Author: Arabian Media staff

The Sharjah Roads and Transport Authority (SRTA) has launched a set of smart traffic signals as part of its broader infrastructure development strategy. Dubai: New traffic signal control system to reduce congestion by 20% According to a WAM report, the signals are integrated into an advanced system developed under the “Green Traffic” initiative. The system aims to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and enhance road safety across the emirate. Smart projects to enhance Sharjah’s transport sector Engineer Yousef Khamis Al Othmani, Chairman of SRTA, stated that the initiative is part of a wider package of smart projects aimed at advancing…

Unlock the White House Watch newsletter for freeYour guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the worldDonald Trump’s administration is debating an executive order that could open the nearly $9tn US retirement market to private capital groups focused on corporate takeovers, property and other high-octane deals. The order would instruct agencies such as the departments of labour and Treasury and the Securities and Exchange Commission to study the feasibility of opening 401k plans, a primary vehicle for US retirement savings, to the private funds, according to four sources familiar with the talks.Trump opened the door for…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.The writer is the author of A Random Walk Down Wall Street A shaky, temporary truce may have been declared in the trade war between the US and China but it is clear the world has regrettably entered a new era of increased friction in the flow of goods and services. That will carry a big cost for growth in the global economy.There could be legitimate arguments for limited and targeted tariffs designed to enhance national security or to help negotiate a lowering…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.If only Taiwanese investors had paid closer attention to the cheesiest of economic statistics, the Big Mac Index.Earlier this year in its semi-annual calculation of the BMI, The Economist ranked the Taiwan dollar as the cheapest of the 58 currencies in its purview, being undervalued by 58.8 per cent against the greenback. While this divergence has steadily risen in recent years, it has been whopping (sorry) for the past decade.Rather than see this as a warning sign, Taiwanese investors gorged on overseas…

Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the UK inflation myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.UK inflation rose more than expected to a 15-month high of 3.5 per cent in April, prompting traders to scale back bets on additional rate cuts from the Bank of England. Wednesday’s figure from the Office for National Statistics was both higher than the 3.3 per cent predicted by analysts polled by Reuters and March’s 2.6 per cent.The rise was driven by higher energy costs after regulators raised the household price cap, as well as a jump in water bills, the ONS…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.UK retailer Marks and Spencer said on Wednesday that it expects a £300mn hit to profits this year because of a cyber attack last month. The company, whose operations have been disrupted by the hack, said it forecast an impact of £300mn on group operating profit for this financial year before mitigation, “which will be reduced through management of costs, insurance and other trading actions”. Chief executive Stuart Machin said the incident had been challenging “but it is a moment in time” and “a…

Stay informed with free updatesSimply sign up to the Global Economy myFT Digest — delivered directly to your inbox.Central banks around the world are lowering borrowing costs as global inflation eases from the multi-decade highs reached in many countries in recent years.The FT global inflation and interest rates tracker provides a regularly updated visual narrative of consumer price inflation and central bank policy rates around the world.Some content could not load. Check your internet connection or browser settings.This page covers the factors affecting policymakers’ decisions on borrowing costs and whether central banks have increased or decreased interest rates.Some content could…

Unlock the Editor’s Digest for freeRoula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.This article is an on-site version of our Unhedged newsletter. Premium subscribers can sign up here to get the newsletter delivered every weekday. Standard subscribers can upgrade to Premium here, or explore all FT newslettersGood morning. Elon Musk announced yesterday that he plans to spend a “lot less” on political campaigns going forward. Tesla investors rejoiced when Musk stepped away from Doge a few weeks ago, sending shares up more than 5 per cent. But they did not react much this time;…

Ireland has become a major base for US pharma companies, including Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson. That’s bolstered the economies of individual towns and played a role in the country’s massive budget surplus. Now, US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats are bringing a dose of uncertainty. The FT’s Ireland correspondent Jude Webber traveled to the town where the world’s supply of Botox is produced to see what impact potential pharmaceutical tariffs might have on the country. Clips from WKYC, The Journal, Bloomberg- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -…

In general, those wanting to invest in gold directly have three choices: they can purchase the physical asset, they can purchase shares of a mutual or exchange-traded fund (ETF) that replicates the price of gold, or they can trade futures and options in the commodities market. Retail investors, for example, might buy gold coins from one of the best online gold dealers, while more experienced investors implement strategies using options on gold futures. Key Takeaways Several ways exist to invest in gold: buying the metal itself, buying gold funds, or buying gold options.Investing in gold bullion for individuals takes the…