Getty Images file photo

Bangladesh, Dhaka (BBN) – Bangladesh Business News prepares Monday’s evening business round up compiling reports, published by different newspapers and news portals.

Default loans decreased last year by Tk 17,737 crore: finance minister
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal today said that the amount of default loans in the banking sector decreased, riding on the rules and regulations which were relaxed by the central bank.

DSEX dips below 5,800-mark as investors continue profit booking on sector-wise issues
Stocks extended the losing streak on Monday, with the key index of the major bourse dipping below 5,800-mark, as cautious investors continued their profit booking on sector-wise issues. DSEX, the prime index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), went down by 25.61 points or 0.44 per cent to settle at 5,789.

Private sector credit growth far from target
The country’s economy will turn around based on two factors – remittances and private sector credit growth. Although the recently-released Monetary Policy Review report of the central bank has expressed this optimism, private sector credit growth does not currently reflect this. Credit growth is still far lower than the target though it increased slightly in December over November.

Govt sets target of earning $4 billion by 2025 through export of ships
The government has set a target of earning four billion dollars in foreign currency by 2025 through exporting ships. To meet this goal, the Cabinet in its regular meeting today approved the Ship Construction Industry Development Policy 2020.

First shipment of imported Covid vaccine doses arrives in Dhaka
The first shipment of five million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, imported from India, has arrived in Dhaka. Nine refrigerated vans will carry the vaccine doses to a warehouse in Tongi on the outskirts of Dhaka, Nazmul Hassan, managing director of Beximco Pharmaceuticals, the distributor of the vaccines, said on Monday.

Two associates of PK Halder on 5-day remand
A Dhaka court today placed two close associates of PK Halder on a five-day remand each in a Tk 70.82 crore money laundering case. The accused are Uzzal Kumar Nandi, former chairman of People’s Leasing and Financial Services Limited (PLFS), and Rashedul Haque, former managing director of International Leasing and Financial Services Limited (ILFSL).

Ekushey Book Fair begins 18 March
Putting an end to all the speculations, the Ekushey Book Fair-2021 has finally been scheduled to kick off on 18 March. The fair will be held in the conventional way and all the arrangements will be made at the Bangla Academy premises, the academy Director General Habibullah Shiraji told The Business Standard today.

Hong Kong leads gains as major Asia-Pacific markets rise
Stocks in major Asia-Pacific markets were higher on Monday as investors continued to monitor the situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index led gains among the region’s major markets as it rose 2.41% to close at 30,159.01.

Mega-rich have already recovered from pandemic losses — but it could take the poor a decade, Oxfam warns
The 1,000 richest people on the planet recouped their losses caused by the coronavirus pandemic within nine months, according to estimates from Oxfam, but the global charity believe it could take more than a decade for the world’s poorest to recover. In a report entitled “The Inequality Virus,” Oxfam noted that “the world’s 10 richest men have seen their combined wealth increase by half a trillion dollars since the pandemic began — more than enough to pay for a Covid-19 vaccine for everyone and to ensure no one is pushed into poverty by the pandemic.”

Gold price (XAU/USD) unable to break through technical chart resistance
The price of gold is stuck in a small range in early turnover as traders ready themselves for a busy week of potentially market-moving data releases and events. Tomorrow sees the release of the closely watched consumer confidence number for January, Wednesday sees durable goods for December and the latest FOMC meeting and policy decision, Thursday the first look at Q4 GDP while on Friday, the Fed’s favoured reading of inflation, core PCE.

Oil prices fall for 2nd session as Covid-19 lockdown concerns cast pall over demand prospects
Oil prices slipped for a second straight session on Monday as renewed Covid-19 lockdowns raised fresh concerns about global fuel demand. Brent crude futures for March fell 15 cents, or 0.3%, to $55.26 a barrel by 0158 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for March was at $52.19 a barrel, down 8 cents, or 0.2%.

BBN/SS/AN