States must strengthen their financial position to accelerate poverty reduction and ensure sustained development, Iqbal Singh Dhaliwal, Global Executive Director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has said.“The central government’s fiscal deficit is fine, but the state governments are facing considerable challenges in terms…

Gold prices are expected to remain volatile in the coming week as investors monitor developments around the US government funding bill, labour market data, and commentary from the Federal Reserve, analysts said. The release of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) minutes on Thursday is also likely to influence bullion market sentiment.“The week ahead is…