ASIA: China “firmly” opposes a new trade initiative between Taiwan and the United States, the Commerce Ministry said on Thursday, a plan the government in Taipei says is a recognition of the key position the island plays in global supply chains. The United States and Taiwan announced the U.S.-Taiwan Initiative on 21st Century Trade […]
ASIA: India has allowed wheat shipments of 469,202 tonnes since banning most exports last month, but at least 1.7 million tonnes is lying at ports and could be damaged by looming monsoon rains, Reuters reported. Shipments that have been allowed moved mainly to Bangladesh, the Philippines, Tanzania and Malaysia, said a senior government official, who […]
ASIA: Earlier this week, China’s premier, Li Keqiang, warned that the world’s second-largest economy could struggle to record positive growth in the current quarter. “We will try to make sure the economy grows in the second quarter,” he said. A weaker yuan would probably help China’s export and trade balance, it would also make it […]
ASIA: US President Joe Biden said he’ll review Trump-era tariffs imposed on imports from China amid growing calls from businesses to remove the levies, fueling a rally in the offshore yuan. Biden said he’s considering removing some of the tariffs and would talk with Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen about it after returning to the US […]
ASIA: Japan’s services sector activity expanded for the first time in four months in April, as consumer sentiment recovered after the government lifted coronavirus curbs following a decline in domestic Omicron infections. The final au Jibun Bank Japan Services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to a seasonally adjusted 50.7 from the previous month’s final of […]
ASIA: Three of China’s largest banks have said that the country’s lenders face multiple headwinds this year that include the pandemic, global politics and domestic turmoil in the real estate industry. China’s banking industry is facing “a more complicated and severe business environment,” the country’s second-biggest lender by assets China Construction Bank Corp, said on […]
ASIA: India has signed contracts to export about 500,000 tonnes of wheat in recent days, traders said, cashing in on a sharp rally in international prices and signaling a big uptick in overseas sales from the world’s second biggest producer of the grain. Traders said last week they had received inquiries from buyers seeking alternatives […]
ASIA: India cut its forecast for economic growth in the year to the end of March to 9.2% on Friday from an earlier outlook of more than 10%, as disruptions due to the Omicron variant of coronavirus hit consumer sentiment and economic activity. The new forecast for real GDP in 2021/22 compares with a contraction […]
ASIA: Many business leaders at the World Economic Forum raised concerns over whether the latest round of trade negotiations between China and US will result in a “phase two” deal before the end of President Donald’s first term. The biggest roadblocks that leaders identified for the phase two deal are US tariffs on Chinese goods […]
ASIA: China’s annual growth rate was reported as its weakest in 29 years. The growth rate was 6.1% with Chinese officials stating that the economy was stable. Other numbers reported were that population growth was also slowing with Chinese citizens having fewer children than in previous years. Malaysia is talking to the Indian government and […]
