Author: Jordan

KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 — Several lawmakers on both sides of the divide have endorsed a suggestion by CodeBlue for legislative amendments to require parliamentary approval or oversight of federal spending cuts. In a poll of eight MPs and a senator, all except one MP supported the principle of mandating the government to present proposed spending cuts to Parliament, instead of the current situation where the Ministry of Finance (MOF) has unilateral power to reduce or divert allocations between ministries without disclosure to the House. The parliamentarians simply differed in their preferred mechanism – such as either tabling bills for…

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In a winner-take-most market, firms typically want to be the ones winning and taking the most. Stable coins are shaping up to be exactly that kind of market. On Wednesday (July 1), Payward, the parent company behind the crypto platform Kraken, completed its acquisition of Reap in a deal valued at up to $600 million, adding stablecoin-native card issuing, embedded payments, cross-border money movement and treasury-management infrastructure to Payward Services. Reap will continue to operate as a standalone brand within Payward, retaining its leadership team and go-to-market approach, according to a company press release. The deal works because Payward can…

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“I’m proud to say Equitable is answering the call to serve in ways that are making a difference to [Canadians], to liquidity in the economy, and to our shareholders,” Equitable President and CEO Andrew Moor said in the company’s recent revenue announcement. “These very positive results illustrate that Canadians are rethinking their banking habits and choosing Canada’s Challenger Bank for a better experience.” Liquid assets stood at $2.8 billion, or 9.1% of total assets as of Sept. 30. This was double the $1.4 billion (5.2% of assets) seen during the same time last year. Deposits amounted to $16.4 billion, up…

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Open Audio Article Player   City of Virginia employees Tom Ford, pictured in the loonar shadow at the stern of the boat, and Nate Schuchard prepare to tow the iconic fiberglass loon to its summer home on Silver Lake in Virginia on Monday, June 22. They enjoy the annual outing, though working their way through the thick growth of plants at the boat launch was a little tricky. The pilot’s skill and the 9.9 horsepower Johnson motor did eventually prevail, and the world’s largest floating loon is back on the lake for its 44th summer. Photo by Janna Goerdt. Source…

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June’s wave of share buybacks by SMIDs reflects boards’ thinking that valuations have overcorrected: UOBKH[SINGAPORE] Interest in Singapore’s small and mid-cap (SMID) stocks is showing signs of revival, but as the market returns to this space ahead of the earnings season, some analysts are suggesting that investors look beyond the heavily chased technology sector.Turnover growth in the SMID segment – generally listcos with between S$100 million and S$10 billion in market capitalisation – outpaced market returns in the first half of 2026, said an update by the Singapore Exchange (SGX) on Wednesday (Jul 1).The 240 SMID stocks generated S$696 million…

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Construction has started on The Abbotsford development at Bowen Hills in Brisbane with two towers positioned around a restored heritage home. Cintra Property director Peter Tan said it was where Brisbane’s best lifestyle met timeless design, embracing the past and shaping the future. “In a time when growth and progress often come at the expense of character, The Abbotsford offers a different vision for the future,” he said. The Abbotsford, Bowen Hills, will include a pool. “At its heart is the carefully restored 152-year-old Abbotsford House, a significant piece of Brisbane’s architectural heritage thoughtfully integrated into the development as an…

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As Indian travellers become increasingly digital-first in their spending behaviour, the way they pay overseas is evolving rapidly. While rewards programmes have become commonplace in India’s payments ecosystem, benefits linked to international prepaid forex card spends remain limited. Addressing this gap, Thomas Cook (India) Limited has introduced an industry-first cross-border rewards programme for customers using its forex cards, rewarding international spends on leading global brands. Under the programme, Thomas Cook’s Forex Cards customers will now enjoy 10% rewards-back on POS, contactless and e-commerce spends across leading brands including Grab, 7-Eleven, Starbucks, McDonald’s, KFC, Careem and Burger King. Applicable on a…

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Designated Finance Minister Miguel Gomez will begin a working agenda in Washington with representatives of international banks and multilateral financial institutions. Credit: X: @CESA_edu More than a month before his inauguration, and just as the transition process with the government of President Gustavo Petro has begun, President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella has already assigned a mission to his designated Finance Minister, Miguel Gomez. The future head of the economic portfolio will travel to the United States to seek the refinancing of Colombia’s public debt. De la Espriella believes that the country’s net public debt is at historically high levels, and…

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