Jute growers face problems for scarcity of retting water

A worker throws a bundle of jute to another on a truck at a wholesale jute market in Jamalpur last week. Jute growers in many areas of the country have been facing problems for scarcity of water for retting jute which is resulting in delay of harvest and increasing the production cost. — Focusbangla photo

Jute growers in many areas of the country have been facing problems for scarcity of water for retting jute which is resulting in delay of harvest and increasing the production cost. Retting water scarcity occurred in parts of the country due to inadequate... Full story

Taxpayers to receive refund of excess payment at home

The National Board of Revenue is going to introduce an effective and automated refund system to reduce the hassle undergone by taxpayers in getting refunds, and to encourage them to pay tax in advance and at source. Full story

Global food crisis looms as prices surge: FAO

A file photo shows a trader arranging pulse at a shop in Dhaka. The world could face a food crisis of the kind seen in 2007-8 if countries restrict exports on concerns about a drought-fuelled grain price rally, the UN’s food agency warned on Thursday. — New Age photo

The world could face a food crisis of the kind seen in 2007-8 if countries restrict exports on concerns about a drought-fuelled grain price rally, the UN’s food agency warned on Thursday, after reporting a surge in global food prices in July. Full story

SEC finds anomalies in RN Spinning’s rights shares subscription

An investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission found major breaches of procedure in the rights offer subscription of RN Spinning Mills. The investigation committee of SEC director Sheikh Mahbubur Rahman... Full story

No premium on placement shares: SEC

The Securities and Exchange Commission chairman, M Khairul Hossain, on Thursday said the SEC would not allow floating placement shares with premium. ‘Companies can float placement shares; but premium... Full story

Asian markets mostly rise, Europe fears cap gains

Asian markets mostly rose on Thursday as data showing China’s output slowed and inflation hit a two-and-a-half-year low lifted hopes for fresh easing measures to boost the world’s number two economy. Full story

Yen drops back after rising on BoJ outcome

The yen briefly rose in Asian trade Thursday after the Bank of Japan held off new easing measures but the rally proved short-lived in the absence of further trading cues. The Japanese currency was fetching... Full story

Morgan Stanley considers shutting offices, cutting staff

Morgan Stanley , under fire to boost profit margins in its retail brokerage arm, is considering closing brokerage offices, laying off support staff and requiring some branch managers also to generate revenue as advisers... Full story

Easing China inflation boosts crude prices in Asia

Crude prices rose in Asia Thursday as traders cheered Chinese data showing inflation at a two-and-a-half-year low last month, raising the chances of fresh monetary easing policies, analysts said. Full story

Surprise industrial output slump adds to India’s economic woes

An employee inspects the spinning wheel to roll power wires at the Kei Industries, one of India’s leading electrical equipment manufacturers at the industrial estate of Bhiwadi, in Rajasthan on Monday. — Reuters photo

India’s industrial output fell for the third time in four months in June, adding to pressure on new finance minister P Chidambaram to move quickly and pull Asia’s third-largest economy from its worst slowdown in almost a decade. The manufacturing-led... Full story