Asia News

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 drops 5% as Asia-Pacific stocks fall
World

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 drops 5% as Asia-Pacific stocks fall

SINGAPORE — Shares in Asia-Pacific fell in Tuesday morning trade after the S&P 500 fell overnight and closed in bear market territory. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200, which returned to trade Tuesday following a holiday yesterday, plunged about 5% and led losses among the region’s major markets. The Nikkei 225 in Japan fell 2% while the Topix […]

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Asia markets tumble; Japan, South Korea and Taiwan fall more than 2% as tech stocks drop
World

Asia markets tumble; Japan, South Korea and Taiwan fall more than 2% as tech stocks drop

SINGAPORE — Shares in Asia tumbled on Monday, as major markets in the region saw sharp losses of more than 2% amid a tech sell-off. The Nikkei 225 in Japan dropped 2.8%, and shares of conglomerate SoftBank Group sliding more than 4%. The Topix index fell 2.2%. South Korea’s Kospi fell 2.8%, led by tech […]

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Thailand makes marijuana legal, but smoking is discouraged
World

Thailand makes marijuana legal, but smoking is discouraged

Thailand’s government has warned that those eager to light up for fun that smoking in public could still be considered a nuisance, subject to a potential 3-month jail sentence and 25,000 baht ($780) fine. Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Thailand made it legal to cultivate and possess marijuana as of Thursday, like a […]

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Asia-Pacific stocks set for lower start ahead of China and U.S. inflation data
World

Asia-Pacific stocks set for lower start ahead of China and U.S. inflation data

SINGAPORE — Shares in Asia-Pacific appeared set for a lower start on Friday as investors look ahead to the release of May inflation data from China and the U.S. Futures pointed to a lower open for Japanese stocks. The Nikkei futures contract in Chicago was at 28,085 while its counterpart in Osaka was at 27,980 […]

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Asia-Pacific stocks slip ahead of China’s May trade data release
World

Asia-Pacific stocks slip ahead of China’s May trade data release

SINGAPORE — Asia-Pacific stocks slipped in Thursday morning trade, with investors awaiting the release of China’s trade data for May expected later today. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 was little changed in fractionally lower in early trading while the Topix index shed 0.12%. South Korea’s Kospi declined 0.46%. Over in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 dipped […]

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Biden envoy to visit Marshall Islands as U.S. concerns grow about China’s Pacific push
Politics

Biden envoy to visit Marshall Islands as U.S. concerns grow about China’s Pacific push

U.S. President Joe Biden and New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern aired shared concerns last week about China’s bid to expand its influence in the Pacific. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images President Joe Biden’s special envoy for talks with three tiny, but strategically important Pacific island nations will lead a delegation to the Marshall […]

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Japan is about to welcome back foreign travelers, but domestic tourism remains its priority
Business

Japan is about to welcome back foreign travelers, but domestic tourism remains its priority

After more than two years of closed border policies, Japan is set to welcome back international travelers this week. Come June 10, foreign tourists traveling via packaged tours can enter Japan. However, the government’s priority still lies in boosting domestic tourism numbers, said Tadashi Shimura, president of Japan Association of Travel Agents. Even before the […]

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To boost solar, Biden looks the other way on potential Chinese trade violations
World

To boost solar, Biden looks the other way on potential Chinese trade violations

U.S. President Joe Biden’s move to prohibit new tariffs on the solar panels also took the teeth out of an investigation by the Commerce Department that was required by law. Logan Cyrus | The Washington Post | Getty Images Facing paralysis of the U.S. solar industry, President Joe Biden has ordered that potential trade violations by Chinese solar panel […]

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The race toward a new computing technology is heating up — and Asia is jumping on the trend
World

The race toward a new computing technology is heating up — and Asia is jumping on the trend

A quantum computer in a vibration-free building. Quantum computing will ultimately speed up the computational power that drives many industries and could affect everything from drug discovery to how data is secured. Oliver Berg | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Quantum computing was already gathering pace in Japan and elsewhere in Asia when the University […]

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Japan stocks set for higher start; investors await Australia’s interest rate decision
World

Japan stocks set for higher start; investors await Australia’s interest rate decision

SINGAPORE — Shares in Japan looked set for a higher start, while investors in Asia-Pacific await the Reserve Bank of Australia’s latest interest rate decision. The Nikkei futures contract in Chicago was at 28,020 while its counterpart in Osaka was at 28,040. That compared against the Nikkei 225’s last close at 27,915.89. Australian stocks appeared […]

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