WASHINGTON, DC: The Algerian economy was still emerging from the COVID pandemic when spillovers from Russia’s war in Ukraine and recurrent droughts pushed up inflation, while high international hydrocarbon prices boosted government revenue and exports, said the International Monetary Fund in a statement.

KUWAIT: As part of its various initiatives during the holy month of Ramadan, Gulf Bank announced its support for the charitable campaign organized by the Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) under the slogan “Aid Palestine”, in response to the efforts of the state and civil society institutions aiming to alleviate the suffering of people affected by the war in Gaza.

ATHENS: Greece on Sunday tightened its Golden Visa rules raising the required investment to as much as 800,000 euros in a bid to help ease a housing crisis.

WASHINGTON: A digital tool considered vital in tracking viral falsehoods, CrowdTangle will be decommissioned by Facebook owner Meta in a major election year, a move researchers fear will disrupt efforts to detect an expected firehose of political misinformation.

BEIJING: Monthly factory activity in China grew for the first time in half a year, official figures showed Sunday, in a positive sign for policymakers seeking to revive the world’s second-largest economy.

PARIS: The French government has said it is “seriously” studying the option of building a plant to convert and enrich reprocessed uranium to cut its reliance on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

PARIS: Global oil demand is expected to rise by a higher-than-expected 1.7 mb/d in 1Q24 on an improved outlook for the United States and increased bunkering, said International Energy Agency in a report.

HONG KONG: Gold hit another fresh record high Monday as investors grow confident that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this year, even after data showed a slight uptick in a key inflation report.

MANAMA, April 1 (KUNA) -- Bahrain's Al Salam Bank said on Monday it has inked a final deal with Kuwait Finance House (KFH) to acquire the latter's entire share of KFH-Bahrain.