BLOOMBERG India’s thriving farm sector — the only bright spot in its slowing economy — has become a hostage to warnings of a heat wave, muddling the outlook for policy makers already grappling with sticky inflation. The nation’s economic growth unexpectedly slowed to a three-quarter low of 4.4% in three months to December, data showed. The weather office’s prediction of …

BLOOMBERG All the carbon dioxide that’s accumulating in the atmosphere and heating the planet has given carbon-munching things on the ground plenty to eat. Land ecosystems have taken more CO2 out of the atmosphere in the last few decades than they did before — a “bonus” that essentially cleans up some pollution for us. Scientists hope it lasts, but they’re …

BLOOMBERG Crypto investors are scooping up call options betting on a Bitcoin rebound to $30,000, even as momentum in the digital-asset market stalls. Bitcoin options open interest rose in February to $9 billion, according to Bloomberg Intelligence’s Jamie Coutts, who cited Glassnode data. The last time it was at this level, the coin had been trading around $45,000, whereas it’s …

BLOOMBERG European stocks wavered amid a growing realisation that policy makers are likely to stay hawkish for the coming months. German government bonds fell as traders braced for fresh inflation data. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index erased a small gain at the open to trade little changed. Futures for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 clung to modest gains after …

DUBAI / WAM Dubai South and dnata, a global air services provider, have entered into a partnership to develop a digitally driven Gate Control mechanism for cargo handling terminals at Dubai South’s Logistics District. The Gate Control mechanism will enable the seamless flow of goods through the free zone’s gates, with companies based at the Logistics District and movers transporting …

SHARJAH / WAM The Sharjah Archaeology Authority revealed early this month that four important Sharjah ancient sites had been added to the preliminary Unesco World Heritage List. In preparation for the final submission of the cultural landscape file for the central region, the authority has recorded all the following: the site of Mleiha: the pre-Islamic period in the southeast of …

DUBAI / WAM The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited (ICBC), the world’s largest bank by assets, celebrated the listing of four green bonds worth a total value of $2.2 billion on Nasdaq Dubai, and Zhang Yiming, ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the UAE, rang the market opening bell to mark the occasion. Accompanying Zhang Yiming …

BLOOMBERG Turkey is considering prison terms for landlords found guilty of excessive rent increases after this month’s deadly earthquakes left millions displaced and homeless. The government is weighing two-to-five year terms, an official with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg, adding that it hasn’t yet decided what would constitute an unacceptable increase. The official spoke privately because details of the …

BLOOMBERG Britain’s governing Conservative Party is trailing badly in opinion polls, apparently on course for a heavy defeat in the next UK general election. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hopes a team-building “away day” can stop the rot. Fresh from unveiling a new post-Brexit deal for Northern Ireland, Sunak will host a gathering of Conservative MPs this week outside central London …

BLOOMBERG The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo effectively agreed to a deal on normalising ties but must hash out how to implement it to end a dispute that has smoldered since they fought a 1998-1999 war. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti are facing a push by Washington and Brussels to ease the dispute that has …