Asia Economy
European stocks set for muted open to start second quarter; Russia-Ukraine in focus
LONDON — European markets are set for a cautious start to the second quarter on Friday, with talks between Russia and Ukraine continuing to guide investor sentiment. Britain’s FTSE 100 is seen around 4 points lower at 7,512, Germany’s DAX is expected to shed around 15 points to 14,400 and France’s CAC 40 is set […]
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Citi raises its forecast for China’s GDP growth, bringing it closer to the official target
Real estate and related sectors account for at least 25% of China’s economy, according to Moody’s. Costfoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images BEIJING — China’s economy faces so much new pressure from Covid that Beijing may increase stimulus — boosting overall growth, Citi said Thursday. “Given the strong start of the year and the […]
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Here’s how China’s latest Covid lockdowns have affected American businesses in the country
The metropolis of Shanghai, where many foreign businesses are located, entered a two-part lockdown this week as municipal authorities sought to control an outbreak in China’s worst Covid wave in two years. Hector Retamal | Afp | Getty Images BEIJING — China’s worst Covid wave since the initial shock of the pandemic has cut into […]
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India tries to pry Sri Lanka loose from China’s embrace
This image from February 2022 shows Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Foreign Minister of India, speaking on the second day of the Munich Security Conference. Jaishankar’s visit Colombo on Monday comes as Sri Lanka is in the throes of an economic crisis. Sven Hoppe | picture alliance via Getty Images India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar was in Sri […]
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Pakistan’s embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan is defiant, says he won’t resign
Besieged by the opposition and abandoned by coalition partners, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan is battling for his political survival. In this photo from September 2021, Khan speaks in a prerecorded video during the United Nations General Assembly. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images Pakistan’s embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan remained defiant Thursday, telling […]
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Asia is seeing a wave of buybacks. Goldman and Morgan Stanley say these companies could be next
Asia has seen a wave of stock buybacks, and bank analysts say it’s not stopping anytime soon. Chinese tech giant Alibaba said last week it will increase its share buyback program from $15 billion to $25 billion. Phone maker Xiaomi announced Tuesday a buyback of up to 10 billion Hong Kong dollars ($1.28 billion), while JD […]
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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida decided weeks ago to keep Russian gas: Reuters, citing sources
The liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker Sohshu Maru approaches Jera Co.’s Futtsu Thermal Power Station, unseen, in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s announcement on Thursday that he would not abandon a massive Russian gas project was decided weeks ago, sources told Reuters. Kiyoshi Ota | Bloomberg […]
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Investor Kyle Bass: Globalization isn’t over, just don’t invest in countries run by despots
Kyle BassThe Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine is not a death knell for globalization but should be a wake-up call about the risks of investing in countries that aren’t democracies, Texas hedge fund manager Kyle Bass said on CNBC on Thursday, “You don’t have to paint it with that broad of a brush,” the founder […]
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Singapore’s stance on Russia shows support for sanctions isn’t limited to the West, says think tank
“We cannot condone any country arguing that another country’s independence is the result of historical errors and crazy decisions,” Prime Minister Lee said at the White House on March 29. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images It was “important” for U.S. President Joe Biden to meet with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, as it […]
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As the pandemic enters its 3rd year, more Chinese people say they’d rather save than spend
While mainland China faced its worst wave of Covid-19 since the initial shock of the pandemic, a central bank survey found more Chinese wanted to save money than spend or invest it. Costfoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images BEIJING — Chinese consumers are becoming more cautious than they were near the start of the […]
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