Asia Economy
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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Shipping groups are starting to shy away from the Strait of Hormuz as Israel-Iran conflict rages on
An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps speed boat sailing along the Persian Gulf during the IRGC marine parade to commemorate Persian Gulf National Day, near the Bushehr nuclear power plant in the seaport city of Bushehr, in the south of Iran, on April 29, 2024. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images Some shipowners are opting to […]
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Bank of Japan to slow cuts to government bond purchases from April next year as growth risks loom
A pedestrian walks past the Bank of Japan (BoJ) building in central Tokyo on July 28, 2023. Richard A. Brooks | Afp | Getty Images Japan’s central bank on Tuesday said it would slow the cuts to government bond purchases from April next year, while it also held the benchmark rate at 0.5% amid rising […]
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Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed as investors assess Israel-Iran conflict; BOJ stands pat on rates
Sunset at Shinjuku , Tokyo – Japan. Xavierarnau | E+ | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Tuesday, as investors assessed the Israel-Iran conflict after U.S. President Donald Trump urged “everyone” to immediately evacuate Tehran. The president subsequently left the Group of Seven summit a day earlier due to the Middle East crisis. Fitch Ratings […]
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SK Hynix shares extend gains to over 2-decade highs as parent group reportedly plans AI data center
Illustration of the SK Hynix company logo seen displayed on a smartphone screen. Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Shares in South Korea’s SK Hynix extended gains to hit a more than 2-decade high on Tuesday, following reports over the weekend that SK Group plans to build the country’s largest AI data center. SK […]
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