Scale of Australia’s Dec Chickpea, Lentil Exports Surprises
Australian legume exporters posted a dramatic December surge, shipping 588,122 tonnes of chickpeas and 410,805 tonnes of lentils, up 57% and more than double respectively from November. India dominated demand, taking 63% of chickpeas and 39% of lentils, while Bangladesh and Pakistan rounded out the top three markets. The growth came despite an 11% Indian tariff on chickpeas and a quota‑limited tariff on lentils. Overall, December legume exports reached nearly one million tonnes, the strongest month of the year.
Dimitar Radev: Bulgaria's Accession to the Euro Area Is the Culmination of a Long Process of Economic Integration, Policy Alignment...
Bulgaria has formally joined the euro area, ending years of operating as a de facto euro economy under a currency‑board arrangement. Governor Dimitar Radev emphasized that the accession reflects a long‑term process of economic integration, policy alignment and shared responsibility, despite...
Wakefit Posts Rs 421 Cr Revenue and Rs 32 Cr Profit in Q3 FY26
Wakefit reported Q3 FY26 revenue of Rs 421 crore, a 9% year‑on‑year increase, and posted a profit of Rs 32 crore after a loss in the same quarter last year. Other income contributed Rs 11 crore, lifting total income to Rs 432 crore. For the nine‑month period ending...
South Africa’s Nedbank Promises to Retain NCBA Staff in Kenyan Takeover
Nedbank Group, South Africa’s fourth‑largest bank, announced it will retain all 3,712 NCBA employees after completing its proposed acquisition of a 66% stake in the Kenyan lender. The pledge, detailed in NCBA’s additional information filing, aims to ease typical post‑deal...
DBS' Net Profit Falls 3% to S$11bn Amid Rate Headwinds
DBS Group reported a 3% drop in fourth‑quarter net profit, landing at S$11 billion, as higher interest rates and increased tax expenses weighed on earnings. The decline was amplified by the absence of non‑recurring gains that had boosted prior results. Despite...
The FT’s Jon Slade on Leveraging AI to Build New Lines of Business
Jon Slade, the Financial Times’ new CEO, says the paper will double down on original journalism while exploring AI‑driven revenue streams. He views large‑language‑model licensing to big tech as unsustainable and is shifting toward direct corporate licensing that offers greater...
Kenya Revenue Authority Brings Back Nil Returns, but with a Catch
Kenya Revenue Authority reinstated nil returns but now cross‑checks them with an automated, pre‑populated iTax system that flags mismatches. Nigerian entrepreneur Mark Essien’s AI‑powered TripDesk generated roughly $2.4 million in revenue and 30 % profit within four months, showcasing rapid fintech scalability....
Tech Change ‘Boosts Engagement’ as Staff Adapt to AI
Research by Qualtrics shows that introducing new technology, especially AI, lifts employee engagement across EMEA by an average nine points. Nearly three‑quarters of UK workers reported organisational change in the past year, yet most felt more motivated rather than fatigued....
Vesiro Raises €1.6M to Optimise Elasticsearch and Lower Server Energy Use
Vesiro, a Gothenburg spin‑out from Chalmers University, secured €1.6 million in seed funding backed by Chalmers Ventures, Industrifonden and other investors. The startup offers a performance‑focused plug‑in for Elasticsearch that accelerates search queries and reduces the number of servers required. Internal...
Deel Has $21 Million up for Grabs in Its Global Seed-Stage Startup Comp, The Pitch
Deel, the global HR and payroll platform, has launched The Pitch, an international competition offering a $15 million prize pool for seed‑stage startups. Up to 100 regional winners will each receive $50,000, while ten global champions can earn $1 million to accelerate...
Early Learning Startup Panda’s Box Raises Rs 1.2 Cr From Shark Tank India
Panda’s Box, a screen‑free early‑learning startup founded in 2022, secured Rs 1.2 crore after appearing on Shark Tank India. The round was led by investors Aman Gupta and Namita Thapar. The capital will fund product development, broaden distribution, and boost the brand’s...
When IPOs Freeze, Liquidity Finds Another Way
The 2025 Endeavor Catalyst report shows a dramatic rise in private liquidity, with ten secondary sales and acquisitions compared with just one in 2024. Global secondary market volume is on track to hit US$122 billion in 2025, nearly six times the...
Nirav Mody Backs SportsSkill Ladder, Launches Beta Platform
SportsSkill Ladder, a sports‑tech startup, has secured a lead investment from serial investor Nirav Mody, though the amount remains undisclosed. The funding will accelerate product development, user‑experience enhancements, and platform scalability ahead of a broader rollout. The company launched a...
Infor Appoints Geoff Thomas to Lead Asia Pacific and Japan Operations
Infor announced that Geoff Thomas will serve as senior vice president and general manager for its Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) region, overseeing strategy and operations across Japan, ANZ, Southeast and North Asia, and India. Thomas, who previously led Qlik’s...
Not Posh Enough? ‘Accent Anxiety’ Holding Workers Back
A Zurich UK survey of 2,000 UK adults reveals that 36% of workers with regional accents feel judged, and 14% have even taken elocution lessons to avoid bias. Nearly one‑third deliberately soften their accent at work, while 16% say accent...
EM Debt Strength Holds as DM Policy Noise Grows>
VanEck’s Emerging Markets Bond ETF (EMBX) posted a 5.56% 30‑day yield and outperformed both its benchmark and U.S. Treasuries in January 2026, driven by strong local‑currency exposure and carry. The fund’s portfolio now holds 48% hard‑currency sovereigns, with notable additions...
Amid Fundraise Struggles, Neobank Fi Pivots to B2B Offerings
Neobank Fi announced a strategic pivot from its millennial‑focused digital banking model to AI‑driven B2B solutions after encountering fundraising headwinds. The Bengaluru startup has raised roughly $147 million to date and was last valued between $520 million and $550 million. The shift follows...
Deals in Brief: Sleek EV and Polybee Raise Funding, Sea Limited Backs Noematrix, Eight Other China Investments, and More
Sleek EV secured $8.5 million Series A to expand Thailand production, AI software and battery‑swap networks, positioning the firm as a regional two‑wheel electric leader by 2026. Singapore‑based Polybee raised $4.3 million to scale its AI‑driven agricultural drones across 4,000 acres, while Australian...
DevSparks Pune 2026: What’s in Store at India’s Flagship Developer Summit?
DevSparks Pune 2026, the second edition of India’s flagship developer summit, will spotlight autonomous systems, AI workflows, and next‑generation architectures. The agenda features deep‑dive sessions with NVIDIA’s Sunil Patel on production‑ready AI, Indexnine’s Anand Hariharan on spec‑driven development, and Partex.AI’s...
India Needs $22.7T Investment to Achieve Net Zero Target by 2070: Niti Study
India’s Niti Aayog study estimates that achieving net‑zero emissions by 2070 will require $22.7 trillion in cumulative investment, roughly $500 billion annually. Current clean‑energy spending is about $70‑80 billion, leaving a financing gap of $6.5 trillion that must be largely met by foreign capital,...
Acumatica Summit 2026: Manish Chandak
At Acumatica Summit 2026 in Seattle, Manish Chandak, CEO of Tech Electronics, discussed emerging ERP trends with ERP Today editor Chris Vavra. He emphasized the growing importance of digital replicas that provide real‑time data integration within ERP platforms. Chandak also...
Warehouse Management Systems Poised for Growth as Distribution Networks Chase E-Commerce Velocity
The U.S. warehouse management system (WMS) market is projected to grow at a 14.34% CAGR through 2031, driving global WMS spending from $4.77 billion in 2026 to $10.89 billion by 2031, with North America holding a 40% share. Cloud‑native platforms now account...
The UK Must Not Lose Its Fintech Crown – Emma Hagan, ClearBank
Emma Hagan, CEO of ClearBank, highlighted the United Kingdom’s historic leadership in fintech and warned that the nation must act to preserve its crown. She noted ClearBank’s milestone as the first new clearing bank in over two centuries, providing payments,...
Afreximbank Announces 8 Accelerator Finalists
Afreximbank has announced the eight finalists of its inaugural Accelerator program, chosen from more than 1,600 applications. The three‑month initiative, starting in March, will provide each startup with up to $250,000 in equity financing, mentorship, and access to the bank’s...
CATL, Cornex, SolaX and Other Chinese Energy Storage Players in Multi-GWh International Agreements
Chinese energy‑storage giants are signing multi‑GWh deals worldwide, signalling a rapid international expansion in 2026. Cornex will deliver 5.5 GWh to Saudi Arabia, while CATL, together with Schroders Greencoat and Lochpine Capital, targets up to 10 GWh of European battery‑storage projects. Tianneng...
Truth & Hair Raises Rs 2.5 Cr From Varun Alagh on Shark Tank India
Truth & Hair secured Rs 2.5 crore investment from Varun Alagh after its Shark Tank India appearance. The capital will be allocated to product innovation, marketing, and building an omnichannel retail and digital footprint. The brand, founded by Saumya Alagh and Shailesh...
Dr. Phone Fix Reports Preliminary 2025 Revenue of $12.1 Million, EBITDA Improvement
Dr. Phone Fix Canada Corp. posted preliminary 2025 results showing revenue of about $12.1 million, a 19% increase over 2024, and adjusted EBITDA rising to roughly $0.6 million. Gross margins remained in the high‑40% range while the store base expanded from 35 to...
My Week of only Using Cash: Could a Return to Notes and Coins Change My Life?
Sammy Gecsoyler spent a week paying exclusively with cash, withdrawing £200 and tracking every transaction. The experiment revealed that cash constraints forced him to avoid contactless services, buy an Oyster card, and limit discretionary spending, ending the week with £16.75...
Closing the Skills Gap: What Upskilling Strategies Are Delivering Results
Upskilling has become HR’s top challenge, with 45% of leaders naming it their biggest priority, surpassing recruitment and well‑being concerns. A Capterra survey shows 68% of firms expect upskilling costs to rise, signaling a shift toward customized, technology‑enabled learning. Effective...
Naboo Raises $70M From Lightspeed for AI-Powered Events Procurement
Paris‑based event‑tech startup Naboo announced a $70 million Series B round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from Notion Capital, ISAI and Ternel. The financing follows a €20 million Series A and supports the company’s expansion beyond its core events platform into a...
Petcare Startup Supertails Raises $30 Mn Led by Venturi Partners
Petcare startup Supertails secured $30 million in a funding round led by Venturi Partners, with participation from Nippon India Alternative Investments, Titan Capital Winners Fund and existing backers. The round values the company at roughly $130 million post‑money and brings total capital...
Bose-Funded Noise Revenue Declines 24% to Rs 1,048 Cr in FY25
Noise, the Bose‑backed Indian wearables brand, reported FY25 revenue of Rs 1,048 crore, a 24% drop from the prior year. Operating expenses fell 25% to Rs 1,067 crore, aligning with the revenue contraction. A deferred tax benefit of Rs 47 crore pushed the...
HDFC Bank Parivartan and AIC ISB Launch ArthX to Back Punjab’s Sustainability Startups. Apply Now
HDFC Bank, in partnership with AIC at ISB, has launched ArthX, a sustainability‑focused grant initiative under the Parivartan Startup Grants program. The scheme allocates a Rs 1 crore corpus to support Punjab‑based revenue‑stage startups, offering up to Rs 10 lakh per company along with...
Plane Talking Products Appoints Manoj Pridhanani as Creative Director
Plane Talking Products announced Manoj Pridhanani as its new Creative Director, tasked with steering global creative strategy, product direction, and brand development. Pridhanani brings more than 15 years of aviation‑focused design experience across luxury and travel sectors. He is known...
FA at 30: How Dim Sum Bonds Unlocked Liquidity without Opening China’s Capital Account
Nearly two decades after China Development Bank issued its first RMB‑denominated bond in Hong Kong, dim sum bonds have become a cornerstone of offshore liquidity. The initial issuance was modest, but it demonstrated that Chinese sovereign and policy banks could...
How Mark Essien’s 4-Month Old Product Made $2.3 Million with Less than 30 Customers
Mark Essien’s newest venture, Tripdesk, an AI‑driven travel‑management platform, generated $2.3 million in revenue within four months, serving fewer than 30 enterprise customers and delivering a 30% profit margin. The product grew out of Hotels.ng’s VIP client needs, automating travel requests,...
Beyond Paychecks: Why Employees Value Benefits that Support Their Lifestyle Choices
A recent India‑focused survey shows 74% of employees would trade a higher salary for stronger long‑term benefits, signaling a shift from paycheck‑centric expectations to holistic well‑being. Employers are responding by moving toward modular, choice‑driven benefit models, with 78% prioritising personalised...
SEC Upholds Fines vs NOW over Disclosure Violation
The Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission affirmed PHP1 million fines for NOW Corp. and its chair Mel Velarde after finding their November 2021 market disclosure misleading. The regulator rejected NOW’s appeal, labeling the statement a "half‑truth" that misled investors about a alleged...
GCash Parent Mynt Keeps IPO Option Open
Mynt, the parent of GCash, is keeping an IPO on the table while accelerating its payments, lending and wealth‑management services. The fintech arm delivered P6.1 billion in attributable equity earnings in 2025, a 64% jump year‑on‑year, and its lending subsidiary Fuse...
Start-Up Funding, the Perils of Compounding, and Neuropsych Insights — a BioCentury Podcast
BioCentury reports that 2025 ended a four‑year decline in biotech series A financing, with 144 companies raising $8 billion. The “BioCentury This Week” podcast highlights which venture‑capital‑backed firms attracted capital and what the trends indicate for emerging technologies. Washington editor Steve Usdin...
UAE Horizon 2026 to Take Place in Singapore, Spotlighting New Investment Opportunities
The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce and TXTK Tax Tech will co‑host the UAE Horizon 2026 roadshow in Singapore on March 8. The invite‑only event targets CEOs, family offices and high‑net‑worth individuals seeking to tap the UAE’s low‑tax environment and free‑zone ecosystem....
Ladies, Bring an LLM: Most AI Assistants Are Feminine, Which Is Fuelling Sexism
AI voice assistants have surpassed eight billion units in 2024, and the vast majority default to female voices and gendered names. Research shows up to 50 % of interactions involve verbal abuse, with female‑embodied agents attracting significantly more sexual harassment than...
The Compliance Trap: How Silence in Your Organisation May Be Masking Disengagement
Vice‑President Gayatheri Silvakumer warned that most change initiatives fail not because of flawed strategy but because leaders ignore the emotional side of change. She argues that silence in meetings often disguises disengagement, mistaking compliance for genuine ownership. By inviting employees...
Indonesia’s Opaque Stock Market Risks USD 60 Billion Outflow
Indonesia’s equity market faces a potential $60 bn outflow if MSCI downgrades it from emerging to frontier status. MSCI halted new Indonesian inclusions on Jan 27, citing weak transparency and low free‑float ratios, prompting a 7.3% drop in the Jakarta Composite. Regulators...
Tesla Exec Raj Jegannathan Leaves Automaker After 13 Years
Tesla Vice President Raj Jegannathan announced his departure after a 13‑year tenure, most recently overseeing IT, AI infrastructure, business applications, and information security. He previously led North American sales following the dismissal of Troy Jones, a period marked by declining...
Pension Credit: Should the Mixed-Age Couples Rule Be Scrapped?
The mixed‑age couples rule, introduced in May 2019, bars pension‑age partners from claiming Pension Credit if their spouse is under 66. The policy affects hundreds of thousands of low‑income couples, stripping them of up to £7,000 a year in benefits....
IRS Rolls Out New Enhancements to Tax Pro Account
The IRS announced new enhancements to its Tax Pro Account, extending digital capabilities to tax‑professional businesses. The upgrade lets designated representatives manage business CAF access, link CAF numbers to EINs, and view or withdraw active authorizations. These tools aim to...
Former US Officials Warn of Impending 'Widespread Collapse of American Agriculture': 'Our Farmers and Ranchers … Can't Compete with the...
The agricultural sector faces a perfect storm of policy and market pressures, according to a bipartisan letter signed by former heads of the National Corn, Barley, and Soybean Growers associations. The signatories contend that recent tariffs on farm inputs and...
Anaplan Names Laurent Martini Managing Director for EMEA
Anaplan announced Laurent Martini as its new Managing Director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, effective February 16. Martini, who previously led EMEA sales at Splunk and held senior roles at Pure Storage and Symantec, will report to President...
Volatility Laundering in Private Credit
Private credit has trailed public credit since 2022, offering lower liquidity, weaker credit quality, higher industry concentration and higher borrower costs. By avoiding daily mark‑to‑market, private credit managers can "volatility launder" returns, presenting artificially low volatility and inflated Sharpe ratios....