Headlines

A consortium of Indian banks, led by State Bank of India, on Wednesday (April 9, 2025) won their court appeal in London to uphold a bankruptcy order against Vijay Mallya in a long-standing legal battle seeking repayment of a judgment debt owed by his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, TheHindu.com reported. High Court judge Anthony Mann ruled in favour of the banks to allow an appeal heard in February, while refusing two applications seeking permission to appeal filed by the 69-year-old businessman, declared a fugitive and wanted for fraud and money laundering charges in India.

E.U. officials ​announced on Thursday that they would delay their plans for retaliatory tariffs after President Trump’s abrupt decision to hit pause on some of the levies he had placed on Europe and much of the rest of the world, the New York Times reported. Mr. Trump’s announcement, a day before, had signaled what European leaders were hoping for: a possible willingness to negotiate. Washington’s pivot came just hours after European officials had approved retaliatory levies of 10 to 25 percent on about $23 billion of U.S. imports. But given the American shift in stance, E.U.

China's consumer prices fell for the second straight month in March while factory-gate deflation worsened, as an escalating U.S. trade war heightened worries about mounting piles of unsold exports that could drive domestic prices even lower, Reuters reported. The world's second-largest economy has gotten off to a bumpy start this year. A nascent pick-up in retail sales and robust expansion in factory activity have been offset by rising unemployment and deflationary pressures, fueling calls for more stimulus.

Australia has swiftly turned down China's offer to "join hands" against Donald Trump's tariffs, as Washington escalates its trade war with Beijing, BBC.com reported. The White House recently imposed an import tax of 10% on Australian goods, but for China - Australia's biggest trading partner - raised tariffs to 125%. China's ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian argued joint resistance is "the only way" to stop the "hegemonic and bullying behaviour of the US", appealing for Canberra's cooperation in an opinion piece on Thursday.

The Philippine central bank cut its policy rate Thursday as widely expected, against a backdrop of cooling inflation at home and trade turmoil abroad, the Wall Street Journal reported. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas lowered its benchmark overnight reverse repurchase rate to 5.50%, Gov. Eli Remolona said. The central bank also reduced its benchmark lending rate to 6.00%. The decision had been expected by most economists, with recent Philippine inflation data cementing the case for a cut. Risks from new U.S. tariffs strengthened that argument.

The 25 percent tariff Canada began collecting on cars and trucks imported from the United States early Wednesday is not just the country’s latest act of retaliation against tariffs imposed by President Trump on Canadian exports, the New York Times reported. The estimated 8 billion Canadian dollars a year, about $5.7 billion, that those levies are expected to generate will also bankroll help for companies and workers now under economic threat from the United States. With no obvious or immediate end in sight to Mr.

South Africa is considering offering additional incentives to automakers to help cushion the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on cars, Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau said on Thursday, Reuters reported. "What we're currently considering is the possibility of expanding the automotive industry production plan so that we're able to mitigate the impact in our industry," Tau said in an interview with radio broadcaster Power FM.

Italy is seeking 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) from fintech group ION following a probe by prosecutors in the northern city of Bologna into alleged tax evasion over the 2013-2023 period, Reuters reported. The investigation adds to a string of tax evasion cases in Italy targeting U.S. tech companies, which are also at the centre of a wider EU response to the trade war sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs.

U.S. lawmakers have introduced legislation that could block International Monetary Fund support for some Central African countries, in an effort to guard billions of dollars that oil companies must set aside for environmental restoration, Reuters reported. The bill highlights a standoff between foreign investors on one side and Central African monetary authorities trying to enforce tighter capital controls on extractive industries to shore up depleted reserves on the other. Introduced by U.S.

Vietnamese budget carrier Vietjet said on Thursday it has signed an agreement worth $300 million with AV AirFinance, a partner of investment fund KKR, to fund the expansion of its fleet. Thursday’s announcement confirmed a Reuters report last week on the finance deal done between Vietjet and AV AirFinance during a visit to the U.S. by Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc for reciprocal tariff negotiation. The deal value was initially reported at $200 million. The agreement with AV AirFinance is the latest in a string of financing agreements worth $4 billion that have been signed with U.S.