Asia Economy
India, Russia vow to deepen trade ties, defying Trump’s tariff threats over oil
TOPSHOT – Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (R) and India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar enter a hall for their talks at Zinaida Morozova’s Mansion in Moscow on August 21, 2025. Alexander Zemlianichenko | Afp | Getty Images India and Russia agreed Thursday to expand bilateral trade ties, signaling that U.S. tariff pressure on New Delhi […]
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Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed as investors look ahead to U.S. Fed chair Powell’s speech
SHANGHAI, CHINA – AUGUST 14, 2025 – Tourists are visiting the Bund in Shanghai, China on August 14, 2025. Cfoto | Future Publishing | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Friday as investors await U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s speech at the central bank’s annual economic symposium, which could offer clues into the path […]
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Japan reports hotter-than-expected core inflation for July — but lowest since March as rice prices ease
Residential and commercial properties near the Shibuya district of Tokyo on May 4, 2023. Richard A. Brooks | Afp | Getty Images Japan’s core inflation rate cooled to 3.1% in July, coming down from 3.3% the month before as rice inflation continued to ease. The figure — which strips out costs for fresh food — […]
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Red carpet for Putin, trade relief for China, penalties on India: Inside Trump’s peculiar policy playbook
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for a press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on Aug. 15, 2025 in Anchorage, Alaska. Andrew Harnik | Getty Images President Donald Trump is pursuing an unusual strategy — courting Russian President Vladimir Putin, holding fire on Beijing, all the while turning the screws on […]
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Property price surge in Tokyo’s prime areas sparks calls to curb foreign ownership
Residential and commercial properties near the Shibuya district of Tokyo on May 4, 2023. Richard A. Brooks | Afp | Getty Images In Tokyo’s Shibuya district, towering skyscrapers and luxury condominiums symbolize Japan’s urban real estate frenzy — with prices surging in recent years. In 2024, the average price of new condos in the 23 […]
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Japan’s factory activity extends declines in August, PMI shows
Japan’s manufacturing activity contracted for the second month in August as U.S. tariffs weighed on overseas demand, a private-sector survey showed on Thursday. The S&P Global flash Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index increased to 49.9 in August from July’s final 48.9, but it remained below the 50.0 threshold that separates growth from contraction for two straight months. “The […]
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Asia markets set for muted start as investors assess S&P 500’s four-day losing streak
Evening view of Marine Drive, Queen’s necklace, Juhu and Chowpatty beaches Grant Faint | The Image Bank | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets were poised for a muted start to the day as investors assessed the four-day losing streak for the S&P 500, led by declines in tech stocks. Investors in the region are awaiting India’s HSBC Composite […]
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Trump’s trade policies are helping India-China ties — but they aren’t resetting them
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrapped up his two-day trip to India on Tuesday — the latest sign of warming ties between Beijing and New Delhi. During his visit, Wang said India and China should “view each other as partners and opportunities rather than adversaries or threats,” according to a readout from the Chinese Foreign […]
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SoftBank Group shares plunge over 9% as Asian tech stocks decline
The logo of Japanese company SoftBank Group is seen outside the company’s headquarters in Tokyo on January 22, 2025. Kazuhiro Nogi | Afp | Getty Images Shares of SoftBank Group plunged as much as 9.17% Wednesday, as technology stocks in Asia declined, tracking losses in U.S. peers overnight. The Japanese tech-focused investment firm saw shares drop […]
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Japan’s July exports clock steepest plunge in over four years, dropping by a more than expected 2.6%
Owngarden | Moment | Getty Images Japan’s exports plunged 2.6% year over year in July, their steepest drop since February 2021, as shipments to its two largest markets slipped. The fall was sharper than the 2.1% contraction expected by economists polled by Reuters and compared to the 0.5% drop seen in June. Imports to the […]
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