The initiative brings together the Foreign Office with the Business Chambers of Commerce

A scheme launched in Leeds will aim to give businesses across the UK the benefit of expert geopolitical insights.

The Diplomatic Advisory Hub, a joint initiative by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and British Chambers of Commerce will provide business across the country with access to timely and strategic geopolitical advice.

The hub was launched at the factory of Leeds-based jukebox manufacturer Sound Leisure. Run by former Leeds Chamber of Commerce president Chris Black, family-run Sound Leisure does around two-thirds of its sales overseas.

The Diplomatic Advisory Hub will see diplomats seconded into the British Chambers of Commerce and will be led by Richard Oppenheim, a former ambassador who brings diplomatic experience across some of the world’s most complex and strategically important markets in the Middle East and Japan, as well as multilateral experience at the UN, on EU issues and as Commonwealth Envoy.

The hub will serve the more than five million SMEs operating in the UK, all of whom will have access to the new service, including advice on understanding new regulation, responding to geopolitical shocks, and anticipating trends in global trade.

The Hub was officially launched by Foreign Office director of economic growth, Tammy Reynolds, followed by a panel event featuring Ms Reynolds, Steve Lynch, British Chamber of Commerce director of international trade Steve Lynch and its director general Shevaun Haviland, Richard Oppenheim, the Diplomatic Advisory Hub chief and Mr Black.

Foreign Office Minister, Seema Malhotra, said: “We are stepping up our support to businesses through our newly launched Diplomatic Advisory Hub, which will bring together the British Chambers of Commerce’s extensive business network with expert advice from British diplomats. The Hub has hit the ground running, briefing more than 600 businesses this week on the evolving situation in the Middle East and what it means for them.

“In an increasingly contested world, it’s more important than ever for Government and businesses to work together to navigate the intersections between geopolitics and commerce, respond to crises effectively and seize opportunities for growth overseas.”

James Mason, chief executive of West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Firms in West and North Yorkshire have been exporting first-class goods and services for hundreds of years. In times of uncertainty, the Diplomatic Advisory Hub will give small businesses the support they need so they can carry on this proud tradition.”

Shevaun Haviland, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce said: “Trade is the fastest way of growing the economy. The Diplomatic Advisory hub will help more SMEs navigate the complex world of geopolitics, giving them the knowledge and certainty to expand into new markets.

“This unique partnership with the Foreign Office shows how government and business working together can drive forward growth. British firms know business and British diplomats know world politics. Bringing them closer together can only be a recipe for success.”

Sharp back-to-back declines in the Nifty 50 may be more than just a short-term scare. Historical patterns suggest such movement often signals deeper stress in the market and rarely leads to an immediate rebound, according to an analysis by SAMCO Securities.

Raj Gaikar, Research Analyst at SAMCO Securities, pointed to a specific market pattern. It occurs when the Nifty 50 opens with a gap down of more than 1% on two consecutive trading sessions. “Markets have a language. Sometimes, they repeat a sentence loud enough for investors to pay attention,” he added.

The logic behind tracking this setup is straightforward. Two sharp gap-down openings in a row often indicate that something meaningful has gone wrong globally or economically. In such situations, expecting a swift recovery is ‘wishful thinking rather than a sound strategy’.

Historical data since the inception of the Nifty 50 shows eight such instances before the latest event. These episodes coincided with periods of global stress, including the European debt crisis in 2011, the COVID-led market crash in March 2020 and the rate-hike and Russia-Ukraine related selloffs in 2022.

On March 4, 2026, markets saw the ninth occurrence of this pattern, spooked by rising geopolitical tensions. US‑Israel strikes on Iran, the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and fears of disruption in the Strait of Hormuz pushed crude oil prices higher, rattling global equities and sparking broad market volatility.

Also read: Mukesh Ambani’s record IPO of Jio delayed by regulatory limbo
Data suggests that the market typically struggles to recover quickly after such signals. Across the eight historical events, forward returns over the next three to five trading sessions were negative on average. Even after excluding the extreme volatility of the March 2020 COVID crash, markets generally continued to drift lower or move sideways.
“A quick V-shaped recovery rarely appeared in such circumstances,” Gaikar said. According to the note, consecutive gap downs of this scale often reflect institutional investors cutting exposure rather than merely shifting money between sectors.

The current macro backdrop also shows several pressure points. Foreign Portfolio Investors have remained consistent sellers, India VIX has climbed above 20, and the rupee is under pressure. Brent crude has also been rising amid fears of supply disruptions. At the same time, the Bank of Japan’s recent rate hike has tightened global liquidity conditions.

“These are structural pressures that typically take time to stabilise,” Gaikar said. The pattern itself should not be interpreted as a buying signal, the note cautioned. “Two consecutive gap downs of more than 1% are not a buying signal. They are the market’s way of indicating that the ground beneath has shifted,” Gaikar said.

Also read: FIIs dump Rs 17,000 crore worth of IT stocks in February. Will AI eat software?

The takeaway for investors is to stay disciplined rather than rush to buy the first dip. “Avoid panic, but also avoid aggressive bottom-fishing,” Gaikar said, adding that respecting stop-loss levels and waiting for clearer signals may be the more effective approach.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

Zerodha co-founder Nithin Kamath has warned that offshore betting and money-gaming apps are rapidly proliferating after India banned real-money online gaming platforms, raising concerns about fraud and unregulated financial flows.

Citing an ET Tech report in a post on X, Kamath said many of these platforms operate from overseas and often target Indian users through aggressive online promotions. He suggested that one way to curb their spread is by restricting their ability to move money through domestic payment systems.

“After the real-money gaming ban, these offshore money-gaming apps (many of them scammy) are mushrooming,” Kamath wrote. “The best way to stop them is to make money transfers difficult by ensuring these offshore apps cannot use UPI, and that banks actively block such accounts.”

His comments come months after the Indian government introduced sweeping restrictions on online gaming involving monetary stakes.

Also Read: Banned in India, but it’s business as usual for offshore real money gaming firms
India’s Parliament passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, which effectively prohibits all real-money online games and betting platforms. The law bans the offering, promotion or facilitation of games where users deposit money to participate, while also restricting advertising and financial transactions linked to such services.
The move marked one of the biggest regulatory interventions in India’s digital gaming sector. Real-money gaming had grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry in the country, with fantasy sports, rummy and poker apps attracting millions of users and billions in venture capital funding.
Before the ban, the segment formed the backbone of India’s gaming ecosystem. Industry estimates suggested the real-money gaming market generated more than Rs 27,000 crore in revenue annually and supported hundreds of startups and thousands of jobs across the country.

However, the government argued that such platforms posed significant risks. Policymakers cited concerns ranging from financial losses and addiction among young users to potential links with money laundering and tax evasion. As a result, the new law eliminated the earlier distinction between games of skill and games of chance, banning all forms of online gaming that involve real-money participation.

The policy shift forced several major platforms to halt their paid gaming operations almost immediately. Companies such as Dream11, Mobile Premier League, PokerBaazi and Zupee suspended their real-money formats to comply with the legislation.

The offshore apps typically operate outside Indian jurisdiction and may not follow consumer protection or anti-money laundering rules. Law enforcement agencies have already reported cases of illegal betting networks using multiple bank accounts and digital payment channels to move funds linked to such platforms.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)

Thailand is tightening inspections on goods falsely claiming to be made in Thailand, particularly for exports to the US, following a surge in Thai exports and increased US vigilance.

The Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) and Customs Department are collaborating to prevent fraud, including the mislabeling of Chinese goods as Thai to evade anti-dumping duties and gain tariff benefits.

Key Details:

• The US is closely monitoring Thailand due to a significant rise in Thai exports, with Thailand now ranking seventh among US exporters.
• Thailand ranks fifth in the US for anti-dumping cases, with 73 cases.
• The Customs Department and DFT are intensifying joint inspections to combat goods falsely claiming Thai origin.
• Seizures from October 2025 to February 2026 totaled over 503 million baht, with a 61% year-on-year increase.
• A major case involved the seizure of 50,824 items falsely labeled as “Made in Thailand” but imported from China, causing an estimated economic damage of 11.2 million baht.

This crackdown aims to protect Thai businesses, ensure fair competition, and maintain international credibility. In the past six months, authorities seized goods worth over 503 million baht, including items falsely labeled as “Made in Thailand” that were actually imported from China. The government is also considering revising penalties to allow for the confiscation of goods with false origin declarations.

The measures are designed to protect domestic industries, prevent economic harm from unfair trade practices, and maintain Thailand’s reputation in international markets. Misrepresenting origin violates Thai laws including the Prohibition to Import Goods with False Marking of Origin Act of 1938.

The government plans to revise penalties to allow for the confiscation of goods with false origin declarations.

Penalties for Falsely Declaring Origin in Thailand

Thailand is tightening penalties for exporting goods that falsely declare their origin, with plans to make enforcement “more severe and decisive”.

Key Details:

• The Customs Department is revising operational rules and procedures to impose harsher penalties for this category of fraud.
• Penalties may match tax cases, potentially up to four times the duty.
• The revised penalties aim to address a loophole where exports without duties result in light penalties.
• The Customs Department is cooperating with the Foreign Trade Department to identify at-risk importers and prevent false origin declarations.
• Monetary penalties will be imposed on a per-unit, per-product basis to reduce undervaluation risks.

Why It Matters:
The stricter penalties aim to curb “trade circumvention” exports, protect domestic industries, and reassure trade partners of Thailand’s commitment to fair trade practices.

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This story about the February 2026 jobs report is developing and will be updated with more details.

The U.S. economy shed jobs unexpectedly in February as employers pulled back to start 2026 amid economic uncertainty.

What are the key findings of the February 2026 jobs report?

The Labor Department on Wednesday reported that employers shed 92,000 jobs in February. That figure was well below the expectations of economists polled by LSEG, who estimated the economy would add 59,000 jobs.

The unemployment rate was 4.4%, slightly higher than economists’ expectations of 4.3%.

Revisions were made to the payroll numbers for the prior two months, with December’s report revised down by 65,000 jobs from a gain of 48,000 to a loss of 17,000, and January’s report revised down by 4,000 from a gain of 130,000 to 126,000.

Taken together, employment in December and January was 69,000 jobs lower than previously reported.

WHY DOES THE LABOR DEPARTMENT REVISE JOBS REPORTS? HERE ARE 3 REASONS

What sectors added or lost the most jobs in February 2026?

Private payrolls shed 86,000 jobs in February when economists expected a gain of 65,000 jobs for the month. January’s gain of 172,000 jobs was also revised down to 146,000.

Government payrolls contracted by 6,000 jobs in February. Job losses by the federal government (-10,000) and local governments (-1,000) were partially offset by job gains among state governments (+5,000). Federal government employment is down 330,000 jobs, or 11%, from its October 2024 peak.

The manufacturing sector lost 12,000 jobs in February, well below the expectations of LSEG economists, who predicted a gain of 3,000 jobs.

Healthcare employment declined by 28,000 jobs in February following an increase of 77,000 jobs for the sector in January. Physicians’ offices lost 37,000 jobs in February, primarily due to strike activity, while hospitals added 12,000 jobs. Over the last 12 months, healthcare averaged a gain of 36,000 jobs per month.

The information sector lost 11,000 jobs in February, continuing a downward trend after averaging a loss of 5,000 jobs in the last 12 months.

Social assistance employers added 9,000 jobs in February, driven by individual and family services (+12,000).

Transportation and warehousing employment declined by 11,000 jobs. A loss among couriers and messengers (-17,000) was partially offset by a gain in air transportation (+5,000). Employment in the sector is down 157,000 jobs, or 2.4%, from a February 2025 peak.

What does the February 2026 jobs report mean for the workforce?

How does the jobs report affect the stock market?

What does the February 2026 jobs report mean for the Fed and rate cuts?

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