diamond-dealing heir Ara Arslanian has hit the market for a cool $45 million.
· Jennifer Gould
How major US stock indexes fared Wednesday, 3/4/2026
The U.S. stock market rebounded after oil prices stopped spiking and reports gave encouraging updates on the economy.
· The Associated Press
Why Wall Street isn’t panicking over the Iran war — yet
The market gyrations over the Iran conflict are starting to feel a bit like “Liberation Day” – and that could be a good thing.
· Charles Gasparino
Elon Musk takes witness stand in trial over Twitter takeover
Twitter investors allege the billionaire publicly derided the social network to sink its stock price and buy it at a bargain
· Dara Kerr
Türkiye has entered Israel’s threat narrative. What’s next?
By Farhad Ibragimov – lecturer at the Faculty of Economics at RUDN University, visiting lecturer at the Institute of Social Sciences of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration
· RT
Africa emerges as new arena in US-China competition over artificial intelligence
With a fast-growing digital economy and young population, the continent is becoming a critical front in the global race to shape AI’s future
· Lucy Quaggin
Ceylinco Life posts Rs. 44.18 Bn. income - DailyNews
Ceylinco Life has recorded its 22 nd consecutive year of market leadership in Sri Lanka’s life insurance industry, posting gross written premium income of Rs. 44.18 billion for the year ending December 31, 2025, achieving strong growth of 18.96 per cent.
· Gayan Abeykoon
Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority to regulate MFIs - DailyNews
Labour Minister and Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando told Parliament yesterday that an independent body, the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority, will be established to license and supervise the previously under-regulated microfinance and moneylending sector, aiming to protect…
· Gayan Abeykoon
Digital ID and the new “Data State” - DailyNews
A decade ago, “identity card” in Sri Lanka meant a laminated card tucked behind a driving licence in the wallet, shown at a bank counter or Government desk. In early 2026, it is starting to look more like infrastructure that is a system sitting quietly behind daily life, opening doors to services, enabling payments,…
· Gayan Abeykoon
President leads high-level discussion to study potential impact of war on SL’s economy - DailyNews
A discussion was held yesterday (04) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to examine the potential impact of the current war situation in the Middle East on Sri Lanka’s economy and to identify the urgent measures required to manage it effectively.
· Gayan Abeykoon
ComBank honoured as leader in sustainability reporting at ACCA Awards - DailyNews
Recognising Commercial Bank’s unwavering commitment to and strategic focus on building a sustainable future, the Bank has been named the Gold Award winner in the Banking Category and the Overall Runner-Up across all categories at the ACCA Sri Lanka Sustainability Reporting Awards 2025, in a significant endorsement o…
· Gayan Abeykoon
People’s Bank introduces digital payment ecosystem at University of Vavuniya - DailyNews
People’s Bank has partnered with the University of Vavuniya to introduce a fully digital payment and collection system, marking a significant step in advancing Sri Lanka’s digital economy by eliminating manual cash handling.
· Gayan Abeykoon
DFCC Bank’s Blue Bond admitted to NSE International Exchange - DailyNews
DFCC Bank PLC (DFCC Bank) has completed the supplementary international listing of Sri Lanka’s first-ever Blue Bond on the NSE International Exchange (NSEIX) at GIFT City, India, becoming the first Blue Bond from Sri Lanka to be listed internationally and the first Blue Bond to be admitted on NSEIX.
· Gayan Abeykoon
Shares - Colombo Stock Exchange ( Market Statistics on 04.03.2026 ) - DailyNews
Sri Lanka’s most Trusted and Innovative media services provider
· Gayan Abeykoon
Bargain hunting lifts ASPI, following record 1,291-points plunge - DailyNews
Following yesterday’s 1,291 points plunge in the market, triggered by the outbreak of the Iran–Israel conflict that led to panic selling and a temporary trading halt, the Colombo Bourse recorded modest gains yesterday,
· Gayan Abeykoon
Wealth adviser used $5M swindled from NBA stars to pay his lover, build backyard gym: prosecutors
A former Morgan Stanley financial adviser was convicted of federal fraud charges for cheating three NBA stars out of $5 million — using some of the money to built a state-of-the-art gym in his backyard.
· Jorge Fitz-Gibbon
US stocks rebound after strong economic updates and an easing of oil prices
NEW YORK — The US stock market is rebounding Wednesday from two days of punishing swings after oil prices stopped spiking and reports gave encouraging updates on the economy.
· Associated Press
ASX set to jump as Wall Street rebounds; Oil steadies
The US stock market is rebounding from two days of punishing swings after oil prices stopped spiking and reports gave encouraging updates on the economy.
· Stan Choe
Marijuana tax payouts dip in Michigan amid sales slump
Cannabis plants are grown in a Jackson, Mich., facility on March 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)
· Janelle D James Bridge Michigan
Citi banker suing for sexual harassment slams firm’s investigation unit as ‘internal hit squad’
A Citigroup executive suing the bank for sexual harassment has slammed the Jane Fraser-led lender’s investigations unit as “HR’s internal hit squad,” according to a report.
· James Franey
How property investors piled into Australia’s housing market
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· Alice Uribe
‘Serious injuries’: 67 per cent rise in children hurt by e-scooters in just one year
Children aged 10 to 14 made up half of the almost 500 kids treated in Victorian hospitals with electric scooter injuries last financial year, despite under-16s being excluded from highly publicised e-scooter trials and, more recently, banned from the mode of transport altogether.
· Broede Carmody
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon surprised by ‘benign’ market reaction to Iran war
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said he was surprised at markets’ response to the escalating Iran war, calling the dip in stocks “more benign” than he expected as the conflict entered its fifth day.
· James Franey
European Commission proposes ‘Buy EU’ plan to compete against China
Plan, which aims to preserve jobs in clean tech and low-carbon sectors, could include UK if there is reciprocal market access
· Jennifer Rankin
Brazilian Supreme Court orders arrest of former head of Banco Master in fraud probe
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A Brazilian Supreme Court Justice ordered the arrest of Daniel Vorcaro, the former head of a bank worth up to $16 billion in assets, in a new phase of a sprawling investigation into a fraud involving billions of reais.
· El Onore Hughes
Marcos open to studying 4-day workweek proposal, says Palace*
MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is open to studying the proposed four-day workweek as a mitigating measure should oil prices in the world market continue to surge and hostilities in the Middle East take longer to resolve.
· Catherine S. Valente
Forty nations meet in The Hague to discuss measures against Israel’s West Bank annexation
Forty countries gathered in The Hague on Wednesday to discuss coordinated measures aimed at enforcing international law in Palestine, as governments warn that Israel’s expanding settlement activity in the occupied West Bank amounts to de facto annexation.
· Middleeasteye
The top 5 states leading the ‘two-speed’ housing market
As home shoppers head into the spring buying season, where they live will dictate the median home prices they’ll see.
· Realtor.com
One-month lows hit by stock market, peso
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· The Manila Times
Oil tanker traffic through Strait of Hormuz plummets by 90 percent: Report
Oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has plummeted by 90 percent since Israel and the US launched their five-day onslaught on Iran, energy market intelligence firm Kpler reported.
· Middleeasteye
Pakistan’s forever war and the politics of exhaustion
What Pakistan needs is not war with Afghanistan but urgent efforts to fix its economy, security and divided society after disruptive decades
· Jawad Khalid
Hong Kong tycoons downplay impact of Middle East war on city’s fortunes
New World scion Adrian Cheng highlights city’s status as safe haven for capital; K Wah’s Francis Lui says property and stock markets holding firm
· Matthew Cheng
Labor says Australia won’t run out of fuel due to the Iran conflict. So how much do we have and how long will it last?
The amount of crude oil being refined locally has dwindled in recent years – but officials say Australia’s strategic reserve means there’s no need to worry
· Patrick Commins
China vows to boost economy, adhere to principles ahead of ‘two sessions’ and Trump visit
Beijing sees self-reliant tech growth as vital to innovation, spokesman for top legislature says, noting country will safeguard ‘red lines’
· Vanessa Cai
Trump’s new tariffs may boost his ego – but they’ll damage the economy | Steven Greenhouse
The US president’s plan will hurt consumers, companies and the stock market, as well as relations with other countries
· Steven Greenhouse
AI-Powered Growth Lifts Newborn Town's 2025 Net Profit Attributable to Owners by Over 87% YoY
HONG KONG, March 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Newborn Town Inc. (Newborn Town or the company, stock code: 09911.HK), a leading global social entertainment company, issued a positive profit alert for the year ended December 31, 2025, reporting solid revenue growth and a significant increase in profits.
· PRNEWSWIRE
More Hongkongers leave money in MPF pension plan to capitalise on market rally
Withdrawals by people leaving the city or retiring dropped last quarter, indicating expectations of greater gains, analysts say
· Enoch Yiu
Huawei Elevates Financial AI Solutions to Power Digital and Intelligent Transformation in Global Finance
BARCELONA, Spain, March 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- During MWC Barcelona 2026, Huawei hosted the finance session themed "Powering Resilient Intelligence, Co-creating Finance Future". At the event, Huawei announced a comprehensive upgrade of its Banking AI and Foundation Model Solutions, elevating core capabilities in Sc…
· PRNEWSWIRE