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Big banks in Britain are preparing for any future escalation of Western sanctions on China and have shared their "scenario planning" with the British and U.S. governments, a senior banking official has told Reuters. The project involves sharing lessons learned from other sanctions frameworks, including those on Russia, and discussions about the effect any measures imposed on China might have, Neil Whiley, director of sanctions at lobby group UK Finance, said.
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Palestinian militant group Hamas uses a global financing network to funnel support from charities and friendly nations, passing cash through Gaza tunnels or using cryptocurrencies to bypass international sanctions, according to experts and officials, Reuters reported. However, Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, will face even more obstacles accessing funds after the rampage by the group's gunmen that killed hundreds of Israelis, mainly civilians. Israel has responded with the heaviest bombardment of Gaza in 75 years of conflict.
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Mexico’s central bank is open to starting interest rate cuts in mid-2024, later than analysts expect, as a strong local economy complicates its inflation fight, a prominent board member said in an interview, Bloomberg News reported. Analysts are correct in penciling in the start of Banco de Mexico’s monetary easing no earlier than the first quarter of 2024, Jonathan Heath said in an interview on Friday.
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Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said the inflation rate remains too high but there are clear signs that aggressive interest-rate hikes are reducing demand, Bloomberg News reported. Policymakers remain concerned that they aren’t seeing “downward momentum” in core inflation measures, Macklem told reporters Friday, adding that his governing council is focused on analyzing how a slowing economy will influence price pressures in the future.
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Lackluster inflation and declining trade numbers in China have stoked concerns that the world’s second-largest economy is still on shaky footing, despite recent signs of stabilization, the Wall Street Journal reported. Consumer prices unexpectedly flatlined in September after rebounding in August, pointing to weak demand and suggesting only a limited effect from Beijing’s recent efforts to put a floor under the economy. Outbound shipments also continued to contract last month, though at a less steep pace than August, according to official data released on Friday.
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KKR & Co. is set to submit a binding offer for Telecom Italia SpA’s phone network, in what promises to be a game-changing deal for the ex-monopolist looking to slash its massive debt pile, Bloomberg News reported. Telecom Italia expects the final bid from the US private equity firm, following months of negotiations, by the end of this weekend at the latest, the people said, in line with a company deadline. KKR has valued the grid at as much as €23 billion ($24 billion).
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Crypto exchanges in Australia will soon be required to hold a financial-services license issued by the markets regulator as the country seeks to support the growth of digital assets while protecting consumers, Bloomberg News reported. A government proposal that builds on existing laws will mean digital-asset platforms that hold more than A$5 million ($3.2 million), or A$1,500 for an individual, must get a permit from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission or ASIC, according to a Treasury department document Monday.
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Grounded Indian airline Go First has received an expression of interest (EoI) from Jindal Power Ltd, two banking sources and two people aware of the development told Reuters. An EoI is the first step in the bidding process and may not result in a financial bid. "Jindal Power was the sole successful applicant whose expression of interest was accepted by banks," said a banker with a state-run bank that has exposure to Go First.
Irish broadcaster RTÉ will be insolvent by next spring if it does not receive proper funding, its director general has said, BBC.com reported. Kevin Bakhurst made the claim at a hearing of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament) Public Affairs Committee on Thursday. He and other RTÉ officials are answering questions over a payments scandal that has plagued the public broadcaster since June. Mr Bakhurst said the organisation was managing its cash "as carefully as we can" to prevent this.
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The largest private Chinese property developer still standing is likely to be on its knees soon, the Wall Street Journal reported.That in itself won’t be enough to spark a broader Chinese debt crisis. But it could certainly undermine Beijing’s halting attempts to put a floor under the housing market. Mounting damage to banks’ balance sheets from the property meltdown could also make stabilizing other parts of the economy more difficult.