Monday , 16 February 2026

News

China’s foreign debt hits $2.7tn at end-September

  Bloomberg China added $16.7 billion in foreign debt in the third quarter of 2021 due in part to increased purchases of onshore yuan-denominated bonds by foreign investors. About 47% of China’s outstanding debt of $2.7 trillion at the end of September are medium to long-term obligations, up three percentage points from the end of June, Wang Chunying, deputy director …

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Oil holds near one-month high on signs US stockpiles falling

  Bloomberg Oil held near a one-month high after industry data pointed to another drop in US crude inventories and traders bet the fast-spreading Omicron variant would prove to be less severe than earlier virus waves. West Texas Intermediate was steady near $76 a barrel after gaining 11% over the past five sessions. The American Petroleum Institute reported nationwide crude …

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Global remittances to rebound as economies recover, says ADB

  Bloomberg Global remittances will likely grow by $34 billion this year and about $31 billion in 2022, reversing last year’s decline, as economies recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Estimated remittance growth of 4.8% globally this year reflects a comparison to last year’s low base, as well as migrant workers’ …

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Oil rises as investors weigh demand risk from Omicron

  Bloomberg Oil rises as investors weighed the rapid spread of Omicron against signs it may be milder than previous variants. Brent futures rise 0.7%, swinging between gains and losses amid thin trading volumes. West Texas Intermediate, which didn’t have a settlement due to a US holiday, falls from Thursday’s level. Daily omicron infections in the US has surpassed those …

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Climate-driven extreme weather cost hundreds of billions in 2021

  Bloomberg Ten of this year’s most destructive weather events cost a combined $170 billion in damages, according to a new study. Hurricane Ida, a tropical storm that pummeled much of the eastern US with lashing rain in August, killed at least 95 people and cost the economy $65 billion. A month earlier, floods in Europe caused 240 deaths and …

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World economy now set to surpass $100trn in 2022

  Bloomberg The world economy is set to surpass $100 trillion for the first time in 2022, two years earlier than previously forecast, according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR). Global gross domestic product will be lifted by the continued recovery from the pandemic, although if inflation persists it may be hard for policy makers to avoid …

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Saudi Arabia’s exports rise on higher oil prices

  Bloomberg Saudi Arabia’s exports soared in October as the world’s biggest oil exporter benefited from higher crude prices. The value of exports jumped to 106.2 billion riyals ($28 billion) from 55.9 billion riyals a year ago, according to the kingdom’s General Authority for Statistics. The share of oil in total exports rose to 77.6% in October from 66.1%. Saudi …

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Oil climbs to four-week high as Omicron concerns ease

  Bloomberg Oil settled above $73 a barrel for the first time in four weeks as signs that the omicron Covid-19 variant may be less severe than previous strains eased concerns about a demand hit. West Texas Intermediate futures in New York closed 1.4% higher amid thinning liquidity heading into the holiday period. A UK health agency said omicron was …

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Russia hits Google, Meta with record $125m fine

  Bloomberg A Russian court fined Alphabet Inc’s Google 7.2 billion rubles ($98 million) and Meta Platforms Inc 2 billion rubles for failing to remove banned content, largest such penalties yet, as the authorities escalate a crackdown on foreign technology companies. The fines were due to the companies’ repeated failure to comply with orders to take down content and based …

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Oil rises after two-day drop as investors assess demand

  Bloomberg Oil rises as traders assessed the outlook for demand amid the rapid spread of omicron. Futures in London climbed above $72 a barrel in a volatile trading session on Tuesday, having fallen about 5% over the past two days. The new virus variant accounted for 73% of all Covid-19 infections in the US last week, but city traffic …

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