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BDL bans fee deduction as banks accused of charging 'fresh accounts'

The Central Bank has issued a circular preventing banks from deducting new fees from bank accounts created prior to October 2019.

The Bank also asked commercial banks to disclose accurate information about the “real cost” and mechanism of any fees imposed on clients, warning that the Central Bank’s Banking Control Commission will oversee the implementation of the circular and will penalize any violating banks.

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Asian markets sink, with Hong Kong down 3% on heavy selling of property stocks

Asian markets declined Tuesday following a mixed session on Wall Street, where buying was pressured by rising bond yields.

U.S. futures fell and oil prices also were lower.

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South Asia growth makes it world's fastest-growing region

South Asia is expected to grow by 5.8% this year, making it the fastest-growing region in the world even as the pace remains below pre-pandemic levels, the World Bank said on Tuesday.

The latest South Asia Development Update from the World Bank projected growth in the region to slow slightly to 5.6% in 2024 and 2025, as post-pandemic rebounds fade and reduced global demand weighs on economic activity.

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Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania reach deal to expedite grain exports

Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania have agreed on a plan they hope will help expedite Ukrainian grain exports, officials said Tuesday, with needy countries beyond Europe potentially benefitting from speedier procedures.

The deal means that grain inspections will shift from the Ukraine-Poland border to a Lithuanian port on the Baltic Sea, according to a statement from the Ukrainian farm ministry.

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Oil-reliant Saudi Arabia revises budget, projects deficit

Saudi Arabia has revised down its budget projections and now expects to record a deficit this year, the finance ministry said, reflecting rising expenditures and falling oil revenue.

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Bank of Japan survey shows manufacturers optimistic about economy

Business sentiment among big Japanese manufacturers improved in July-September for the second straight quarter, according to a central bank survey released Monday.

The Bank of Japan's "tankan" quarterly survey measured business sentiment among major manufacturers at plus 9, up from plus 5 in June.

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UK Treasury chief to hike minimum wage while inflation stays high

Britain's Treasury chief is to announce a hike in the national minimum wage on Monday, as the governing Conservative Party tries to persuade voters it is on the side of those who are struggling financially.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt has ruled out tax cuts, saying they would fuel inflation.

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World shares mostly lower as Congress averts US govt. shutdown

Shares were mostly lower in Europe and Asia on Monday even after the U.S. Congress averted a U.S. government shutdown with a last-minute compromise.

Markets in China are closed for a weeklong holiday. Markets in India and South Korea also were closed.

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Finance committee accuses govt. of 'illegally' spending from SDRs

The Finance and Budget Parliamentary Committee convened Monday to discuss the legality of the government's spendings from the $1.139 billion in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) disbursed by the International Monetary Fund.

The committee's head, MP Ibrahim Kanaan, said after the meeting that the committee has decided to refer the SDR file to the Audit Bureau, accusing the government of spending illegally from the SDR without the parliament's approval and supervision.

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UAE holds annual oil and gas conference ahead of Dubai UN COP28 climate talks

The Emirati president-designate of the upcoming United Nations COP28 climate talks called on oil and gas companies on Monday to be "central to the solution" to fighting climate change, even as the industry boosts its production to enjoy rising global energy prices.

The call by Sultan al-Jaber highlights the gap between climate activists suspicious of his industry ties and his calls to drastically slash the world's emissions by nearly half in seven years to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared with pre-industrial times.

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