Business & Hustles

The Role of Digital Communication Tools in Modern Corporate Training

Published

7 days ago

23 September 2026

The Role of Digital Communication Tools in Modern Corporate Training

They are opening up learning possibilities that are beyond classrooms, printed manuals, and occasional workshops. These digital platforms that we are already using at work, now can help employees learn, communicate, collaborate, and access training resources.

Digital communication tools in a modern corporate environment are as important as the physical foundation of a traditional office. For instance, a mid-sized corporate consulting firm with 250 employees spread across three regional offices and home locations needs to upskill 40 project managers for PMP certification. The traditional approach, flying everyone to headquarters for an intensive 4-day classroom workshop, is cost-prohibitive and causes major billable-hour disruptions.

As a result, deploying an integrated digital tech stack is a great, cost-effective way for Learning and Development teams to structure a great learning experience that reduces downtime and overhead expenses while significantly increasing knowledge retention.

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Why Is Digital Communication Important in Corporate Training?

Quite often, Corporate training programs need employees to be present in the same location at the same time, and this can be a hassle. The use of digital communication in corporate training removes these limitations. Employees can join a virtual session, ask questions through chat, access recorded lessons, and continue discussions after the training session. This is particularly relevant as businesses manage hybrid and distributed teams.

Microsoft research also shows how central digital communication has become to modern work. Its Work Trend Index found employees spend a significant amount of their working time communicating via meetings, email and chat. For training teams, this creates an opportunity to integrate learning into existing workplace communication rather than treating training as a separate activity. Digital communication in corporate training bridges geographic division and speeds up skill development.

Key Digital Communication Tools for Corporate Training

Different tools serve different stages of the learning process. A strong corporate training program strategy usually combines several technologies instead of relying on one platform.

1. Learning Management Systems (LMS)

An LMS, also known as a Learning Management System, provides a central location for managing your employee training programs and their overall work. Today, businesses use an LMS to assign courses, store learning materials, track work, conduct assessments, monitor employee progress and manage certifications. An LMS can also give L&D teams useful data about participation and learning activity.
Example: Cornerstone, Docebo, Canvas

2. Virtual Classrooms and Video Conferencing

Platforms for video conferencing using tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Webex allow trainers to conduct virtual corporate training. For example, if your managers are working in different branches of the same company, then they might need the same training. Asking them to come to the same location is possible but difficult. It might need a bigger plan and budget. However, opting for digital tools can make a training program much easier by providing virtual classrooms. They also feature screen sharing, breakout rooms, polls, chat, and recordings that can make online training sessions more interactive.

Microsoft report from 2025 indicates that 72% of respondents pointed out learner engagement as an issue in virtual instructor-led training (VILT). Therefore, this means forming a plan for virtual sessions with an emphasis on interaction and not lengthy presentations.

Example: Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex

3. Teamwork Tools

Teamwork tools can push the learning activities further than planned. Employees can create a shared workspace where they can communicate about tasks, Share tools, Work on projects together, ask questions, Exchange ideas, and continue discussing things after the lessons. This enables teamwork in the workplace.

Example: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Slack Huddles

4. Instant Communication Tools

Instant communication tools keep trainers and learners continuously connected. An L&D team can establish a dedicated training channel to share course notifications, study materials, assignment updates, daily tips, and quick motivation.

For example, during a company-wide Microsoft 365 rollout, the L&D team can set up an MS Office Training channel on Microsoft Teams or Slack to deliver bite-sized learning, answer real-time questions, and support employees throughout the transition.

5. Webinars and Recorded Sessions

Webinars can help businesses deliver training to larger groups without requiring everyone to be physically present. Recorded sessions also allow employees to revisit complex topics when needed. This is particularly useful for organisations with different schedules, locations, or time zones.

Microlearning & Mobile Platforms

The microlearning and mobile platforms help with daily refresher training, deskless/field worker onboarding, and safety quizzes. These digital communication and Mobile platform tools feature bite-sized lessons, gamified quizzes, push notifications, and offline access.

Example: Axonify, TalentCards and 7Taps.

7. Interactive Video & Authoring

Tools for creating engaging, interactive video-based learning experiences. Features may include in-video quizzes, interactive branching scenarios, screen recording, and simulation-based activities. These digital tools can be used for self-paced video tutorials, soft-skill simulations, software walkthroughs, product demonstrations, and scenario-based learning.

Examples: Loom, Articulate 360, Camtasia

8. Digital Whiteboards & Ideation

Collaborative visual workspaces that enable teams to brainstorm, organise ideas, create diagrams, and solve problems together in real time. The digital whiteboards are used in Design-thinking workshops, brainstorming sessions, mind mapping, collaborative problem-solving, project planning, and visual strategy sessions.

Examples: Miro, Mural, Lucidspark

How Do Digital Communication Tools Improve Corporate Training

The effectiveness of digital communication tools in corporate training lies not only in providing more opportunities but also in delivering a better-structured and more engaging experience and ensuring the sustainability of the learning process and its accessibility regardless of the employees’ locations.

More Accessible Employee Training

Using digital communication tools ensures that the training materials are accessible to all participants regardless of their location or device. This is an advantage for remote employees and those working in the field, as well as for businesses with multiple locations.

Faster Communication and Feedback

With instant chat tools available in most collaboration software, employees can learn more because they do not need to wait for the next stage of the training or classroom to ask a clarifying question. Moreover, the possibility to get immediate feedback from the trainer makes it easier to refocus on the topic if something was misunderstood.

Greater Employee Engagement

Digital communication tools give more opportunities for involvement, such as voting, quizzes, assignments, peer reviews, and others. However, the quality of engagement depends on how the software is used. Thus, it is important to plan the software usage properly to get the most out of it.

Sustainability of Learning

Digital communication tools contribute to learning continuity through the ability to continue discussing the topic after the scheduled training sessions. It also implies that employees will be provided with additional materials and that they can further engage in the learning process actively.

Remote and Hybrid Learning Opportunities

The ability to conduct virtual classrooms enables conducting trainings for employees in various locations, which ultimately makes the learning process more accessible for remote and hybrid teams.

How Businesses Can Use Digital Tools for Employee Training

Technology should support a clear learning strategy. Businesses can use digital communication tools at different stages of a training program.

Before Training: To share information, such as the schedule, materials, and learning objectives, with emails, messaging platforms, or the LMS (learning management system)

During Training: To engage participants, boost productivity and interactivity, using virtual classrooms, video conferencing, polls, chats, and collaborative activities

After Training: To share additional resources, provide assessments, record the session, and offer feedback with LMS or collaboration tools

Between training: To keep the conversation going and encourage self-learning and peer-to-peer mentoring. The tools suggested include discussion boards and knowledge repositories.

The tools foster an ecosystem that supports an always-learning culture. By doing that, they help transform a discrete experience (training) into an extended process (development).

The Future of Digital Communication in Corporate Training

Workplace learning is moving towards a future where individuals will constantly acquire, develop, and update their skills with the help of technology. According to LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report 2025, 49% of L&D professionals polled said that their executives are concerned that their workforce lacks the skills needed to execute the company’s strategy. The report highlighted artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted learning, skills graph, and personalised development as three areas that represent the future of learning.

This means that the future of corporate learning is likely to be driven by LMS (learning management system), virtual classrooms, collaboration tools, and AI-powered platforms that leverage data analytics to recommend skills. But ultimately, the focus has to remain on the learning outcome and not the tool itself.

Conclusion

Digital communication tools have become an important part of modern corporate training. Learning management systems organise learning, virtual classrooms bring together scattered teams, collaboration tools enable knowledge sharing, and messaging tools keep employees in touch throughout the educational process.

For businesses, the opportunity is to create training that is more accessible, interactive, and continuous. The most effective approach is not to use every available technology. But selecting a digital communication tool stack for your corporate training needs should be based on employee needs, training objectives, and business requirements.

As workplace skills continue to evolve, organisations that combine effective training strategies with the right digital learning tools can create a more connected and adaptable learning environment and build a resilient workforce.

Author Profile

Neena Raj is an Expert Trainer at Edoxi with over 24 years of experience in employee development, organisational performance, and leadership training. She specialises in HR, soft skills, emotional intelligence, communication, and productivity, helping organisations build future-ready, high-performing teams. An MBA graduate, Certified NLP Trainer, CHRP & CHRM, she has trained professionals at leading organisations, including the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Emirates Airlines, DP World, and Dubai International Hotel.

Business & Hustles

UK Mortgage Approvals Sink to 32-Month Low as Iran War Fallout Squeezes Borrowers

Published

19 minutes ago

30 September 2026

NewsAdmin

Britain’s housing market is buckling under the weight of a distant war. Mortgage approvals fell to their lowest level in nearly three years in August, as the fallout from the conflict in Iran continues to ripple through household finances, pushing up borrowing costs and denting confidence among would-be buyers.

According to Bank of England figures released Tuesday, just 54,918 mortgages for new home purchases were approved in August — the weakest monthly total since December 2023 and a fresh signal that the housing market’s recovery has stalled. The seasonally adjusted data underscores how a geopolitical crisis thousands of miles away has translated into very real financial strain for people trying to buy a home in the UK.

The chain of cause and effect is straightforward, if unwelcome: since fighting broke out in Iran in late February, oil prices have surged, reigniting inflation fears and dashing hopes that the Bank of England would continue cutting interest rates. Lenders have responded by raising mortgage rates sharply, making home loans markedly more expensive at precisely the moment many households were hoping for relief.

Simon Gammon, managing partner at Knight Frank Finance, said the slowdown built steadily over the summer. “Buying activity weakened through the summer as rising energy prices pushed up borrowing costs,” he said, noting that lending to homebuyers fell 15% in August compared with the same month last year — a striking year-on-year decline that points to a market losing momentum rather than simply cooling seasonally.

Remortgaging activity, too, is losing steam. Approvals for switching or renewing existing home loans dipped to roughly 34,000 in August, down slightly from 34,600 in July. That is a curious wrinkle: normally, a wave of borrowers coming off cheaper fixed-rate deals would be expected to shop around and refinance in large numbers. Instead, many appear to be holding back, perhaps hoping rates will ease before they commit, or resigned to accepting whatever their current lender offers rather than facing the market head-on.

The numbers behind the squeeze are stark. The Bank of England found that the “effective” interest rate on newly drawn mortgages rose to 4.60% in August, up from 4.45% in July — a jump in just one month that would have been unthinkable a year ago when rate cuts still seemed plausible. Separately, Moneyfacts, the financial data firm, reported that the average five-year fixed mortgage rate climbed to 5.94%, its highest level since October 2023. Two-year fixed deals are similarly expensive, averaging 5.93%, the priciest since July 2024.

For everyday borrowers, those percentage-point shifts translate into hundreds of pounds a month in additional repayments — often the difference between a purchase going ahead and a buyer walking away from a deal altogether.

Katie Clinton, head of financial services advisory at KPMG UK, said the figures show affordability pressures are now the dominant force shaping the housing market. “A further fall in mortgage approvals in August points to affordability pressures continuing to weigh on housing demand, as the shocks from the Iran conflict push up both inflation and mortgage rates,” she said. She added that the drop in remortgaging suggests “refinancing demand softened, despite many borrowers reaching the end of existing fixed term rates” — a sign that households may be delaying decisions in the hope conditions improve, even as their existing cheap deals expire.

The government has tried to counter the gloom with its newly announced “Your First Home” scheme, aimed at helping first-time buyers onto the property ladder. But economists are sceptical that a targeted support scheme can offset the broader drag from higher borrowing costs. Paul Dales, chief UK economist at Capital Economics, warned that the prospect of mortgage rates staying above 4.5% for most of 2027 would weigh far more heavily on the market than any government initiative. “Mortgage rates staying above 4.5% for most of 2027 would have a larger influence on activity than the government’s new scheme,” he said, in effect arguing that macroeconomic headwinds will overpower policy tailwinds.

The broader picture is one of a housing market caught between geopolitics and monetary policy, with ordinary buyers absorbing the consequences of decisions made in oil markets and central bank meeting rooms far removed from their own kitchen tables. Estate agents across England and Wales have already reported a discernible cooling in activity tied to the war, and earlier this year the Bank of England itself warned that the conflict could push up mortgage payments for an additional 1.3 million households as fixed-rate deals expire and borrowers are forced onto costlier new terms.

With inflation expectations still elevated and interest rate cuts looking increasingly unlikely in the near term, few analysts expect a quick turnaround. For now, the message from the data is unambiguous: as long as the war in Iran continues to unsettle energy markets, Britain’s mortgage market — and the millions of households who depend on it — will keep feeling the strain.

Business & Hustles

Alaska Airlines Bets Big on Luxury as the Industry’s Premium Seat Arms Race Intensifies

Published

1 hour ago

30 September 2026

NewsAdmin

Alaska Airlines is throwing itself into the airline industry’s high-stakes competition for wealthier travelers, unveiling a sweeping overhaul of its cabins that will add lie-flat suites, new premium-economy sections and airport lounges across both the Alaska and Hawaiian brands. The announcement, made ahead of the company’s investor day in Seattle, signals that the carrier sees the path to bigger profits running not through cheaper seats, but through fancier ones.

The scope of the redesign is considerable. Alaska’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners will get 34 lie-flat suites under a new product line called Aurora, along with 35 seats in a fresh premium-economy category dubbed Premium Reserve. The airline’s incoming Boeing 737 Max 10 jets — still awaiting certification — will carry a scaled-down version of the same idea, with a dozen Aurora suites aimed at squeezing extra revenue out of popular transcontinental routes. Hawaiian Airlines, folded into Alaska after their merger closed in September 2024 but still run as a separate brand, will see its Airbus A330 fleet refitted with 22 first-class suites featuring sliding doors and 28 premium-economy seats — the airline’s first entry into that category. New lounges are planned for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Honolulu, mirroring the tiered lounge networks that Delta, United and American have already built out.

None of this comes cheap, and it comes with a trade-off: the revamped Hawaiian A330s will actually carry fewer total seats — 254, down from 278 — as coach space gives way to roomier, higher-margin cabins. That calculation sits at the heart of the strategy. Alaska executives told investors they expect premium seats, international routes, cargo and the airline’s loyalty and credit-card business to generate nearly 60% of total revenue by 2030, up from 53% today. In an industry where a first-class ticket can cost several multiples of an economy fare, airlines have concluded that chasing affluent flyers — and the credit-card spending that follows them — is a more reliable route to profit growth than filling every seat with a bargain-hunter.

The timing matters. Alaska is midway through a stated goal of adding $1 billion in profit between the end of 2024 and the end of 2027, and the company says it is already two-thirds of the way there. That target is being tested by a sharp rise in jet fuel costs this year, a reminder that even the most premium-focused airline strategy still lives or dies by fuel markets and operational costs largely outside its control. Investors attending Tuesday’s session were expected to press executives on exactly how the cabin investments — which won’t fully materialize until 2028 — square with near-term cost pressures.

What Alaska is doing is not new, exactly — it’s late. Delta, United, American and international carriers have spent recent years ripping out old interiors in favor of suites with doors, expanded premium economy and elevated lounges, betting that post-pandemic travelers who can afford it are willing to pay handsomely to avoid the middle seat. Alaska, by its own admission, has lagged that shift: most of its fleet still lacks lie-flat seating or other high-end amenities common on rivals’ planes. But industry analysts note that arriving last to the cabin-upgrade race isn’t necessarily a disadvantage. Airlines that move after their competitors get to study what worked — and what flopped — before locking in their own designs, and can position themselves as offering a more refined version of what’s already out there rather than a first-generation experiment.

The granular details Alaska has shared underscore how much emphasis carriers now place on the small stuff that shapes a premium experience — the airline’s head of fleet said the company sifted through fabric samples for months under varying lighting conditions before settling on the right hue, discarding options that read as too garish or too dull. That kind of attention reflects an industry increasingly convinced that loyalty and premium revenue are won through experiential polish, not just larger seats or faster boarding.

For everyday travelers, the shift carries real implications. As airlines redirect capital and cabin space toward suites, premium economy and lounges, the coach experience is likely to keep shrinking in relative terms, even as fares in the front of the plane climb. For Alaska’s shareholders, the bet is straightforward: that enough passengers will keep paying up for comfort, exclusivity and loyalty perks to justify the cost of remodeling an entire fleet — and that doing so will help the airline close the gap with rivals who moved first, without having to guess at what today’s premium flyer actually wants.

Business & Hustles

OpenAI rebrands AI agents as ‘dots’ amid security fears

Published

12 hours ago

29 September 2026

NewsAdmin

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman standing on stage at his company's annual developer conference in front of a screen with "dots" displayed behind it.

OpenAI has chosen to rename new versions of artificial intelligence tools widely known as agents. They are now being called “dots.”

Company boss Sam Altman, speaking in San Francisco on Tuesday during OpenAI’s yearly event for technology developers, referred to “dots” as “remarkably capable, always-on agents that can handle really anything you can think of.”

OpenAI in recent months has come under intense scrutiny as internal tests of its AI agents have revealed often unexpected and occasionally harmful actions, leading to more public and government fears.

Dots, however, were pitched as brightly colored cute cartoons meant to function as digital assistants for people with busy lives.

The dots, Altman said, “can handle really anything you can think of.”

A glossy video was shown during the event, with people speaking to and naming animated versions of their “dots,” then giving them various tasks, like building a website and booking afterschool activities for their children.

Speaking about “my dot,” Altman almost entirely eschewed referring to the tool as an agent, which has been in common use for years. AI agents are essentially AI chatbots that are programmed to operate somewhat autonomously.

“You just give your dot a responsibility… and your dots will just get to work and keep working,” Altman added.

The day prior to OpenAI’s Tuesday event, the company said it was delaying the launch of its latest model due to certain safety issues that showed up during internal testing.

Since July, the company has been dealing with a series of issues with its AI agents acting improperly. It has faced unprompted hacking into the AI platform Hugging Face, posting to third-party websites images that AI agents took from ChatGPT user chats, and accessing non-public information maintained by the Australian government.

OpenAI, as well as rival AI firm Anthropic, previously delayed public release of certain AI models due to potential risks, mostly pertaining to cybersecurity or hacking concerns.

Both companies also expect to be listed on the public stock market in the coming months. Anthropic likely will do so this year, while OpenAI is poised for 2027.

And both companies have lately been clear that they believe AI poses a genuine risk on a large scale, be it to public infrastructure or public safety.

Speaking last week to the UN, Altman pleaded for “national and international” AI standards on measuring the capabilities of an AI tool, assessing related risks, AI safeguards, and the degree to which human oversight over such tools is maintained.

Dario Amodei, the head of Anthropic, told the UN that if the speeding development of AI was not properly managed and overseen, future versions of the technology “could be a risk to humanity as a whole.”

Business & Hustles

UK chancellor uses bitcoin to mock Nigel Farage

Published

12 hours ago

29 September 2026

NewsAdmin

UK chancellor uses bitcoin to mock Nigel Farage

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey has compared Nigel Farage’s fiscal policies to a “BTC account” handled by one of the UK’s most financially irresponsible prime ministers.

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer! “Don’t make me laugh,” John Healey has compared Nigel Farage’s fiscal policies to a “BTC account” handled by one of the UK’s most financially irresponsible prime ministers.

This is from Healey the most useless piece of communist crap ever appointed to this position. This man is really as stupid as they come. Support the British people? NO, he supports the communist socialist failed agenda and the EU, like the rest of Labour’s traitor MPs. Certainly not you the British people, and you voted for the new Communist socialist Islamic republic of Britain.

Now he and Burnham are going to piss all over you while calling for another referendum on rejoining the dictatorship called the EU, OH, AND THEY WILL USE THE WORD DEMOCRACY, SOMETHING THEY DON’T SUPPORT AND NEVER HAVE.

Healey’s jab at the Reform leader during Labour’s 2026 party conference referred to the perceived economic failure of the UK’s shortest-serving prime minister, Liz Truss.

Truss’s financial policies were widely criticised for their negative impact on financial markets. This led to a rebellion from several Tory MPs, and she was forced to resign within 44 days of her premiership.

Healey appeared to suggest that a “BTC account” is an equally financially irresponsible form of finance, and that only by pairing it with Truss would you recreate the “fantasy funding” ideals of Nigel Farage.

Healey’s comments upset a lot of Bitcoiners, who claimed his “derogatory” description of a “BTC account” demonstrated “staggering ignorance.”

Freddie New, CEO of the BTC Lightning transaction fee firm B HODL, said Healey is “gleefully ignorant that he thinks it is possible to have a ‘BTC account.’”

UK podcaster Peter McCormack said, “Healey making a dismissive joke about Bitcoin shows that he likely has a woeful understanding of economics, particularly scarcity.”

Most criticisms were technical and took offence at the use of the word “account,” which contrasts with the phrase “crypto wallet” used by crypto holders.

Healey wants a ‘new age of industrialisation’

Healey was defence secretary under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership before he resigned in June. He argued that the government wasn’t willing to spend enough on national defence.

During yesterday’s conference, Healey announced new measures to support a “new age of industrialisation,” which includes a £300 million investment from Rolls-Royce toward its factories, and £6 billion in government contracts to build new submarine docks.

A so-called “Union Learning Fund” was also announced, as were a National Wealth Fund to help create 130,000 jobs by 2030, and a £100 million-backed local apprenticeship scheme.

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Business & Hustles

El Pollo Loco to open first New York restaurant

Published

15 hours ago

29 September 2026

NewsAdmin

El Pollo Loco to open first New York restaurant

El Pollo Loco will open its first New York City restaurant next year as the California chain looks to become a national player.

El Pollo Loco has closed three development agreements for a total of 15 restaurants in the New York area over the next five years, the company announced on Tuesday. The first location will open in Queens in mid-2027.

Founded in Mexico in 1975, El Pollo Loco opened its first U.S. restaurant in Los Angeles. The majority of its locations are still concentrated in California, but its footprint has grown to more than 500 restaurants across 10 states. It is best known for its bone-in grilled chicken, although its menu has grown.

CEO Liz Williams wants to make El Pollo Loco into a national chain. To expand outside its Southwestern stronghold, El Pollo Loco will open restaurants on the East Coast and then move its way back to the West, she said.

To succeed in new markets, the chain will have to build its brand awareness in a crowded space where consumers are watching their budgets.

“Being a 50-year-old brand, people have seen it over the years and have always had that curiosity, but we have our work cut out,” Williams said.

Under Williams’ leadership, El Pollo Loco has embarked on a turnaround focused on modernizing its restaurants and expanding its menu into more convenient options, like wraps and chicken tenders. The efforts have started to pay off for the chain, which has reported three straight quarters of same-store sales growth.

“In the current quarter, we’ve expanded margins, and the business model is healthy overall,” Williams said. “The brand has gotten even stronger and healthier.”

El Pollo Loco has also been expanding quickly during her tenure. When she began in March 2024, the chain was in just six states. Now, it is in 10. And while it opened nine restaurants last year, El Pollo Loco is projecting 10 to 18 new locations by the end of 2026.

Investors like the company’s trajectory. Shares of El Pollo Loco have climbed 44% over the last year. The S&P 500 rose more than 15% over the same period.

Its comeback coincides with a challenging time for the restaurant industry. Burger and taco chains have been facing soaring costs for beef. Consumers have been dining out less frequently to save money, which has intensified competition between eateries.

El Pollo Loco has also had to contend with more competition as restaurants aim to cash in on growth in the chicken category. McDonald’s and Taco Bell — Williams’ former employer — have expanded their chicken options in recent years, fueled by consumer market research. And chicken-focused chains have been expanding quickly, from newcomer Dave’s Hot Chicken to Southern names like Zaxby’s and Raising Cane’s.

In 2024, El Pollo Loco was the eighth-largest chicken chain by U.S. sales, with 2.1% market share, according to Barclays.

But with its focus on grilled chicken and Mexican-inspired flavors, El Pollo Loco stands out from the crowd, Williams said.

“Everyone is talking about wanting to eat a little better and really thinking through their choices,” Williams said. “Everyone loves fried chicken … However, in terms of what you’re able to eat every single day, grilled chicken is just a better option.”

The expansion news comes as El Pollo Loco shakes up its leadership.

The company on Friday said in a regulatory filing that Damon Thomas will join the company as chief operating officer. He joins the company from Shake Shack.

Tara Hinkle was also recently tapped as the chain’s new chief development officer. She previously held roles at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Taco Bell and Starbucks before joining the company in July.

Correction: This story was updated to reflect that Williams said the company’s brand has gotten stronger and healthier. A previous version misquoted her.

Business & Hustles

Bangkok floods threaten to shave 0.3 percentage points from Thailand’s 2026 growth

Published

18 hours ago

29 September 2026

NewsAdmin

Bangkok floods threaten to shave 0.3 percentage points from Thailand’s 2026 growth

Severe flooding in Bangkok and surrounding provinces is projected to reduce Thailand’s 2026 economic growth by 0.3 percentage points, lowering estimates to 2.1%. Immediate losses are estimated at 11 billion baht nationwide, with some assessments ranging up to 33.8 billion baht, and Bangkok bearing the largest share of damage.

The capital experienced significant rainfall that overwhelmed drainage systems, disrupting transport, commerce, and supply chains, particularly affecting small businesses. The government declared special holidays to ease pressure, while banks introduced relief measures. The final economic impact depends on how quickly flooding subsides and whether further disruptions occur.

Thailand’s latest flooding could reduce annual economic growth by 0.3 percentage points this year, as widespread disruption across Bangkok and surrounding provinces weighs on businesses, transport and household spending.

The flooding could lower Thailand’s 2026 growth rate to 2.1%, from an earlier estimate of 2.4%, according to economist Aat Pisanwanich, who was quoted by Reuters in a recent article. Third-quarter growth could decline by approximately 0.5 percentage points to 1.7%.

The immediate economic losses have been estimated at 11 billion baht, or approximately $320 million, nationwide. A separate assessment by Rangsit University placed the potential losses between 16.9 billion and 33.8 billion baht, with a moderate-damage scenario reaching 25.345 billion baht.

Bangkok is expected to bear the largest share of the losses, at approximately 10.586 billion baht. The estimate covers the period from September 24 to 27 and includes disruptions to commerce, services and travel.

Bangkok bears the largest impact

The capital received around 320 millimetres of rain over two to three days, overwhelming drainage systems and flooding entire neighbourhoods. Water levels began to recede in several areas after the rain eased, but residents in some communities remained stranded or dependent on evacuation centres, as was reported by varoius medias like Internazionale.

The economic impact has extended beyond direct damage to buildings and vehicles. Businesses have faced difficulties moving workers, receiving supplies and delivering products, while shops in flooded areas have struggled to reopen.

Transport interruptions have also reduced consumer activity. Residents unable to travel to work or commercial districts have postponed purchases, while companies have incurred additional costs for alternative routes, temporary closures and emergency repairs.

The government declared special holidays for civil servants in Bangkok and three surrounding provinces on September 28 and 29 in an attempt to reduce travel and ease pressure on the transport system. However, the measure also reflects the scale of the disruption facing the Bangkok metropolitan area.reuters

The Stock Exchange of Thailand will continue operating during the special holidays, maintaining trading on the SET, mai, TFEX, LiVEx and related platforms. The decision is intended to preserve financial-market continuity even as parts of the capital remain affected by flooding.nationthailand

Pressure on supply chains

In the other hand, the Federation of Thai Industries has warned companies to protect workers, review transport routes and prepare for further disruption. Water levels in reservoirs and canals remain a concern even after rainfall has eased in parts of the country.

The risk is particularly significant for businesses that depend on just-in-time deliveries. Delays affecting warehouses, roads, ports or industrial facilities can spread quickly through supply chains, even when the original flooding is concentrated in a limited number of districts.

Banks have begun offering relief measures to affected households and companies. Krungthai Bank and Export-Import Bank of Thailand are providing repayment assistance, lower interest rates and additional liquidity to customers facing losses or cash-flow problems.

Those measures could prevent temporary disruption from becoming a wider credit problem. However, debt relief cannot replace lost inventory, damaged equipment or the income businesses lose during forced closures.

The flooding has also exposed differences in economic vulnerability. Large companies may have insurance, backup facilities and alternative suppliers. Small businesses and informal operators often have fewer reserves and are more likely to face a permanent loss of income after several days without sales.

Growth outlook becomes more fragile

The estimated 0.3 percentage-point reduction in annual growth would not by itself push Thailand into recession. But it adds another obstacle to an economy already dealing with moderate expansion, high household debt, external uncertainty and persistent energy costs.

The final impact will depend on how quickly water levels fall and whether additional rainfall causes a second wave of disruption. A rapid recovery could limit the damage, while prolonged flooding could increase losses through reduced production, weaker consumption and delayed investment.

For now, Thailand’s economic response is focused on drainage, emergency assistance and financial relief. The next stage will be more difficult: restoring businesses, repairing infrastructure and determining whether the country’s cities and supply chains are prepared for increasingly frequent climate shocks.

The final economic cost remains uncertain. The Federation of Thai Industries has warned that disruption can spread through supply chains, affecting raw-material deliveries, worker mobility, warehouses and machinery. At the same time, economists have stressed that a rapid recovery in affected areas would limit the damage, meaning the duration of the flooding is now more important than the initial rainfall event.

The floodwaters may recede within days. The economic consequences will last longer, particularly for smaller businesses that cannot afford another interruption before the recovery from this one is complete.

The episode also exposes a longer-term investment issue. Bangkok’s vulnerability to extreme rainfall creates recurring costs for retailers, manufacturers, logistics operators and property owners. Beyond emergency relief, businesses and policymakers face increasing pressure to invest in drainage capacity, flood barriers, water-management systems and continuity planning.

Business & Hustles

Develop sets $458 million growth capital budget

Published

21 hours ago

29 September 2026

NewsAdmin

Develop sets $458 million growth capital budget

Growth will continue at Bill Beament-led Develop Global in FY27, following the release of its guidance metrics for the upcoming year.

Business & Hustles

Dave & Buster’s interim CFO Cory Hatton buys $25,999 in stock

Published

24 hours ago

29 September 2026

NewsAdmin

Dave & Buster’s interim CFO Cory Hatton buys $25,999 in stock

Business & Hustles

Market veterans favour value plays over crowded, expensive themes

Published

1 day ago

29 September 2026

NewsAdmin

Market veterans favour value plays over crowded, expensive themes

After two difficult years for Indian equities, there is scope for reasonable returns as valuations turn less demanding, according to senior market participants who spoke to ET. Large caps look better placed, while the outlook is more cautious on mid- and small-caps. Financials, manufacturing and consumption are among the preferred themes, while views on technology are sharply divided

NEELESH SURANA, CIO, Mirae Asset Mutual Fund

MARKET OUTLOOK: India looks better positioned than sentiment suggests and is a natural hedge against crowded AI trade. Valuations are no longer a headwind, while domestic fundamentals are sound. Any global trade rotation could be meaningful. Key risks are elevated crude, rising developed market bond yields, El Niño and heavy equity issuance. Overall, we expect low-teens returns.
PREFERRED INVESTMENT STRATEGY: Our strategy is a barbell, combining quality stocks with strong earnings upgrades at sensible valuations with holding sector leaders that have corrected over the past two years and are now in value zone.

THEMES LOOKING ATTRACTIVE: Banking, consumer discretionary, healthcare and manufacturing. Sector leaders, impacted by FPI selling over the last two years, are now attractive.

THEMES TO STAY AWAY FROM: Slow-growth or disruption prone sectors like consumer staples and IT. Cautious on narrative-driven, richly-valued sectors like capital goods.

JANAKIRAMAN RENGARAJU, CIO – India Equities Templeton Global Investments

MARKET OUTLOOK: The 12-month base case for Indian equities may not be quite euphoric, but it is constructive. Largecap valuations are more reasonable, while higher mid- and small-cap multiples call for greater prudence. Globally, the picture has deteriorated. Unresolved conflicts have entrenched inflationary pressures, while rising interest rates and heavy fiscal debt reinforce each other. Tariff uncertainty continues to cloud trade growth, while questions are emerging over the viability of massive AI investments, even as enthusiasm and valuations remain elevated.PREFERRED INVESTMENT STRATEGY: Adopt a tone of ‘cautious optimism’ over the medium term.

THEMES LOOKING ATTRACTIVE: Financials, industrials and capital goods, consumption and electronic manufacturing, which are linked to capex pick up, rising affluence and credit growth.

THEMES TO STAY AWAY FROM: Avoid expensive small and mid-caps with weak cash generation and businesses dependent on endless equity funding.

ANISH TAWAKLEY, CIO, DSP Mutual Fund

MARKET OUTLOOK: Economy remains in good shape, while valuations are now neutral. This should translate into reasonable market returns broadly in line with earnings growth.

PREFERRED INVESTMENT STRATEGY: Don’t chase narratives that have already played out, rather look at sectors that have been underperforming since the last 2-3 years.

THEMES LOOKING ATTRACTIVE: Private banks, insurance companies, automobiles and cement.

THEMES TO STAY AWAY FROM: Careful about companies where promoters are diluting (either through primary or secondary sales) or where private equity is selling, including IPOs. Promoter dilution and PE sales happen when performance and valuations are close to peaks. Cautious on metals, IT and FMCG. For IT, the problem is not AI but the fact that Indian listed companies are losing market share to GCCs set up in India.

R SIVAKUMAR CIO, Axis Mutual Fund

MARKET OUTLOOK: The outlook is constructive. Economic slowdown over the last few quarters appears to be more cyclical than structural. Valuations in parts of the market remain elevated, particularly within mid- and small-caps.

PREFERRED INVESTMENT STRATEGY: Alpha generation is likely to come from selective stock picking rather than broad market direction. A balanced approach across largecaps, which offer valuation comfort and resilience, and select mid-cap opportunities, which continue to deliver superior earnings growth, remains appropriate.

THEMES LOOKING ATTRACTIVE: Constructive on manufacturing, power and electrification, energy transition, select financials, particularly banks and capital-market-linked businesses, as well as export-oriented companies.

THEMES TO STAY AWAY FROM: Investors should avoid chasing momentum in overcrowded themes. In technology, we remain watchful of disruptions and pricing pressures emerging from AI-led changes in the global IT services landscape

SHANKAR SHARMA, Founder, GQuant

MARKET OUTLOOK: Barring occasional rallies, I do not see the Indian markets outperforming the world or even the peer group. The Vaibhav Suryavanshi Syndrome afflicts Indian companies: domestic success is mistaken for globally transferable skill. Largecaps have thrived on India’s easy pitch, building market capitalisation rather than global scale and brands. When domestic growth fades, competing overseas will require an entirely different mindset. There will be pockets where money is going to be made; but in aggregate, Indian returns will disappoint for the coming year.

PREFERRED INVESTMENT STRATEGY: The future of the Indian stock market lies in getting “techified”. Tech has been my theme in the last 2 years since the bear market started in India and I have actually made money even in this very-very tough market. This is not going to change anytime soon. Pharmaceuticals is also going to be a good place to be in.

THEMES LOOKING ATTRACTIVE: For me, tech is 80% of the allocation and pharma is 20% and there is nothing else that I am interested in India.

THEMES TO STAY AWAY FROM: Companies which service the domestic Indian consumer. That trade is on its way out and this is not where I would deploy a lot of capital.

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Business & Hustles

Accountancy firm Hazlewoods move to larger offices in Cardiff to support expansion

Published

1 day ago

29 September 2026

NewsAdmin

The firm has relocated to the South Gate House office scheme

18:41, 28 Sep 2026Updated 18:48, 28 Sep 2026

The Cardiff team of Hazlewoods

Accountancy and business advisory firm Hazlewoods has relocated to larger offices in Cardiff to support expansion plans.

Having set up its first office in Wales at the Capital Tower office building in 2024, it has now moved its team of 34 to South Gate House.

Tom Davies, director at Hazlewoods Cardiff, said: “This is an exciting step for Hazlewoods and reflects the progress we have made since launching in the city less than two years ago. We have built a very strong team here and have been really encouraged by the response from both new and existing clients, reflecting our commitment to developing deep relationships across the region.

“The new office gives us the space to continue growing while maintaining the collaborative approach that is such an important part of the way we work.”

Bruce Black, corporate tax director, said: “This move creates the environment we need to continue finding and developing local talent to build the team, while maintaining the high level of service our clients expect from Hazlewoods. It reflects just how positively the Cardiff office has developed in such a short space of time.

“The team in Cardiff has done a great job of growing the business and I look forward to seeing that continue. We have the expertise, ambition and people to build a really strong presence in Wales, and the new office gives the team a great base from which to do that.”

Hazlewoods is one of the largest independent accountants and business advisers in the South West and Wales, with more than 600 employees and a growing presence in Cardiff, alongside its offices in Cheltenham and Bristol.

The firm provides audit, accounting, tax and advisory services to corporate and private clients and is particularly well known for its specialist sector expertise across the UK. Last year, the firm recorded a turnover of £54.3m.

Its managing partner, James Morter, said: “It has been very gratifying to see the way that Hazlewoods has been welcomed into Cardiff. Early on, we identified a gap in the Welsh market for a firm of our size and experience, and when you combine that with the talent pool in the city, it felt like a natural next step.”

Property advisory firm Knight Frank represented Hazlewoods on the deal, while its building consultancy team supported the fit-out of the new space.

Mark Sutton, office agency partner at Knight Frank’s Cardiff office, said: “Hazlewoods was looking for a space that could support its continued growth in Wales, while offering excellent connectivity and the flexibility to create a workplace suited to its needs.

“South Gate House provided the right combination of quality space and a prime city-centre location, and it has been a pleasure to support the team through the move.”