Economy

Bank of Japan ends negative rates
In a widely expected decision, the BOJ ditched a policy put in place since 2016 that applied a 0.1% charge on some excess reserves financial institutions parked with the central bank
Oil prices rise on tighter supply, geopolitical risks
Brent crude oil futures for May delivery inched up 3 cents to $85.37 a barrel by 0045 GMT
Price of necessities will come down to tolerable levels: state minister
However, the price cuts will not happen overnight, the state minister for commerce said
Indian banks halt silver imports
India's banks have stopped silver imports after private traders bought large volumes of the precious metal from the United Arab Emirates to benefit from a lower duty
African cocoa plants run out of beans as global chocolate crisis deepens
Cocoa prices have more than doubled over the last year, scaling numerous all-time highs
India's wheat stocks hit 7-year low after record state sale
Wheat reserves in state stores totalled 9.7 million tons at the start of this month, down from 11.7 million tons in March 2022
Wilful defaulters face home, car purchase ban
The financial market regulator orders banks to form units within Apr 9 to identify such loan defaulters
China's emissions, efficiency targets under threat
China has rarely missed targets in the past. But now, driven primarily by energy security concerns, it has shown little political will to address the emissions gap