Asian stocks today: Markets trade mixed after US shutdown ends; HSI dips over 150 points, Shenzhen adds 1%

Asian markets traded mostly in red on Thursday as excitement over the end of the United States’ record government shutdown quickly lost steam. With the focus shifting back to the Federal Reserve’s next interest rate decision and mounting fears of a technology sector bubble, investors showed little appetite for risk.Nikkei jumped 88 points or 0.17%…

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AI boom: Anthropic to invest $50 billion in US data centre network with Fluidstack; Texas and New York first in line

Artificial intelligence firm Anthropic on Wednesday unveiled an ambitious $50 billion plan to build a new network of data centres in collaboration with UK-based Fluidstack, signalling its intent to expand rapidly as global demand for AI infrastructure surges, AFP reported.The facilities — to be built initially in Texas and New York –will form the foundation…

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Shutdown strain: Small US businesses reel under halted contracts; firms weigh layoffs as Congress moves to end deadlock

Small businesses across the United States that rely on federal contracts and funding are facing a severe cash crunch as the country’s longest-ever government shutdown stretches into its seventh week, forcing owners to cut costs, delay payments, and even consider layoffs, according to AP report.Lawmakers are returning to Washington to vote on a stopgap funding…

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Banking push: FinMin asks PSBs to boost MSME, farm credit; focus on deposits, asset quality and AI-led innovation

The finance ministry has directed public sector banks (PSBs) to ramp up lending to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the agriculture sector while maintaining healthy growth in low-cost deposits and ensuring strong risk management, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.Chairing a performance review meeting with bank chiefs, Department of Financial Services…

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Tech jobs: GCC sector may add up to 4 million jobs by FY30, faces tougher compliance norms in India, says report

India’s fast-growing Global Capability Centre (GCC) ecosystem — which already employs 1.9 million professionals — is set to create an additional 2.8 to 4 million jobs by FY30, according to a new report by TeamLease. But as expansion accelerates, the study warns, operators will face an increasingly complex regulatory and compliance environment, PTI reported.The report,…

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Supply chain shift: GM tells suppliers to exit China by 2027; move signals deeper US-China trade decoupling

General Motors (GM) has asked thousands of its suppliers to eliminate parts sourced from China by 2027, in one of the auto industry’s most aggressive moves yet to insulate its operations from deepening US-China trade tensions, Reuters reported, citing four people familiar with the matter.According to the report, GM has directed suppliers to find alternative…

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