Bloomberg The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is almost certain to cut its inflation forecast for the fiscal year starting in April given the sharp fall in oil prices, according to people familiar with the matter. The government’s decision to make pre-school education free adds to the case for the downgrade, which will be delivered at the end of the next …

Bloomberg Delta Air Lines Inc. said its ability to raise ticket prices is weakening and warned that the US government shutdown is eroding sales. Less travel by federal employees and contractors is costing Delta about $25 million a month even as corporate and leisure travel remain strong, Chief Executive Officer Ed Bastian said. Revenue from each seat flown a mile, …

Bloomberg Vietnam is on course to have its sixth domestic airline after tour operator Vietravel said it plans to start a carrier as potential rival Bamboo Airways began its first flights in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets. Vietravel Airlines would be based in the central province of Thua Thien Hue and compete in a market already served by …

Bloomberg While the US government shutdown is keeping investors in the dark about broader retail trends over the holidays, Adobe Analytics confirmed that online sales posted rapid growth during the period. E-commerce sales jumped 16.5 percent from a year earlier to a total of $126 billion as consumers loaded up on products such as the Nintendo Switch, laptops, streaming devices, …

Bloomberg Zuji, an Asian online travel booking site, is no longer operational after failing to renew licenses in Hong Kong and Singapore and an air ticketing system terminated its services. Zuji’s business permits expired on January 9 and the firm hasn’t applied for fresh ones, Hong Kong’s Travel Agents Registry said in an email, while Singapore Tourism Board said that …

Bloomberg Aviation regulators plan to recall thousands of inspectors furloughed by the partial government shutdown so they can resume performing air-safety checks and routine activities including clearing planes for airlines to add to their fleets. The Department of Transportation issued a revised shutdown plan saying it will bring more than 3,100 aviation-safety specialists back onto the job as of January …

Abu Dhabi / WAM Abu Dhabi Transmission and Despatch Company (Transco), an ent- ity of the Department of Energy, Abu Dhabi, on Tuesday signed an agr-eement with the ISLE Group to be the first official member of the Technology Approval Group (TAG) in the UAE. TAG, launched in the UK 15 years ago, is a forum that brings together water …

DUBAI / Emirates Business Consumer confidence in the UAE rebounded in the fourth quarter of 2018, as residents absorbed the impact of VAT and high expenses incurred over the summer. That’s according to the consumer confidence tracker Q4 2018 from yallacompare, the Middle East’s leading comparison site for financial products. During the fourth quarter of 2018, the tracker polled more …

Bloomberg Oil rose amid estimates of another decline in US crude inventories and signs that China is stepping up efforts to combat an economic slowdown. Futures in New York climbed as much as 3 percent after sinking during the past two sessions. American stockpiles probably fell for the sixth time in seven weeks, according to a Bloomberg survey of analysts …

Dubai / WAM The Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Mattar Al Tayer, met with India’s Consul-General in Dubai Vipul, and explored means of boosting cooperation and exchanging expertise between RTA and Indian entities operating in the field of railways, roads and transport. During the meeting, the two parties also …