Bye-bye, US? Why China’s trade with Africa benefits from Trump’s policy volatility
Africa was China’s fastest growing export market in the first quarter of 2026, up 32.1 per cent year on year to US$60.66 billion, according to customs data, reflecting a continuing shift away from American trade. The growth outpaced other regions of the world, driven by high-value shipments such as machinery and vehicles as well as hi-tech equipment, including solar and battery technology. It continued a trend of Chinese manufacturers turning to the continent to offload excess capacity,...
New record! Apple’s India vendors export $2.5 bn components to China; may reach $3.5 bn
Several Apple suppliers in India contributed to shipments to China, including Foxconn, Tata Electronics, Tata-owned Pegatron Technology India, Motherson, Salcomp, TRIL Bangalore and Yuzhan Technology.
Why investors keep choosing UAE despite regional tensions
Dubai: Capital continues to flow into the UAE despite rising regional tensions, with investors leaning on policy stability, regulatory clarity and long-term economic planning when deciding where to deploy funds.Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.That confidence is visible across asset classes and investor profiles, with institutions, hedge funds, entrepreneurs and technology firms all expanding their presence in the country, even as geopolitical risks remain part of th...
Sigenergy Jumps 100% in Hong Kong Debut After $562 Million IPO
Shares of Sigenergy Technology Co., a Chinese maker of energy storage equipment, jumped in their Hong Kong trading debut Thursday after the company raised HK$4.4 billion ($562 million) in an initial public offering, a sign of investor demand in an industry swept up in a frenzied rally.
Pakistan’s IT exports register 21 percent increase
BusinessPakistanPakistan’s IT exports register 21 percent increaseBy Web Desk-Apr 16, 2026KARACHI: Pakistan’s Information Technology (IT) sector exports saw an increase of 21 percent in March 2026, ARY News reported. According to a report released by the State Bank of Pakistan, the country’s IT sector exports totaled $413 million in March, 13 per cent increase in comparison to previous month of February. Exports increased by 20 percent in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, reachin...
Accel raises $5B to back late-stage bets
Accel announced on Tuesday that it raised $5 billion in fresh capital to back late-stage companies. The venture firm told Bloomberg that $4 billion will go to its late-stage Leaders Fund, for which it hopes to cut at least 20 checks, averaging $200 million each. Accel is looking to invest in companies building AI-powered technology, with a focus on software, hardware, robotics, defense tech, and data center infrastructure.
Bain Capital opens Abu Dhabi office to target regional capital and deals
Dubai: Bain Capital has opened an office in Abu Dhabi Global Market, expanding its presence in the Middle East and strengthening access to regional investors and deal opportunities.Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The office will support capital raising from regional institutions, expansion of portfolio companies in the Gulf and assessment of future direct investments across sectors including aviation, healthcare, digital infrastructure and financial technology.Get u...
Getting the best out of distance learning
Distance learning has, in recent times, become an essential means of ensuring continuity in education. While it can never fully replicate the richness of face-to-face classroom experiences, it has demonstrated that meaningful learning can continue even in challenging circumstances when schools, students, and families work together with commitment and discipline.The effectiveness of distance learning depends not only on technology, but on how seriously it is approached at home. One of the most im...
China’s CATL to invest US$4.4 billion in mining arm to secure EV battery supply chain
Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd (CATL), China’s electric vehicle (EV) battery king, plans to earmark 30 billion yuan (US$4.4 billion) to establish a subsidiary to manage and expand mining assets, after the global energy shock paved the way for a quicker entry into the world’s automotive and energy storage system (ESS) markets. The investment arm, in line with CATL’s long-term growth strategy, would integrate existing mining assets, pursue high-quality mineral projects at home and abroad, and...
Victory Giant Is Said Set to Price Hong Kong Listing at Top of Range
Victory Giant Technology Huizhou Co. is likely to price its Hong Kong listing at the top of the marketed range, according to people familiar with the matter, in a sign of strong demand for the city’s biggest share sale in seven months.
India has a chance to be Asia’s gateway for global capital
The core principle is simple: Do not tax the gateway. Benefits to India will come from the second-order effects — the jobs, the investments, the technology, the capital that flows through GIFT into Asia and the world
Disney to eliminate 1,000 positions
The cuts will fall on the marketing group, which was reorganized in January, and other parts of the company, including its studio and television business, at ESPN, products and technology and certain corporate functions.
SECP grants Buy Now Pay Later licence to Alibaba-owned Koko Tech Pakistan
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) on Tuesday said it had granted a Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) licence to Alibaba-owned Koko Tech Pakistan Pvt. Ltd (KTPL). “The entry of Alibaba-backed KTPL marks a significant milestone for Pakistan’s digital financial ecosystem,” it said in a press release. The press release further stated: “One of the world’s leading e-commerce and technology companies, Alibaba’s move into Pakistan reflects g...
Nava raises $8.3 million in seed funding to keep AI financial agents from going off the rails
The crypto world has been buzzing in recent months about the potential for applying blockchain technology to agentic commerce, a term that describes AI agents undertaking purchases or other economic activity on a user’s behalf. Early innovations include Coinbase’s x402, a standard for AI agents to transact across the web, and Stripe-backed Tempo’s “Machine Payments Protocol.” But for this futuristic technology to actually catch on, humans will need to trust AI agents not to go rogue with their...
Alibaba-backed Buy Now Pay Later firm gets SECP licence
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has granted a licence to Koko Tech Pakistan (Private) Limited (KTPL) to operate a Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) business in Pakistan, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday. KTPL is owned by Alibaba.com Holdings, one of the world’s leading e-commerce and technology companies. The entry of Alibaba-backed KTPL marks a significant milestone for Pakistan’s digital financial ecosystem, reflecting growi...
Revealed: The innocent-looking dog breeds that can turn DEADLY - after a teenager is killed by her 'soft' blue-merle lurcher
Revealed: The innocent–looking dog breeds that can turn DEADLY – after a teenager is killed by her 'soft' blue–merle lurcherREAD MORE: Woman, 19, killed in dog attack after being mauled by 'family pet'By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Published: 09:55, 14 April 2026 | Updated: 10:35, 14 April 2026 e-mail 40 shares
DMCC crosses 26,000 firms as tech overtakes commodities in 2025
Dubai: DMCC added more than 2,300 companies in 2025, bringing its total membership to more than 26,000.Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Growth over the past year was driven by rising demand from global markets and the continued expansion of DMCC’s sector-focused ecosystems, with technology emerging as the largest segment within the district.The latest annual results point to a model that is drawing companies across commodities, finance and digital industries into a s...
Sponsorship revenue for Uefa’s club competitions set to break €1bn barrier
Sponsorship income due to rise by more than 40%Champions League clubs to benefit from the growthUefa is poised to bring in more than €1bn (£870m) a year in commercial revenues from club competitions from next year, with two more global sponsorship deals close to being agreed.Uefa’s commercial arm, UC3, is finalising agreements with an official payments provider and technology partner, which would complete their roster of premium global partners and see sponsorship income rise by more than 40%. S...
China quietly profits from US AI boom despite Washington’s tech curbs: research
China is gaining from America’s trillion-dollar artificial intelligence spending spree despite Washington’s efforts to curb Chinese technology ties, as the US data centre boom ripples through Asian technology supply chains, according to research by Oxford Economics. Roughly US$2 trillion worth of data-centre projects are planned or under way in the US, according to a report by the consultancy, with as much as three-quarters of the cost tied to equipment such as semiconductors and servers. That.....
Saudi proptech Jozo closes $2.2 million seed
Saudi-based Jozo has raised $2.21 million (SAR 8.3 million) in a seed round, led by Sheikh Hamad Bin Saedan Real Estate Co. as a strategic partner. Founded in 2024 by Turki Al-Shlail and Fahad Almansour, Jozo develops solutions that enable the tokenisation of real estate assets, allowing individuals to invest in real estate with much smaller amounts of capital than traditional property buying requires. The funding will support technology development and operational scaling as the c...