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TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei index rose to a 27-year high on Monday, boosted by a weak yen and a breakthrough in trade talks between the United States and Canada. The Nikkei 225 index gained 0.52 percent or 125.72 points to close at 24,245.76 — the highest since November 1991 when Japan Inc was closing the final chapter of the nation’s speculative “bubble” economy. “Reaching a 27-year high is symbolic but still a […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Confidence among Japan’s biggest manufacturers has slipped for the third straight quarter, a key central bank survey showed on Monday, reflecting concern about trade wars and a string of natural disasters. The Bank of Japan’s Tankan report — a quarterly survey of about 10,000 companies — showed a reading of 19 among major manufacturers in its September survey, against 21 in the June report. It is the first time the reading […]
HANOI, Vietnam (AFP) — Vietnam’s growth slowed in the third quarter, data showed Friday, with a warning that the export-led economy could soon be caught up in Donald Trump’s trade war with China. Vietnam is one of Asia’s fastest growing economies — GDP growth has topped five percent over the past five years — largely driven by the export of cheap goods such as Adidas trainers, Intel computer processors and Samsung phones. Though it is […]
HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Asian markets rose Friday, tracking a rally on Wall Street where investors were buoyed by the Federal Reserve’s positive outlook for the US economy, and oil added to gains with predictions it could be headed back to $100. While concerns over the China-US trade row hang in the air, equities continue to be supported by optimism that the global economy and companies are in rude health. That was reinforced by […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan’s unemployment rate fell while factory output rose for the first time in four months in August — a sign the world’s third-largest economy is on a path of gradual recovery. The jobless rate stood at 2.4 percent in August, down slightly from 2.5 percent the previous month, the internal affairs ministry said. The figure — slightly lower than market expectations of 2.5 percent — is the first improvement in two […]
by Nina NEGRON Agence France Presse BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AFP) — Argentina was paralyzed by a general strike on Tuesday while the central bank chief resigned amid talks with the International Monetary Fund on a revised crisis loan package. As president Mauricio Macri negotiated accelerated funding from a $50 billion loan agreed with the IMF in June, the country’s beleaguered currency was hit by the news that Luis Caputo had been replaced by Guido Sandleris […]
HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong led a sell-off in Asian markets during holiday-thinned business Monday as trade tensions burst back on the scene with China and the US swapping fresh tariffs and reports saying Beijing pulled out of planned talks. The recent optimism in the US economy that saw equities rack up healthy gains over the past two weeks was replaced by fresh concerns about the impact of a standoff between the world’s […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Prices in Japan edged up modestly in August, according to government data on Friday, as the world’s third-largest economy continues its years-long battle with deflation. Inflation stood at 0.9 percent year-on-year in August, still far below the Bank of Japan’s two-percent target, even though slightly higher than 0.8 percent in July and June and 0.7 percent in May. The latest figure was in line with market consensus. With fresh food and […]
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — New Zealand’s economic growth hit a two-year-high in the second quarter on the back of a strong performance from the agricultural sector, official data showed Thursday. Statistics New Zealand said the economy expanded 1.0 percent in the three months to June 30, the biggest quarterly rise since mid-2016. The agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector was the standout performer, up 4.1 percent, with mining the only industry among the 16 measured […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan’s sensitive trade surplus with the United States shrank sharply for the second consecutive month, according to official data published Wednesday, as Tokyo nervously eyes Washington’s trade war with China. The surplus came in at 455.8 billion yen ($4.05 billion) in August, as the rise in US aerospace, natural gas and coal imports outpaced Tokyo’s exports of pharmaceutical and construction products. US President Donald Trump has reportedly cited Japan as his […]
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Tokyo stocks opened lower but quickly bounced back into the green on Tuesday, as investors braced for Beijing’s reaction after the US announced tariffs on another $200 billion in Chinese goods. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index, which opened lower, was up 0.33 percent or 75.83 points at 23,170.50 after the first 30 minutes of trade. The broader Topix index was up 0.47 percent 8.11 points at 1,736.72. US President Donald Trump […]
BEIJING, China (AFP) — The Chinese economy revealed fresh signs of softness Friday with data showing the pace of investment slowing to record lows while retail spending and industrial production stabilised. Beijing faces a delicate balancing act, aiming to shift its growth driver away from investment and exports towards personal consumption, while at the same time battling a mountain of debt. The trade spat with major export destination the United States has complicated the task […]
