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New Foreign Direct Investment in the United States, 2025

Expenditures by foreign direct investors to acquire, establish, or expand U.S. businesses totaled $232.2 billion in 2025, according to preliminary statistics released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Expenditures increased $76.8 billion, or 49.5 percent, from 2024 levels. As in previous years, acquisitions of existing U.S. businesses accounted for most of the expenditures. Acquisition expenditures in 2025 were $218.4 billion, expenditures to establish new U.S. businesses were $4.6 billion, and expenditures to expand existing foreign-owned businesses were $9.2 billion. Planned total expenditures, which include both first-year and planned future expenditures, were $284.5 billion. Full Text

Philippine Daily Inquirer

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Jefferies upgrades Aegis Vopak shares to Buy, says correction overdone. Here’s why

Shares of Aegis Vopak Terminals rallied as much as 6% to their day’s high of Rs 203 on the BSE on Wednesday after international brokerage firm Jefferies upgraded the stock to Buy and assigned a fresh target price of Rs 240, implying an upside of 25% from current market levels. While the brokerage has cut its target price from Rs 255, it believes the recent correction in Aegis Vopak Terminals (AVTL) has been excessive. The stock has fallen 16% since Middle East tensions escalated, compared with an 8% decline in the Nifty. While near-term risks persist, the brokerage expects LPG import volumes to normalise once geopolitical tensions ease.Jefferies said Aegis remains on track with its expansion plans, with management reiterating an aggregate capex target of $5 billion by FY30 and $1.2 billion by FY27. The company currently operates 1.7 million cubic metres of liquid storage capacity and 225,800 MT of LPG capacity across six ports and aims to expand its presence to 12 ports by 2030. Capacity additions at JNPT and Kandla ports are progressing as planned and are expected to increase liquid storage capacity by 25% and LPG capacity by 34%, respectively. Management said capacity expansion is being aligned with demand growth. The company is also expanding into ammonia storage, with a 36,000 MT facility under development at Pipavav port. Additionally, the Kandla-Gorakhpur pipeline is expected to be commissioned by September 2026, which could support higher LPG terminal throughput.“We estimate 4.7% CAGR in LPG demand over FY26-30E, driving 5.3% CAGR in imports. We believe AVTL is also well-placed to capture storage-led growth as the government plans to build an LPG storage reserve to cover 30 days of demand,” the brokerage said in a note. Jefferies has lowered its FY27 EBITDA estimate for Aegis Vopak Terminals (AVTL) by 22% to factor in the March 2026 quarter miss and the impact of Middle East tensions. However, it has largely retained its FY28 estimates, assuming geopolitical tensions ease over time.The brokerage has cut its target price to Rs 240 from Rs 255 earlier. The valuation is based on 22x March 2028 estimated EV/EBITDA, compared with 18x for JSW Infrastructure. Jefferies expects AVTL to deliver a 33% EBITDA CAGR between FY28 and FY30, versus 21% for JSW Infrastructure, while achieving broadly similar return ratios by FY28.Key downside risks highlighted by the brokerage include delays in the Kandla-Gorakhpur pipeline project, weaker-than-expected LPG imports or market share gains, and value-dilutive capacity expansion plans.Aegis Vopak shares are down 20% since the beginning of the year. (Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

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Lacson bares widespread ‘frustration’ among uniformed services

MANILA, Philippines — Former Philippine National Police Chief and current Sen. Panfilo Lacson warned that “frustration” within the armed services has spread to regional levels. Citing “independent intel,” Lacson said that armed personnel are frustrated over overlapping national issues, including the tension in the Senate, inflation, the rise in oil prices, and the flood control

1 injured in 2-alarm overnight apartment fire near Fort York

A two‑alarm fire in Toronto’s Fort York neighbourhood sent one person to the hospital early Tuesday. Toronto Fire Services says crews were called to a residential building near Bastion Street and Fort York Boulevard just before 2 a.m., arriving to find smoke drifting through a hallway on one of the building’s upper levels. Firefighters traced […]

산업/기업

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RVNL shares jump 3% after securing Rs 221 crore Railway contract

Shares of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) surged as much as 3.18% on Tuesday, touching an intraday high of Rs 235.50 after the company announced a fresh order win worth Rs 221.33 crore from South East Central Railway.In a regulatory filing, RVNL announced that it has secured a Letter of Acceptance (LoA) for a signalling and infrastructure upgrade project in the Bilaspur Division of South East Central Railway.The project involves the replacement of conventional Panel Interlocking systems with advanced Electronic Interlocking technology across multiple stations, including BSPR, KLPG, ABKP, MZH, HRV, PRDL, KTMA, BJRI, KJZ, MDGR, CHRM, GTK, KLTR, PLAU, and KBS. The scope of work also includes installation of indoor and outdoor signalling equipment, construction of OFC huts, development and electrification of S&T service buildings, and associated cabling works in adjoining railway sections.The contract has been awarded by South East Central Railway, a domestic entity, under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) model. The project is scheduled to be executed within 730 days.The total contract value stands at Rs 221.33 crore. RVNL clarified that neither the promoter group nor any group companies have any interest in the awarding entity, and the contract does not fall under related-party transactions.The latest order win further strengthens RVNL's robust order book and reinforces its position as a key player in India's railway infrastructure modernization drive. Investors cheered the development, driving the stock higher during Tuesday's trading session.Share Price Trend, Valuation & Technical OutlookDespite Tuesday's rally, RVNL's stock has been under significant selling pressure in recent months. The railway PSU has corrected nearly 25% over the past month, while investors have seen the stock decline by around 47% over the last one year, highlighting the sharp erosion in market value from its peak levels.The company currently commands a market capitalization of ₹47,586 crore. RVNL's shares have witnessed considerable volatility over the past year, with the stock hitting a 52-week high of ₹442.80 and a 52-week low of ₹227.01.From a valuation perspective, the stock trades at a Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio of 54.4 and a Price-to-Book (P/B) ratio of 4.85, indicating that investors continue to assign a premium valuation despite the recent correction.Also read: Wipro's Rs 15,000-crore buyback opens June 11; entitlement ratio and key details announcedOn the technical front, indicators suggest the stock may be approaching a critical zone. The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 19, well below the 20-mark that is typically considered deeply oversold territory. Such readings often signal that selling may have become excessive and could pave the way for a technical rebound if buying interest returns.However, caution remains warranted. RVNL continues to exhibit a weak trend structure, with the stock currently trading below all eight of its key Simple Moving Averages (SMAs), a sign that bears still maintain control over the broader price trend.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)

BUDGET 2026-27: Budget timing in doubt after NEC meeting put off again

• Centre, provinces struggle to reach consensus over fiscal space • Federal govt seeks over Rs1tr for strategic needs; provinces resist freeze on NFC shares • KP says demand could push provinces into deficit • CM’s adviser says issue now political, not technical • Seeks consultation with Imran before budget decisions ISLAMABAD: The announcement of the federal budget 2026-27 remains uncertain as the federal government, its coalition partners and provincial governments struggle to reach consensus over the Centre’s demand for more than Rs1 trillion for strategic needs. The meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC), officially called on Monday for June 8, was postponed for the third time at the last moment amid continuing negotiations over the freezing of provincial shares in the federal divisible pool under the National Finance Commission (NFC) award. As a consequence, the federal budget 2026-27 may not be presented in parliament on June 10 as announced last week by the Ministry of Finance. The finance ministry’s official spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on the revised plan for the release of the Economic Survey of Pakistan and the budget schedule. Muzzammil Aslam, adviser on finance to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister, confirmed that the Centre had told provinces that their financial shares under the NFC for the current year would not be increased next year and that any amount above the current year’s share would have to be returned to the Centre. Aslam said the provinces had protested the demand, as it would push provincial budgets into deficit and make it difficult for them to run their governments. He said the federal government team suggested that provinces could freeze salaries and limit development schemes. The Centre’s additional fiscal demand is over and above the Rs1.95tr cash surplus that provinces have already committed and signed under the national fiscal pact pushed by the IMF. Speaking to journalists after a meeting with a federal team led by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and comprising Finance Secretary Imdadullah Bosal, Aslam said he had not seen such a precarious situation in the past 21 to 22 years that he had been following budgets, and certainly not during the last six to seven years in which he had been directly involved in the budget process at the federal and provincial levels. The KP team was led by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. Aslam said even the rescheduled NEC meeting on June 9 was uncertain, as many issues that had developed over time were too significant to be settled ahead of the NEC meeting. As a result, the federal budget scheduled for June 10 could slip further, as there was “no way forward in sight” and consensus between the Centre and provinces appeared distant, he said. He said even if provinces practically agreed to give up funds beyond their current year’s share, it would be technically challenging to implement the decision because it could violate surplus targets agreed with the International Monetary Fund. Responding to a question about the constitutional bar on reducing provincial NFC shares during a fiscal year, Aslam said there was no clear answer on the table, but the Centre perhaps wanted to transfer funds to the provinces and then seek their return. “Everybody is standing on their toes” to find a solution, he said, while acknowledging that the strategic purpose for the additional funding was in the national interest. “The demand for the strategic purpose is not unjustified and is in the national interest, but Sindh and Punjab will have to show generosity,” he said. Aslam said KP’s fiscal loss could be Rs170 billion to Rs180bn compared to much larger demands from other provinces — around Rs700bn from Punjab and Rs500bn from Sindh. He said the issue had now become political rather than technical. Therefore, he said, the matter was beyond the KP government’s powers and had to be taken up in consultation with PTI founder Imran Khan. For this purpose, he said, CM Afridi and he himself should be granted urgent access to Imran in Adiala Jail. He said Imran was large-hearted and could provide a better solution, unlike the leadership of the current coalition partners. Aslam said the delegation led by Iqbal was convinced about KP’s position and promised to return with answers regarding an urgent meeting with Imran. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister’s Office said the delegation led by Iqbal had come to KP House “to discuss a range of intergovernmental matters, including meeting with former prime minister Imran Khan, the forthcoming meeting of the NEC, provincial fiscal and constitutional rights, development financing for the merged districts, energy-related issues, wheat supply, hydropower projects, and other matters of mutual concern”. CM Afridi conveyed his government’s concerns over the continued unequal treatment of KP in fiscal allocations and development financing. He said sustained denial of the province’s constitutional and financial entitlements could adversely affect the environment necessary for constructive intergovernmental engagement, including participation in national forums such as the NEC. He said consultations with Imran were essential in the context of major policy and budgetary decisions, noting that political parties routinely seek guidance from their leadership on matters of national importance. Such consultations were “necessary before taking key decisions relating to the budget and broader economic policy”, he said. The chief minister pointed to reductions in development allocations earmarked for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the merged districts. He said funding under the Accelerated Implementation Programme had been reduced from Rs37bn to Rs27bn, while development allocations for the merged districts had been cut from Rs66bn to Rs56bn within a week by the federal government. He said the NFC share of the merged districts had been withheld unconstitutionally for the past eight years, causing serious harm to development and public welfare efforts in these areas. Afridi said KP produced more than 500 mmcfd of natural gas daily, yet the people of the province continued to face severe gas shortages and loadshedding despite KP’s total consumption of 150 mmcfd. This was “contrary to constitutional requirements and the principles of equitable resource distribution”, he said, adding that depriving a gas-producing province of its rightful share was unacceptable. He also pointed to delays in operationalising a completed dam project in Swat due to the non-issuance of required clearances for Chinese engineers by the federal government, preventing the timely use of completed infrastructure and limiting associated economic benefits. Similarly, the Peshawar Bus Terminal had been completed but remained non-operational due to the pending issuance of a no-objection certificate by the National Highway Authority, he said. The CM’s Office said Iqbal assured the KP government that the no-objection certificate required for operationalising the Peshawar Bus Terminal would be facilitated within 24 hours. He promised that the concerns and proposals discussed during the meeting would be “presented before the prime minister and other relevant federal forums, and that efforts would be made to pursue their resolution”. Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2026

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Sensex down over 10K points from Dec peak. Should MF investors pause SIPs?

With the benchmark index - BSE Sensex down by over 10,000 basis points to a level of 74,243 as of June 6, 2026, has left many investors wondering whether to continue SIPs and lump-sum investments during the current market decline, hold current positions or wait for greater clarity on market direction?Market experts believe that investors should see this 10,000 point correction as a buying opportunity rather than a reason to panic.Vishal Dhawan, Founder & CEO, Plan Ahead Wealth Advisors told ETMutualFunds that investors should view this 10,000-point Sensex correction as a long-term buying opportunity as market drawdowns are natural processes that shake out speculative premiums, resetting valuations to fundamentally healthier levels.Also Read | Multicap or flexicap mutual fund for a 20-year SIP? Expert explains what investors should choose “Long-term investors can continue their Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) and hold current positions firmly. Pausing allocations to "wait for clarity" is a psychological trap that historically locks investors out of the sharpest days of a market rebound.”Dhawan further said that while regular SIPs are key to an investment journey, panic selling must be completely avoided; use this market decline to methodically build an equity baseline designed to reward your patience when economic sentiment inevitably swings back to optimism at some point in the future and it is critical to have a minimum 5-7 year investment horizon whilst investing.Echoing a similar opinion of considering this as a buying opportunity rather than a reason to panic, Amitabh Lara, Executive Director, Anand Rathi Wealth Limited shared with ETMutualFunds that for long-term investors, this is not the time to stop investing.Amitabh further said that continuing SIPs during a fall can actually work in your favour because the same investment amount buys more units at lower prices and one of the biggest mistakes investors make is stopping SIPs during a correction and returning only after the recovery has already happened.The benchmark index which touched a peak of 84,391 on December 10, 2025, is now down by nearly 10,148 points to a level of 74,243 as of June 6, 2026.As the market becomes volatile, investors as well as the fund managers keep cash in hand and wait for the opportunity to deploy it in the market but with a dilemma whether to deploy cash immediately or stagger investments over time.Amitabh said that if investors have idle cash available then they can go ahead and invest as a lumpsum and funds can be deployed in a staggered manner through tranches, over 6 to 8 weeks. “It also removes the stress of trying to time the exact bottom. If they have SIPs, they can continue it without worrying about the market level and take advantage of rupee cost averaging.”Dhawan said that for investors sitting on cash, a staggered deployment strategy via a 6-month to 12 month Systematic Transfer Plan (STP) is highly recommended as this approach could hedge your principal against intermediate downside volatility.He further said that investors should avoid deploying an absolute lumpsum at current levels, as picking the exact market bottom is a statistical myth and tranche-based buying ensures you average out your entry costs across multiple lower price bands smoothly.“Park your liquid capital in low-duration instruments and systematically route it into equity. This automated execution effectively replaces portfolio anxiety with disciplined benefits. In case you wish to deploy a lumpsum, and not do a STP, an investment in the Balanced Advantage category is suggested.” Dhawan said.How equity categories performedETMutualFunds checked the performance of equity mutual funds since December 10, 2025. Small cap funds have delivered an average return of 6.06% since the date BSE Sensex touched the new peak, followed by mid cap funds which gave an average return of 2.58%.Also Read | Nippon India Mutual Fund limits subscription in Gold BeES and gold savings fund In contrast, the counterparts, large cap funds gave a negative average return of 6.26% since December 10, 2025. Multi cap funds gave an average return of 0.06% whereas flexi cap funds fell 2.95% on an average in the said time period.Out of 10 equity categories, only three gave positive average returns which were small caps, mid caps and multi caps whereas the other categories such as large caps, contra funds, ELSS, flexi, focused, value and large & mid caps gave negative average returns.Which market-cap segment could lead the recovery?Dhawan said that large-cap stocks are typically best positioned to lead the initial recovery wave when domestic and foreign institutional flows return and their robust cash flows, operational scale, and institutional backing provide an essential fundamental moat.He further said that mid-caps may require stock-specific elements to perform, as many names went up significantly during the previous bull cycle; small caps should be approached with high caution and patience, as they remain prone to sharp liquidity outflows during market corrections. “Limit small-cap exposure if you can handle the volatility and have a longer time horizon of 7-10 years for mid and small caps.”Lara said that small caps appear to have the most room for upside when markets recover. Currently, Nifty Smallcap 250 is trading about 17.4% below its fair value, compared with 9.6% for the Nifty Midcap 150 and around 5-9% for large-cap indices. Hence, small caps have corrected more than large caps and mid caps relative to their earnings potential.He further said that investors can have a balanced exposure across market caps, with 55% in large caps and the rest in mid and small caps to be a part of the eventual recovery that will follow in the markets.BSE Sensex: In the last six months, the index was down 13.38% and in the nine months, it was down 8.01%. In the last one year, Sensex was down 8.83% whereas in the last three years and five years it was up 5.74% and 7.33% respectively.Sector allocation becomes particularly important during market corrections as valuation gaps emerge across industries. The question is whether investors should actively target beaten-down sectors or focus on broader diversification.In response to this, Lara said investors should avoid investing in single sectors or making sectoral bets as performance in sectors/themes is highly cyclical. For example, in 2024, the pharma & IT sectors were part of the best-performing sectors, however, they both turned into worst-performing sectors in 2025, which suggest that entry and exit at the right time play a crucial role in making investments in the sectorial/thematic funds.Also Read |HDFC Mutual Fund limits subscription in its gold ETF and FoF. What this means for investors? During such corrections, it would be more beneficial for investors to invest in diversified categories of equity mutual funds to get exposure to all sectors and benefit from their performance, rather than focusing solely on any single sector, Lara further said.Dhawan said to prioritize accumulating high-quality banking and financial services funds as these segments offer good earnings visibility, corrected price multiples, and fundamentally strong underlying balance sheets.He further said systematic accumulation of Information Technology (IT) funds could be attributed to these deep valuation resets as they are cash-rich franchises with low debt. However, they do face business model risk. Conversely, stay away from Utilities and capital goods as valuations look well above their long term averages.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)If you have any mutual fund queries, message on ET Mutual Funds on Facebook/Twitter. We will get it answered by our panel of experts. Do share your questions on ETMFqueries@timesinternet.in along with your age, risk profile, and Twitter handle.

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Smart money move: Why Groww MF's equity chief is betting on multicap strategies

While warning about the risk of a looming oil shock, Groww Mutual Fund’s equity chief, CA Anupam Tiwari, says multicap strategy together with bottom-up investing can work well in this market.Although there might be valuation concerns in some specific areas, the overall investment environment for active stock picking in mid and small caps has improved to some extent, he says in an interview with ET Markets.Edited excerpts from a chat:Markets have recovered from recent corrections despite geopolitical tensions. What is the market pricing that investors may be underestimating?Markets are showing signs of recovery from the fall due to the prospects of de-escalation and continued talks regarding the resolution of the Middle East crisis. Nevertheless, one possible threat that investors might be overlooking is the possibility of prolonged geopolitical instability that can cause oil prices to remain elevated for an extended period.Sustained higher energy prices could have broader implications for inflation, currency stability, corporate profitability, and economic growth. While markets appear to be pricing in a relatively benign outcome, any disruption that results in persistently elevated crude prices could have a more meaningful impact on the macroeconomic environment than is currently reflected in markets.With valuations still elevated in parts of the market, how should investors think about allocating money across large-, mid- and small-cap stocks today?Broad concerns regarding valuation levels in the market have cooled off in recent months. At the current juncture, close to one-third of the mid-cap space is priced below its five-year average valuation levels, whereas nearly half of the small-cap space is trading below its own five-year average valuation levels.Under these circumstances, although there might be valuation concerns in some specific areas, the overall investment environment for active stock picking in mid and small caps has improved to some extent. Here, a multicap strategy together with bottom-up investing can work well in uncovering better businesses.The multicap category has seen rising investor interest. What advantages does a multicap strategy offer in the current market environment compared to pure large-cap or mid-cap approaches?While the current phase is marked by heightened volatility, volatility is often uneven across segments. In such an environment, a multicap strategy may provide disciplined exposure across market caps within a single portfolio.This allows investors the relative stability and earnings visibility of larger companies, while also participating in the long-term growth potential of mid- and small-cap businesses. By maintaining exposure across segments, a multicap approach can help reduce over-reliance on any single category and provide a more balanced way to navigate changing market conditions.One of the key benefits of a multicap strategy is that it removes the burden of market-cap allocation from investors. Determining when to allocate across segments can be challenging, particularly as market leadership often shifts across cycles. A multicap strategy addresses this by embedding this decision within a disciplined investment framework, freeing investors from having to make often difficult and timing-sensitive allocation calls.From a long-term perspective, multicap funds can serve as a core equity allocation for investors, enabling investors to participate in India's growth story through a combination of established market leaders and emerging businesses.Many retail investors continue to favour mid- and small-caps despite recent volatility. Is the risk-reward equation still attractive in these segments?While mid- and small-cap stocks are generally more exposed during periods of market volatility, the opportunity set within these segments has improved as valuations have moderated across several pockets of the market while business fundamentals have remained intact and even improved in several pockets.Rather than looking at mid and small caps as segments, investors should focus on a disciplined investment framework. Selective opportunities continue to exist despite volatility, making active stock selection increasingly important in determining outcomes.Which sectors currently offer the strongest earnings visibility, and where are you finding opportunities despite market volatility?We continue to focus on sectors where earnings visibility remains relatively strong despite broader market volatility. Financials remain a key area of interest, supported by reasonable valuations, stable asset quality, improving credit growth, and a favorable funding environment, particularly within select NBFCs and mid-sized financial institutions.Within industrials, we remain constructive on themes such as power transmission & distribution, renewable energy, and defence, where order books remain healthy and policy support continues to drive long-term demand. In the auto space, we continue to see opportunities linked to premium consumption trends, EV adoption, and select auto-component manufacturers benefiting from structural drivers such as exports, and regulatory and policy changes.We are also positive on specialty chemicals, particularly businesses with strong contract manufacturing franchises, niche product portfolios, and long-term customer relationships. If you had to allocate fresh money today, which market-cap segment would receive the highest allocation and why?Our equity investment philosophy, QGaRP (Quality and Growth at a Reasonable Price), is market-cap agnostic and driven primarily by stock selection rather than segment-level calls. We seek to invest in businesses that combine high quality management, growth potential, and valuation comfort.That said, our multicap strategy has historically maintained a growth-oriented tilt towards mid- and small-cap companies. With valuations having moderated across several pockets of the mid- and small-cap universe, we believe the environment has become more conducive in these segments for active stock selection.As a result, while we continue to maintain a diversified allocation across market caps, we remain constructive on selectively identifying opportunities within the mid- and small-cap space where fundamentals, growth prospects, and valuations are aligned with our philosophy.

South China Morning Post

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Central Asia tipped to be Hong Kong’s next logistics hub: Airport Authority head

Central Asia can become a strategic logistics hub for Hong Kong as wars in the Middle East and Europe persist, with cargo volume between the city and two countries in the region surging nearly fivefold year on year, the Airport Authority chairman has said. Fred Lam Tin-fuk, who joined a recent trip with Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu to Central Asia, also said on Sunday that passenger traffic at Hong Kong airport could reach 70 million this year, recovering to nearly pre-Covid levels. “Central...

News18 (India)

Government Free Food Grains Made Families Spend Saved Money On Fruits, Says Author Anand Ranganathan

Author Anand Ranganathan claims that government-provided free food grains have helped households save money, which is being redirected toward buying fruits and vegetables, potentially improving overall nutrition levels. n18oc_india News18 Mobile App - https://onelink.to/desc-youtube

Geo News (Pakistan)

Khaosod English (Thailand)

Northern lights possible for 23 states on June 4-5: Check your area here

Northern lights possible for 23 states on June 4-5: Check your area here Northern lights are expected in the U.S. skies tonight. A strong geomagnetic storm triggers the spectacular celestial display, with isolated periods reaching G4 levels. The Aurora lights will be visible across 23...

For first time, Russia admits oil production has declined amid Ukraine's attacks on refineries

Russia has publicly acknowledged a dip in oil production due to unscheduled refinery repairs, marking the first such admission. This comes amid intensified Ukrainian drone attacks targeting Russian energy infrastructure, which have disrupted operations and pushed Moscow to increase crude exports. Despite these challenges, Russia aims to maximize exports and restore previous production levels.

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Mass fish deaths reported amid plankton bloom in Chumphon

CHUMPHON — 2 June 2026, Thai authorities have launched an investigation after marine life deaths and discoloured seawater were reported near the Pak Nam Tako estuary in Chumphon province, with preliminary findings indicating a plankton bloom and unusually low dissolved oxygen levels. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin ordered the Department of Marine and […] The post Mass fish deaths reported amid plankton bloom in Chumphon appeared first on Khaosod English.

Hot weather hurts Asian crops as powerful El Niño takes shape

Dry weather is disrupting crop planting across Asia, raising concerns about food supplies in the world’s most populous region, and an expected severe El Niño weather pattern could inflict more damage. From India’s grain-producing northwestern plains to Australia’s eastern wheat belt, and from Thailand’s rice fields to Indonesia’s vast palm oil plantations, hot weather and below-normal rains are hurting crops and forcing farmers to reduce planting, farmers, analysts and traders said. El Niño-driven dryness is a double blow for farmers already grappling with fertiliser and diesel shortages caused by the Iran war. Wheat prices have risen about 20 per cent since the start of 2026, largely on concerns over drought in key US growing regions. Rice prices at major Southeast Asian export hubs have climbed around 15pc over the past month on rising production costs and fears of tighter supplies. One of the strongest El Niños on record is widely expected to develop in the second half of 2026, bringing hot-dry weather to Asia and excessive rains to the Americas, with global climate change making things worse. “The El Niño impact globally starts with Southeast Asia, India, Australia, before it has wider implications downstream in North America and South America,” said Chris Hyde, a US-based meteorologist at satellite data and imagery firm SkyFi. Hyde said early signs of drought are already visible on the company’s high-resolution imagery platform, across parts of Asia. Hot-dry weather hits farms In India, the meteorological department last week further reduced its forecast for the four-month monsoon season, which delivers about 70pc of annual rains. “With temperatures across most parts of the country remaining well above normal, conditions are currently unfavourable for the timely sowing of summer crops,” said one New Delhi-based dealer with a global trade house. “Planting is likely to be delayed due to the late onset of the monsoon, but greater concern lies in the possibility of below-normal rainfall and prolonged dry spells after its arrival.” India mainly grows rice, soybeans, pulses, sugarcane and corn in the summer season. For Southeast Asian countries, dryness is hitting rice and palm oil yields in some areas. “Everybody is worried (about drought), it’s risky,” said Nerawat Oramah, a 47-year-old farmer in central Thailand’s Chainat province. “For my second harvest, I have to wait and see the situation. It’s a risk for every one (if there is not enough water), there will only be one harvest.” Thailand and the Philippines plant their main rice crops in June-July, while Vietnam and Indonesia are now sowing their second-season crops. Indonesia’s most populated Java island and some areas in northern Sumatra, south Kalimantan and Sulawesi have not experienced any rain for more than 10 days, according to the country’s meteorological agency, with medium to low rainfall expected in June. Higher prices Rice prices are edging up even though India, which accounts for 40pc of global exports, is sitting on ample supplies after years of near-record harvests. “There is clear indication of crisis as rice prices have moved substantially higher without any major shortage,” said one Singapore-based trader at an international trading company, adding Thai rice prices have climbed around 15pc in the past month. “India has a huge rice stockpile, several times more than what it needs. But the thinking is that very soon India will start looking at these stocks as a critical asset and may introduce some sort of export curbs if we see problems with early part of the monsoon.” However, KKP Research, a unit of Kiatnakin Phatra Bank in Thailand, said some of the impact of the dryness could be cushioned by strong reservoir levels. “What we are more concerned about is fertiliser supply,” the bank said in a note to Reuters. “We estimate that a fertiliser shortage, if it occurs, could reduce rice production by up to 15-20pc in the worst case.” Recent rains over parched Australian farmland have triggered late wheat sowing, but growers are wary of the El Niño in the coming months that could hit yields. The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting that many cropping areas across New South Wales and Queensland will see between 20 and 40 millimetres less rain than usual over the next three months. John Lowe, a farmer near Burcher in central New South Wales, said his total cropping area is still around 30pc smaller than it could have been. El Niño is likely to be neutral for China and the Black Sea region, while bringing more rains to the Americas. “Statistically speaking, there is not much correlation with weather in the US and El Niño, during the summer,” said Drew Lerner, an agricultural meteorologist and president of World Weather Inc. “In a lot of years, we can come up with a little bit more moisture in an El Niño summer. But that does not really mean above-normal rainfall.”

Below-normal rainfall, above-normal temperatures expected in most parts of country from June to August: PMD

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Wednesday forecast below-normal rainfall and above-normal temperatures across most parts of the country during the months of June to August. The PMD said in its outlook that the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is currently in a neutral phase and is expected to shift to a positive phase by July 2026, while the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has moved into a positive phase (El Nino) and is expected to strengthen further during the season. In view of these conditions, the PMD said that “normal to below-normal” rainfall was expected over most parts of the country during the June–July–August (JJA) season, with the largest negative departures likely over the northeastern parts of Punjab. The findings were reinforced by the Met Office’s probability outlook, which indicated a high probability of below-normal rainfall across most of Pakistan, particularly Punjab, Sindh, southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and most of Balochistan. “In contrast, near-normal to slightly above-normal rainfall is anticipated over the northern regions, including Gilgit-Baltistan, adjoining areas of northern KP, and Kashmir,” it added. Comparative maps showing normal versus predicted rainfall in Pakistan. — via PMD Meanwhile, mean temperatures are expected to remain above normal throughout the country during the JJA season, with maximum departure over the northeastern parts of the country — particularly eastern GB, Kashmir and adjoining areas of northern Punjab. The probabilistic temperature outlook indicated the likelihood of “above-normal temperatures across much of the country, with the highest likelihood over Sindh, southeastern Balochistan, and central to northeastern parts of Punjab”. In contrast, western GB is projected to tend towards below-normal temperatures, it added. Comparative maps showing normal versus predicted temperatures in across Pakistan. — via PMD The PMD warned that lower levels of rainfall were likely to cause “moisture stress for Kharif sowing and early crop development, reduced rain-fed agricultural productivity, and increase in irrigation demand”. Excess precipitation in upper catchment areas is likely to improve reservoir water levels, supporting sufficient water availability for agriculture and the power sector, it added. It also highlighted the increased likelihood of flash floods and landslides, particularly in mountainous and flood-prone regions of northern Pakistan, due to the higher levels of rainfall, and warned of urban flooding in low-lying areas of major cities across the four provinces. Meanwhile, high temperatures and humid conditions due to intermittent rainfall episodes, particularly in the southern regions, may increase the risk of vector-borne diseases such as dengue, it said. Indicating a likelihood of heatwave development particularly over the plains of southern Punjab and Sindh, it warned that sharp temperature gradients could cause “strong winds, dust storms, and hailstorms, which may adversely affect crops and infrastructure, reduce visibility, and disrupt transportation”. The PMD also warned that elevated temperatures in GB and Kashmir are expected to enhance snowmelt, potentially increasing glacier-related hazards such as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) and raising river water levels. Timely monitoring and control measures were essential to avoid accelerated pest and disease development in crops, it added.

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