At Walmart, billions in tariff refunds soften the blow from slower sales growth

At Walmart, billions in tariff refunds soften the blow from slower sales growth

Walmart says it has received nearly $3 billion in tariff refunds — and used some of that windfall to cut prices for consumers strained by inflation. The refunds helped boost Walmart’s profit, according to the company’s quarterly earnings report Thursday. “Customers tell us they’re still feeling some pressure,” Walmart CEO John Furner said. “Having the…

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Africa: Tanzania’s VAT Refund Revolution – the Quiet Reform That Could Unlock Billions in Private Investment

Africa: Tanzania’s VAT Refund Revolution – the Quiet Reform That Could Unlock Billions in Private Investment

When governments unveil annual budgets, headlines focus on the big numbers: spending, growth and tax collection. But sometimes the real story sits quietly in the technical annexes. Tanzania’s 2026/27 budget, due to take effect from July, includes plans for 6.3%GDP growth and the biggest spending plan in the country’s history while narrowing the deficit. Yet…

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How Optasia lends billions to people banks can’t see

How Optasia lends billions to people banks can’t see

Optasia CEO Salvador Anglada Optasia will distribute more than US$6-billion in credit across its markets in 2026 – and it carries every cent of the default risk itself. In this episode of the TechCentral Show, CEO Salvador Anglada unpacks how the JSE’s biggest recent fintech listing actually works. Formerly known as Channel VAS, Optasia was…

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Africa: Tanzania’s VAT Refund Revolution – the Quiet Reform That Could Unlock Billions in Private Investment

Africa: ‘Shared Blueprint for Peace’ – Development Goals Deliver for Billions, but Challenges Remain

With fewer than five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a new UN report says sustained investment and international cooperation have improved billions of lives, but warns that governments must urgently accelerate action if the goals are to be met by their 2030 deadline. The findings come from the 2026 SDG Progress…

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Africa: May Day – African Workers Decry Rising Inequality, ‘Vanishing Billions’ and Elite Control

Africa: May Day – African Workers Decry Rising Inequality, ‘Vanishing Billions’ and Elite Control

Organised labour under the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has raised concern over what it describes as worsening inequality and economic hardship across the continent. Marking this year’s International Workers’ Day, ITUC-Africa warned that Africa is facing a growing imbalance in wealth distribution, where economic gains are increasingly concentrated among…

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Govt entities waste billions on ICT projects, unused systems

Govt entities waste billions on ICT projects, unused systems

AGSA audit outcomes uncover R12.1 billion-worth in ICT project issues. (Image source: 123RF) While technology is often touted as a transformative force, national and provincial governments continue to face significant challenges in ICT implementation. A report by the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) has identified barriers to achieving digital transformation goals, noting that many of…

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