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Non-food inflation doubles in ’12

The non-food inflation jumped to 11.45 per cent last year mainly because of price hike of electricity, house rent and other non-food items. In 2011, the non-food inflation was 6.83 per cent, Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics said on Tuesday. Full story

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Trade deficit drops by 22pc in July-Nov

The country’s trade deficit decreased by 22.02 per cent to $3.49 billion in the first five months of the current financial year due mainly to negative import growth, said Bangladesh Bank officials. Full story

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US seeks public comments on GSP facility for Bangladesh

The US Trade Representative office on Tuesday sought comments from stakeholders by January 31 on the possible withdrawal, suspension or limitation of GSP benefits to Bangladesh. Full story

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FBCCI to sit with other trade bodies over US GSP issue

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed on Tuesday said the FBCCI would sit with other trade bodies to find a way to prevent withdrawal of the generalised systems of preferences in the... Full story

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Govt approves $80m foreign loans for 8 cos

A government committee on Tuesday approved proposals from eight private companies to take $80 million in loan from foreign sources. The private sector foreign loan/suppliers’ credit committee, headed by... Full story

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Stocks fall for 2nd day

Dhaka stocks inched down for the second day on Tuesday amid volatile trading as majority of the investors refrained from trading again following the finance minister’s negative remark about the market. Full story

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BB-finance ministry meeting today

Bangladesh Bank holds a meeting today with finance ministry officials to discuss a recent directive by the ministry to contain banks’ interest rate spread. The finance ministry in a letter gave the direction to the BB on... Full story

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Oil prices edge up in quiet Asian trade

Oil prices edged up in Asia on Tuesday, but trade was subdued as dealers waited for clearer signals on the US and other major economies and a fall in equities weighed on sentiment, analysts said. Full story

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Yen bounces back in Asian trade

The yen rebounded in Asian trade on Tuesday after suffering weeks of steep declines fuelled by promises from the country’s new prime minister to push for more central bank easing. Full story

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Americans wary after ‘fiscal cliff’ deal

Last week’s ‘fiscal cliff’ deal did little to ease fears among Americans that Washington could harm the US economy or their personal finances in the months to come, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday. The online poll found that President... Full story

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Japan to buy Euro bonds to soothe debt crisis

Japan’s new finance minister said Tuesday that Tokyo would buy bonds issued by Europe’s permanent bailout fund to help soothe the eurozone’s debt problems and stabilise the under-pressure yen. Full story

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China Q4 GDP growth seen rebounding

China’s annual economic growth may have quickened to 7.8 per cent in the fourth quarter a Reuters poll showed, snapping seven straight quarters of weaker expansion, but the recovery is likely to be tepid and the economy may need continued policy... Full story

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Galaxy phones power Samsung to record $8.3b profit

Samsung Electronics, the world leader in mobiles and memory chips, said it likely earned a quarterly profit of $8.3 billion, as it sold close to 500 handsets a minute and as demand picked up for the flat screens it... Full story

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Ehsanul new Mercantile Bank MD

M Ehsanul Haque has recently joined Mercantile Bank as its managing director and chief executive officer. Prior to joining Mercantile Bank, Ehsanul served Prime Bank, IDCOL, BRAC Afghanistan Bank and BRAC Bank as managing director, the... Full story

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SIBL gets new MD

Md Shafiqur Rahman has recently been promoted to the managing director of Social Islami Bank. Prior to his new assignment, he was holding the current charge of the managing director of the bank, said a news release. The Dhaka University graduate... Full story

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