Bloomberg India’s steps in the budget to end some exemptions given for tax planning and the removal of a dividend-distribution tax for companies will weigh on the earnings prospects of insurers. The lower tax rates under the alternative tax slabs will only apply to those forgoing exemptions, which include investments in certain insurance products. Insurers will be taxed on dividend …

Bloomberg Cryptocurrencies briefly jumped amid chaotic trading in Asia after China’s stock markets reopened to steep losses following an extended holiday shutdown. Bitcoin surged to $9,608, the highest since October, shortly after markets opened at 9:30 am in Hong Kong, before giving back most of those gains less than half an hour later. The wider Bloomberg Galaxy Crypto Index tracking …

Bloomberg China’s central bank took its first concrete steps to cushion the economy and plunging markets from the blow of a spreading new virus, providing short-term funding to banks and cutting the interest rate it charges for the money. The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) added a net 150 billion yuan ($21.4 billion) of funds on Monday using 7-day and …