India wants to be a global chip powerhouse in 5 years, says IT minister

Workers assembles smartphones at Dixon Technologies factory in Uttar Pradesh, India, on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021.  Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images India wants to be among the world’s top five semiconductor producers in the next five years, said Ashwini Vaishnaw, minister of electronics and information technology, railways and communications.  The chip industry “is a … Read more

Goldman expects the Bank of Japan to hike rates in March

A woman takes photos under the Kanzakura cherry trees in full bloom in Ueno Park, Tokyo. Kanzakura cherry trees herald the early arrival of spring in Tokyo. James Matsumoto | Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images Goldman Sachs now expects the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates for the first time in 17 … Read more

Denmark leads, with top four from Europe

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Four of investors’ top five favorite destinations are in Europe, according to the Milken Institute’s Global Opportunity Index (GOI) report. Denmark topped this year’s rankings, scoring first on business perception, a measure of the … Read more

South Korea plans to speed up reforms to boost shareholder returns

A currency dealer monitors exchange rates in a trading room at KEB Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea. Jung Yeon-Je | AFP | Getty Images South Korea’s financial regulator will look at speeding up the corporate reforms proposed last month and could reportedly add newer measures, after market players voiced concerns the announced steps might … Read more

Why Japan’s shunto wage negotiations are important

Japanese national flag fluter at the Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo on December 19, 2023. The Bank of Japan on December 19 maintained its long-standing, ultra-loose monetary policy and offered no guidance on its plans in the new year, sending the yen down against the dollar and boosting stocks. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / … Read more

Deepfakes in an election year — is Asia ready to handle fake news?

2024 is set up to be the biggest global election year in history. It coincides with the rapid rise in deepfakes. In APAC alone, there was a surge in deepfakes by 1530% from 2022 to 2023, according to a Sumsub report. Fotografielink | Istock | Getty Images Ahead of the Indonesian elections on Feb. 14, … Read more

Singapore bumps up 2024 GDP forecast on manufacturing growth; lowers headline inflation outlook

Buildings in the central business district in Singapore, on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. Singapore’s economy expanded by a slightly more modest pace than initially expected in 2023, as manufacturing activity contracted and services growth slowed.  Nicky Loh | Bloomberg | Getty Images Singapore’s economy in 2024 is forecast to grow faster than estimated earlier, while … Read more

Canon Electronics leads plunge among Space One consortium after failed launch

Japan’s Canon Electronics shares fell as much as 12.7% on Wednesday after Tokyo-based Space One’s small rocket exploded just moments after its maiden launch. Reuters reported the solid-fueled Kairos rocket blew up just seconds after lifting off at 11:01 a.m. Japan time. If successful, Space One would have been Japan’s first company to put a … Read more

Asian currencies could be on ‘back foot’ despite U.S. rate cuts: JPMorgan

The U.S. dollar is expected to remain resilient despite possible Fed rate cuts this year. Jackal Pan | Moment | Getty Images Asian currencies could be on the “back foot” this year despite signals that the U.S. Federal Reserve could cut interest rates soon, according to Julia Wang, executive director and global market strategist at … Read more

BOJ may exit negative rates next week. Here’s what you need to know.

Japan bar chart graph with ups and downs, increasing values, concept of economic recovery and business improving, businesses reopen, politics concept with flag Elif Bayraktar | Istock | Getty Images Speculation is swirling that the Bank of Japan may move to exit the world’s last negative rate policy as early as next week, when policymakers … Read more