Asia Economy
Is China going through a consumption revival? Its 618 festival is one sign of it
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall reported strong sales in categories eligible for government subsidies. Serene Lee | Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images China’s latest shopping festival, which wrapped up Wednesday, pointed to a pickup in consumption, as e-commerce companies reported strong sales of consumer electronics, as well as beauty and pet […]
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Japan is better prepared than the West for China’s rare-earth mineral squeeze
Bulldozer scoop soil containing various rare earth to be loaded on to a ship at a port in Lianyungang, east China’s Jiangsu province on September 5, 2010, for export to Japan. Str | Afp | Getty Images Japan has been quietly blazing a trail for supply chain resilience. Long before China in early April imposed […]
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Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed as investors assess China data, escalating Israel-Iran tensions
Anshun bridge reflecting in the Jinjiang river at dusk in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China. © Philippe Lejeanvre | Moment Open | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Friday as investors assessed China data and monitored escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump is now weighing on whether to back the Israeli military […]
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China expectedly keeps key lending rates steady after May cut
The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) building in Beijing, China, on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. Bloomberg | Getty Images China expectedly kept its benchmark lending rates unchanged Friday, following the sweeping monetary easing measures rolled out last month to boost growth. The People’s Bank of China held the 1-year loan prime rate at 3.0% and […]
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Rice prices more than double in May as Japan core inflation jumps to highest levels since 2023
A worker handles sacks of brown rice at a Shinmei Co. plant in Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. Bags of rice are expected to start filling the shelves of Japan’s supermarkets again soon as farmers harvest their new crop, though the increase in supply will do little to tame higher prices. […]
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Shipping insurance costs spike in the Middle East as Israel-Iran conflict rages
A large commercial ship floats off the coast in Bushehr, Iran, on January 15, 2025. Bushehr is Iran’s first nuclear seaport. Amir | Afp | Getty Images Israel and Iran’s escalating conflict has significantly driven up the cost of insurance for ships sailing through the Red Sea and Persian Gulf. Marine insurers are now charging […]
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Japan plans to cut super-long bond sales by 10% to ease market concerns, Reuters reports
The Otemachi One Tower building in Tokyo, Japan. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Japan’s government plans to cut sales of super-long bonds by about 10% from the original plan in a rare revision to its bond program for the current fiscal year, trimming overall bond issuance as a result, a draft document seen by Reuters showed. The move aims to soothe market concerns over supply-demand imbalances, after weak demand at recent auctions […]
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Oil analysts left scratching their heads over Isreal-Iran conflict: ‘Your guess is as good as mine’
Smoke billows in the distance from an oil refinery following an Israeli strike on the Iranian capital Tehran on June 17, 2025. Atta Kenare | Afp | Getty Images Analysts are struggling to predict the extent to which Israel and Iran’s escalating conflict could influence oil prices. Israel’s surprise attack on Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure […]
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‘Tariff engineering’ is making a comeback as businesses employ creative ways to skirt higher duties
Colorful display of All Star Converse sneakers in shoe store, Manhattan, New York. Lindsey Nicholson | Universal Images Group | Getty Images Would you be bothered if your coat was officially classified as a windbreaker or a raincoat, or your shoes as slippers? Businesses do care though, as classifications under a preferred category can help […]
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Japan exports fall at sharpest pace in 8 months as U.S. shipments plummet
Shipping container loads dock at Tokyo Bay. Japan is heavily reliant on exports (e.g., automobiles, electronics), faces risks from U.S. tariffs, especially on cars (a proposed 25% tariff during Trump’s first term was deferred but remains a concern). Higher tariffs could reduce Japan’s U.S. market access, increase consumer prices, and hurt GDP growth. However, Japan’s […]
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