Bank of Japan keeps monetary policy unchanged

A pedestrian walks past the Bank of Japan (BoJ) building in central Tokyo on July 28, 2023. Richard A. Brooks | Afp | Getty Images The Bank of Japan kept its policy rate unchanged Friday after its monetary policy meeting, holding its benchmark policy rate at 0%-0.1%. This is in line with expectations from economists … Read more

China’s Q1 GDP grew 5.3% in the first quarter, beating expectations

An employee works on the assembly line of intelligent machinery at a workshop on March 31, 2024 in Qingzhou, Weifang City, Shandong Province of China. Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images China’s economy grew 5.3% in the first quarter compared to a year ago, faster than the 4.6% growth expected by economists polled … Read more

Singapore’s new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will take office on May 15

Singapore’s new prime minister Lawrence Wong will be sworn in on May 15, 2024. The current prime minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on April 15 that he will be stepping down and handing the leadership reins to Wong. Ore Huiying | Bloomberg | Getty Images SINGAPORE — Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will step … Read more

Yellen says U.S. plans to ‘underscore’ need for China to shift policy

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen attends a press conference at U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Beijing on April 8, 2024. Pedro Pardo | Afp | Getty Images BEIJING — U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Monday that future discussions between the U.S. and China will focus on Beijing’s need to shift its policy on industry and the economy. … Read more

Xiaomi shares up 15% after Chinese smartphone maker launches first EV

A Xiaomi SU7 electric sedan is seen displayed at a regional HQ of Xiaomi in Nanjing in east China’s Jiangsu province.  Future Publishing | Future Publishing | Getty Images BEIJING — Shares of Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi surged 15% when the Hong Kong market opened Tuesday, the first trading day since the company launched its … Read more

China’s March factory activity at its most robust in 11 months

Modern Shanghai city landscape juxtaposed against China’s national flag Yaorusheng | Moment | Getty Images China’s factory activity in March expanded by its strongest pace in more than a year, a private survey showed on Monday, in signs of stabilizing growth in the world’s second-largest economy. The Caixin China manufacturing purchasing managers’ index was 51.1 in … Read more

Bank of Japan hikes rates for the first time in 17 years, abolishes yield curve control

Japan flag and Japanese Yen cash banknotes (money, economy, business, finance, inflation, crisis) Javier Ghersi | Moment | Getty Images Japan’s central bank raised interest rates on Tuesday for the first time since 2007 and abolished its yield control curve policy, ending the world’s last negative rates regime on early signs of robust wage gains … Read more

China retail sales, industrial data for first 2 months beats expectations

High-rise residential and commercial buildings are being constructed near Dongyu Road, Qiantan, in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai, China, on March 15, 2024.  Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images BEIJING —  China on Monday reported economic data for the first two months of the year that beat analysts’ expectations. Retail sales rose 5.5%, better … Read more

Key takeaways from 2024 China parliamentary meeting: economy, environment

A Chinese flag flutters on top of the Great Hall of the People ahead of the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF), to mark 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative, in Beijing, China October 18, 2023. Edgar Su | Reuters BEIJING — China’s weeklong annual parliamentary meetings ended on Monday … Read more

Japan averts technical recession as revised fourth-quarter data shows economy grew 0.4%

Commuters walking at Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo © Marco Bottigelli | Moment | Getty Images Japan averted a technical recession as revised official data on Monday showed the economy returned to growth in the the October-December period last year. Japan’s gross domestic product expanded 0.4% in the fourth quarter compared with a year earlier. Provisional data … Read more