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Silver has long played a secondary role to gold — but in 2025, it has begun challenging it for the spotlight. Often dubbed “the poor man’s gold,” silver offers both an inflation hedge and exposure to industrial growth, giving it a uniquely dual appeal.   This year, the white metal has staged an exceptional rally. Prices surged to their highest levels in years, breaking multiple records. Silver surpassed its historic peak of $48.70 per ounce from April 2011, reaching $54.08 per ounce on October 17, 2025, in global markets. In India, spot prices climbed to a record ₹1,76,304 on October…

As China’s traditional spirits and premium wines grapple with declining consumption, a significant shift is under way across the beverage landscape. This three-part series examines the challenges faced by Maotai town as its once-coveted baijiu liquor loses its lustre, the impact of economic shutdowns on European wine imports, and the rise of craft beer as a budget-friendly alternative for consumers seeking quality without breaking the bank.Despite the sweltering heat, the pavement outside a new Beijing outpost of craft beer pub Urbrew was overflowing with customers this summer – a scene in sharp contrast with reports of an alcohol market battered…

TPL REIT Fund, TPL’s technology-focused private fund, has proposed a major shift in its earlier announced plan regarding the wind-up of TPL Technology Zone Phase I (Private) Limited (TTZ), the special purpose vehicle (SPV) undertaking Project C – Technology Park. According to a resolution shared with the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Tuesday, the fund’s management company has sought approval to retain the proceeds from the sale of TTZ’s project land—instead of distributing the liquidation proceeds to unit holders after winding up the SPV, as originally disclosed on December 27, 2024. The retained funds, the resolution states, would be “reinvested…

Barrick Mining said on Monday it was exploring an initial public offering of a subsidiary that would hold its North American gold assets as bullion prices this year have rallied to record highs. US-listed shares of the Canadian miner rose 3.7% in premarket trading. Barrick opened up 1.4% at C$59.16 on the TSX. Reuters reported last month, that the company was considering splitting into Africa- and North America-focused entities. And Barrick said on Monday that the new company would comprise its joint venture interests in Nevada Gold Mines (NGM), Pueblo Viejo in the Dominican Republic, and the Fourmile gold discovery.…

Chinese and Japanese coastguard vessels have been involved in a stand-off near the disputed Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.The two sides gave conflicting accounts of Tuesday’s incident, with the Chinese coastguard saying it had driven a Japanese fishing boat away from the islands, which are known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan.Liu Dejun, a spokesman for the coastguard, said the Chinese vessels took “necessary control measures” and issued warnings to the boat.“The Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islets are inherent Chinese territory. We urge Japan to immediately cease all infringements and provocative activities in these waters,” Liu said.He…

Asia-Pacific private equity managers are more upbeat on the deal outlook, expecting stronger returns and fewer geopolitical risks than their global counterparts, even as deal activity in the region continues to soften, a new survey shows.Respondents in the region expected an average net return of 17.4 per cent from the private equity industry this year, slightly higher than the 17.1 per cent expected by North American, European, Middle Eastern and African (EMEA) executives, according to Dechert’s annual global private equity outlook report.The law firm worked with Mergermarket to survey 100 senior-level executives at different private equity firms across regions in…

Suyitno first saw the news of a deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district on social media last Wednesday afternoon.Yet, despite the harrowing footage of the estate engulfed in billowing smoke and leaping flames, Suyitno, who lives in the Indonesian city of Malang in East Java and whose wife was working in Hong Kong as a domestic helper, was not immediately concerned.He did not recognise the location as the workplace of his 39-year-old wife Erawati, who had been living on and off in the city since 2011.What unfolded next was a surreal sequence of events…

The Pakistani rupee strengthened against the US dollar, appreciating 0.09% during the opening minutes of trading in the inter-bank market on Tuesday. At 10am, the local currency was hovering at 280.25, a gain of Re0.26 against the greenback. On Monday, the local unit closed at 280.51. Internationally, the US dollar remained under pressure on Tuesday as weaker-than-expected manufacturing activity data from the world’s biggest economy heaped pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates at its policy meeting later this month. The US dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a basket of six major peers, edged lower…

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff was due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday, taking to the Kremlin an embryonic peace plan that Washington hopes can bring about an end to the nearly four-year war in Ukraine.Coinciding with Witkoff’s trip, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy went to Ireland, continuing his visits to European countries that have helped sustain his country’s fight against Russia’s invasion.After months of frustration in his efforts to stop the fighting, U.S. President Donald Trump is deploying officials to get traction for his peace proposals. So far, the talks have followed parallel lines, with…

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Bulgaria’s government said Tuesday it is withdrawing a controversial budget proposal after protests against it drew tens of thousands of people and saw clashes between police and protesters.Opposition and business groups have warned that plans for higher taxes, increased social security contributions and spending increases could hurt investment and expand the shadow economy as the country prepares to join the eurozone at the start of next year.The government first promised to withdraw the draft for thorough revision after protests last week, but later refused to do so, sparking protests in the capital, Sofia, and other major…