Author: Jordan

Gold (XAU) and silver (XAG) prices turned positive after optimism of a US-Iran peace deal that pushed the US dollar lower. The two sides could sign an agreement as early as the weekend, President Donald Trump said. This agreement could help to ease the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and ease some of the tension in energy markets. But gold also had solid demand as XAU/USD jumped 3.42% to approach $4,220 on Thursday. The drop in U.S. dollar also supported the rally in gold and silver prices. The index was down to 99.58 which pushed the spot gold to…

Britain’s economy contracted last month for the first time in eight months amid signs that the Iran war is beginning to take its toll on some sectors. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said gross domestic product (GDP) declined by 0.1% in April in a sharp pull back from growth of 0.3% in March and 0.4% in February. The decline was driven by a 0.2% fall in services, which was partially offset by a 0.1% rise in construction and 0.4% growth in manufacturing. In the three months to April, GDP grew by 0.7%, according to the ONS. Liz McKeown, ONS…

The Mortgage Works is from tomorrow (Wednesday 29 April) cutting rates for existing customers by up to 0.20 percentage points across its buy-to-let and Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) ranges. In addition, selected two and five-year fixed rate products up to 75 per cent Loan-to-Value (LTV) for new customers will be reduced by up to 0.10% across the limited company buy-to-let range. The existing customer switcher rate cuts tomorrow include: Two-year fixed rate buy-to-let mortgage at 3.59% (reduced by 0.20%) with a 3% fee, available up to 65% LTV. Two-year fixed rate buy-to-let mortgage at 4.77% (reduced by 0.12%) with…

India’s largest non-state bank HDFC has alerted its customers to refrain from swiping credit, debit and forex cards to buy stocks, float companies and own properties abroad.In recent times, many resident individuals, banking with various financial institutions, have used cards to carry out such international capital account transactions — oblivious that they were violating foreign exchange and banking rules. Some probably did it consciously to dodge the tax collected at source (TCS) or sidestep restrictions on overseas forex remittance.The bank, in a customer mailer this week, has unambiguously stated that “as per regulatory guidelines capital account transactions outside India are…

Dense skyscrapers crowd the skyline in Central, Hong Kong on Sept 15, 2025. (ANDY CHONG / CHINA DAILY)The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government is ramping up efforts to transform Hong Kong into a regional hub for gold and commodity trading, deploying a mix of tax incentives, land allocations, and infrastructure expansions to attract global market players.The Transport and Logistics Bureau will introduce an amendment bill later this month to offer 50 percent tax concessions to eligible commodity traders.Under Secretary for Transport and Logistics Liu Chun-san said at a Legislative Council meeting on Thursday that the incentive aims to encourage…

Find winning stocks in any market cycle. Join 7 million investors using Simply Wall St’s investing ideas for FREE. Air France-KLM (ENXTPA:AF) is exploring potential collaboration with Castlelake on a bid for easyJet Group, signaling interest in a major European airline combination. The company is also addressing operational exposure to geopolitical tensions around Iran, including related fuel market challenges. Comments from Air France-KLM’s leadership highlight how these developments could shape its route planning, partnership approach, and cost management. For investors, ENXTPA:AF sits at the crossroads of European network aviation, low cost competition, and evolving airline partnerships. Any role in a…

SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama surely knew he was overstating the obvious Wednesday night, when he pointed out that there are two possible outcomes Saturday in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.Option A: The Spurs win at home to extend the best-of-seven series.Option B: The New York Knicks win and become NBA champions.That’s it. It’s one or the other.After 1,321 games — 1,230 in the regular season, 84 in the playoffs, six more in the play-in tournament and one between the Knicks and the Spurs that decided the in-season NBA Cup tournament — it really is…

As global markets navigate a complex landscape marked by technology sector volatility and economic resilience, Asia’s tech industry continues to capture investor attention with its potential for high growth amidst uneven economic recoveries. In this environment, identifying strong stocks often involves looking for companies that demonstrate robust innovation capabilities and adaptability to shifting market dynamics, particularly in sectors like artificial intelligence where commercialization efforts are gaining momentum.Top 10 High Growth Tech Companies In AsiaNameRevenue GrowthEarnings GrowthGrowth RatingShengyi Electronics27.53%32.56%★★★★★★Gold Circuit Electronics36.81%38.20%★★★★★★Fositek29.08%37.44%★★★★★★Zhongji Innolight43.50%46.32%★★★★★★Eoptolink Technology40.03%41.52%★★★★★★Suzhou TFC Optical Communication39.49%38.23%★★★★★★Mobvista22.88%41.07%★★★★★★eWeLLLtd21.01%20.06%★★★★★★Unimicron Technology29.46%54.03%★★★★★★CARsgen Therapeutics Holdings63.86%82.10%★★★★★★Click here to see the full list of 131 stocks from our Asian…

Tower Hamlets and Newham are delivering the strongest rental yields for buy-to-let (BTL) landlords in London, according to research from Benham and Reeves.The analysis found that average rental yields across the capital increased to 5% in March 2026, up from 4.9% a year earlier.Tower Hamlets currently offers the highest estimated gross rental yield in London at 6.3%, up from 5.5% a year ago. Newham followed closely behind with a yield of 6%, compared to 5.2% the previous year. Barking and Dagenham ranks third with a yield of 5.6%, followed by Lambeth at 5.5%. Hackney and Southwark both deliver yields of…

After testing out a limited pilot program in eight major markets, HouseCanary’s partnership with the search giant is expanding across all 50 states.Starting this summer, consumers across the U.S. who are looking for homes for sale will be able to see real estate listings pop up on Google. Following a pilot program that began in 2025 and previously covered eight major markets, the search giant and national AI-powered real estate brokerage HouseCanary have expanded their partnership to all 50 states. The deal means that listings exclusively from participating MLSs will show up directly in Google’s mobile search results with details such…