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The Bank of England has cut its main interest rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.25%, citing concerns over the potential global economic slowdown driven by the trade policies of the Trump administration.The decision announced on Thursday, comes just hours before a widely anticipated US-UK trade deal is expected to be unveiled. President Donald Trump described the upcoming agreement on his Truth Social platform as a “full and comprehensive” deal that will “cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come.”The move by the UK’s central bank underscores growing fears that escalating tariffs—particularly between the US and key trading partners like China and the UK—could derail global growth. Economists believe that despite current inflationary pressures in Britain, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) opted for a pre-emptive rate cut to cushion against a potential external demand shock.“This rate cut reflects early signs that the MPC is willing to adopt a more proactive approach to loosening policy in light of US trade policy shocks,” Edward Allenby, UK economist at Oxford Economics told news agency AP.The MPC’s decision was revealed at 12:02 p.m., two minutes later than usual in observance of the Victory in Europe Day silence. It marks the latest in a series of quarterly rate cuts since August 2024, when the Bank began reducing borrowing costs from a 16-year high of 5.25%.Markets and analysts were closely watching the Bank’s updated economic forecasts, which are the first since Trump’s early April tariff announcement. While many tariffs were paused for a 90-day period following market volatility, the economic outlook remains clouded by uncertainty.Although UK inflation currently sits at 2.6% and could temporarily rise further due to a raft of price increases in April—particularly in energy and water bills—analysts believe the Bank prioritized shielding the economy from the broader impact of trade tensions and falling demand.In contrast, the US Federal Reserve held rates steady on Wednesday, choosing to wait for more clarity on how US tariffs will influence domestic economic conditions. The European Central Bank also cut rates last month, aligning with the Bank of England’s more dovish stance.Central banks globally have shifted gears as inflation retreats from multidecade highs seen in recent years, a period marked by aggressive rate hikes to combat pandemic-related supply shocks and energy price spikes following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.While further cuts are expected, economists largely agree that interest rates are unlikely to return to the ultra-low levels that characterized the post-2008 financial crisis and the pandemic era.
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Luxury skincare expansion: L’Oreal acquires majority stake in Medik8; announces 1 billion Euro deal
[ad_1] Cosmetics maker L’Oreal agreed to acquire a majority stake in British skincare brand Medik8, in a strategic move to strengthen its presence in the booming skincare market. The French beauty giant announced the deal on Monday, though financial terms were not disclosed.The transaction, which sees UK-based private equity firm Inflexion selling its majority holding, reportedly values Medik8 at around 1 billion Euro, according to a source familiar with the matter. Inflexion will retain a minority share, while L’Oreal has secured the option to eventually buy out all remaining shareholders, Reuters reported.“We are delighted to welcome Medik8 to the L’Oréal family. As a premium skincare range, with high levels of proven efficacy at an accessible price point, Medik8 perfectly complements our existing skincare portfolio,” Cyril Chaupuy, president of L’oreal Luxe said.“This acquisition further strengthens L’Oreal’s luxe portfolio, adding a premium […]
270 million pulled out of poverty! How Modi government achieved a remarkable dip in extreme poverty & what’s the road ahead? Explained
[ad_1] India’s GDP has more than doubled in the last decade, and experts believe that this has trickled down to the poorest. (AI image) Marking a big achievement over the last decade, extreme poverty in India has dropped substantially from 27.1% in 2011-12 to 5.3% in 2022-23, according to the latest World Bank data. The remarkable progress under the Narendra Modi government has come despite the World Bank raising its poverty threshold to $3 per person per day from $2.15 per person per day earlier.Incidentally, India’s huge reduction in extreme poverty comes at a time when globally there has been an increase in the number of people below the poverty line. According to a government fact sheet, India has emerged a statistical outlier in the positive direction.The latest data is being seen as a boost in the government’s economic growth […]
Ayodhya land prices: Circle rates revised first time in 8 years; soar up to 200%
[ad_1] For the first time in eight years, Ayodhya has seen a sharp revision in its circle rates, with property prices rising between 30% and 200% across various parts of the district, officials told PTI.The prices are particularly steep within a 10-kilometre radius of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, an area witnessing a real estate boom fuelled by religious tourism and rapid infrastructure growth. Here, circle rates have jumped over 150%, pushing land values in the prime zone to Rs 26,600–27,900 per square metre, compared to Rs 6,650–6,975 earlier.Shanti Bhushan Chaubey, sub-registrar of Sadar (Faizabad) tehsil, said the hike followed a proposal submitted last September. “After addressing objections, the new circle rates were approved by District Magistrate Tikaram Funde and have now been enforced,” he said.According to Chaubey, the sharpest hikes were recorded in areas with the most land activity. “Localities […]
China exports: Global shipments rose 4.8% in May; inflow to US falls nearly 35% amid trade talks
[ad_1] China’s export growth lost momentum in May, rising 4.8% year-on-year, a sharp slowdown from the 8.1% surge recorded in April, as per the customs data released on Monday.The deceleration came amid a sharp drop in shipments to the United States, down 35% year-on-year, as tensions between the two economic giants continued to cloud trade prospects.The figures were released just hours ahead of another round of US-China trade negotiations scheduled for later in the day, in London. These talks come after a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week. Zichun Huang of Capital Economics anticipated exports growth to revive in June, thanks to a 90-day suspension on most of the tariffs the two countries have imposed on each other.China’s imports also fell in May, down 3.4% year-on-year, leaving the country with a trade […]
Tata Motors future plans: Rs 33,000-35,000 crore investment to boost passenger vehicles; hoping to lead in EV segment
[ad_1] Automaking giant Tata Motors is planning massive investment plans for the future, earmarking Rs 33,000 crore to Rs 35,000 crore for FY 26-30 on product actions. The Mumbai-headquartered company is targeting 30 product actions, including the launch of seven new models, as it looks to sharpen its competitive edge in India’s fast-evolving passenger vehicle (PV) market.As part of its long-term strategy, the automaker aims to secure a 16% market share, including electric vehicles (EVs), by FY27, rising to 18–20% over the next few years. Tata Motors expects the domestic PV industry to hit annual sales of 60 lakh units by 2030 and is positioning itself to ride that wave with a refreshed and expansive portfolio.“Looking ahead, we will strengthen our portfolio by FY30...7 new nameplates and 23 product refreshes will holistically enhance the portfolio,” the company told analysts in […]
India’s two-wheeler industry: Growth to surpass Covid-19 levels soon; driven by RBI rate cuts and robust domestic demand
[ad_1] The two-wheeler industry in India is set to undergo a massive selling surge, surpassing pre-Covid-19 levels, driven by RBI’s rate cut, strong domestic demand and significant recovery in exports. According to a report by CareEdge Ratings, the sector is expected to register a healthy volume growth of 8–9% in FY26. This follows three years of strong performance, with volumes rising by 8% in FY23, 10% in FY24 and 11% in FY25.A key factor behind this growth is the Reserve Bank of India’s cumulative 100 basis points rate cut since February 2025, including a 50 bps reduction last week, which is anticipated to make vehicle loans more affordable and spur demand.“The cumulative 100 bps rate cut by the RBI since February 2025, with the recent 50 bps rate cut announced last week, is expected to enhance affordability and boost demand” […]
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Luxury skincare expansion: L’Oreal acquires majority stake in Medik8; announces 1 billion Euro deal
[ad_1] Cosmetics maker L’Oreal agreed to acquire a majority stake in British skincare brand Medik8, in a strategic move to strengthen its presence in the booming skincare market. The French beauty giant announced the deal on Monday, though financial terms were not disclosed.The transaction, which sees UK-based private equity firm Inflexion selling its majority holding, reportedly values Medik8 at around 1 billion Euro, according to a source familiar with the matter. Inflexion will retain a minority share, while L’Oreal has secured the option to eventually buy out all remaining shareholders, Reuters reported.“We are delighted to welcome Medik8 to the L’Oréal family. As a premium skincare range, with high levels of proven efficacy at an accessible price point, Medik8 perfectly complements our existing skincare portfolio,” Cyril Chaupuy, president of L’oreal Luxe said.“This acquisition further strengthens L’Oreal’s luxe portfolio, adding a premium […]
270 million pulled out of poverty! How Modi government achieved a remarkable dip in extreme poverty & what’s the road ahead? Explained
[ad_1] India’s GDP has more than doubled in the last decade, and experts believe that this has trickled down to the poorest. (AI image) Marking a big achievement over the last decade, extreme poverty in India has dropped substantially from 27.1% in 2011-12 to 5.3% in 2022-23, according to the latest World Bank data. The remarkable progress under the Narendra Modi government has come despite the World Bank raising its poverty threshold to $3 per person per day from $2.15 per person per day earlier.Incidentally, India’s huge reduction in extreme poverty comes at a time when globally there has been an increase in the number of people below the poverty line. According to a government fact sheet, India has emerged a statistical outlier in the positive direction.The latest data is being seen as a boost in the government’s economic growth […]
Ayodhya land prices: Circle rates revised first time in 8 years; soar up to 200%
[ad_1] For the first time in eight years, Ayodhya has seen a sharp revision in its circle rates, with property prices rising between 30% and 200% across various parts of the district, officials told PTI.The prices are particularly steep within a 10-kilometre radius of the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, an area witnessing a real estate boom fuelled by religious tourism and rapid infrastructure growth. Here, circle rates have jumped over 150%, pushing land values in the prime zone to Rs 26,600–27,900 per square metre, compared to Rs 6,650–6,975 earlier.Shanti Bhushan Chaubey, sub-registrar of Sadar (Faizabad) tehsil, said the hike followed a proposal submitted last September. “After addressing objections, the new circle rates were approved by District Magistrate Tikaram Funde and have now been enforced,” he said.According to Chaubey, the sharpest hikes were recorded in areas with the most land activity. “Localities […]
China exports: Global shipments rose 4.8% in May; inflow to US falls nearly 35% amid trade talks
[ad_1] China’s export growth lost momentum in May, rising 4.8% year-on-year, a sharp slowdown from the 8.1% surge recorded in April, as per the customs data released on Monday.The deceleration came amid a sharp drop in shipments to the United States, down 35% year-on-year, as tensions between the two economic giants continued to cloud trade prospects.The figures were released just hours ahead of another round of US-China trade negotiations scheduled for later in the day, in London. These talks come after a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping last week. Zichun Huang of Capital Economics anticipated exports growth to revive in June, thanks to a 90-day suspension on most of the tariffs the two countries have imposed on each other.China’s imports also fell in May, down 3.4% year-on-year, leaving the country with a trade […]
Tata Motors future plans: Rs 33,000-35,000 crore investment to boost passenger vehicles; hoping to lead in EV segment
[ad_1] Automaking giant Tata Motors is planning massive investment plans for the future, earmarking Rs 33,000 crore to Rs 35,000 crore for FY 26-30 on product actions. The Mumbai-headquartered company is targeting 30 product actions, including the launch of seven new models, as it looks to sharpen its competitive edge in India’s fast-evolving passenger vehicle (PV) market.As part of its long-term strategy, the automaker aims to secure a 16% market share, including electric vehicles (EVs), by FY27, rising to 18–20% over the next few years. Tata Motors expects the domestic PV industry to hit annual sales of 60 lakh units by 2030 and is positioning itself to ride that wave with a refreshed and expansive portfolio.“Looking ahead, we will strengthen our portfolio by FY30...7 new nameplates and 23 product refreshes will holistically enhance the portfolio,” the company told analysts in […]
India’s two-wheeler industry: Growth to surpass Covid-19 levels soon; driven by RBI rate cuts and robust domestic demand
[ad_1] The two-wheeler industry in India is set to undergo a massive selling surge, surpassing pre-Covid-19 levels, driven by RBI’s rate cut, strong domestic demand and significant recovery in exports. According to a report by CareEdge Ratings, the sector is expected to register a healthy volume growth of 8–9% in FY26. This follows three years of strong performance, with volumes rising by 8% in FY23, 10% in FY24 and 11% in FY25.A key factor behind this growth is the Reserve Bank of India’s cumulative 100 basis points rate cut since February 2025, including a 50 bps reduction last week, which is anticipated to make vehicle loans more affordable and spur demand.“The cumulative 100 bps rate cut by the RBI since February 2025, with the recent 50 bps rate cut announced last week, is expected to enhance affordability and boost demand” […]
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