Asia

EU, Singapore conclude negotiations for landmark Digital Trade Agreement

The agreement aims to build trust, ensure predictability for businesses, and remove barriers to digital trade

Apple’s China smartphone shipments fall 6.5 percent as local players dominate: Report

Vivo reclaimed the top spot in China with 13.1 million smartphone shipments, capturing a 19 percent market share

Is Japan facing a profound demographic crisis as its population drops by over 500,000 in 2023?

The country’s birth rate hit a record low of 730,000 in 2023, while deaths reached a record high of 1.58 million

China’s central bank lends at lower rates for second time this week

Central bank issued $27.5 billion in one-year loans under its medium-term lending facility operation at 2.30 percent

India to invest $24 billion in job creation over next five years, $131.51 billion on long-term infrastructure projects

"India's economic growth continues to be the shining exception and will remain so in the years ahead," the minister said

China’s fiscal revenue fell 2.8 percent YoY to $1.62 trillion in H1 2024

A breakdown of the data showed that the central government collected around 5 trillion yuan in fiscal revenue

PetroChina joins COP28’s oil & gas decarbonization charter

With the addition of PetroChina, the charter's signatories now represent more than 42 percent of global oil production

Beijing foreign trade volume hits record-high $256.61 billion in H1 2024

Emerging industries stood out as key contributors to export growth in Beijing, accounting for 27.8 percent of city's total exports

China cuts lending rates to boost economic growth following weaker Q2 GDP data

One-year loan prime rate (LPR) declined to 3.35 percent, while the five-year LPR was reduced to 3.85 percent

Over 40 percent of Japanese firms remain hesitant to adopt AI: Survey

Data showed that 24 percent of companies have implemented AI, and 35 percent plan to do so in the future

Japan targets record 35 million foreign visitors in 2024

From April to June, foreign visitors spent a quarterly record of around 2.1 trillion yen

Japan posts first trade surplus in three months in June at $1.4 billion

During the first six months of 2024, Japan’s trade deficit declined by more than half to $21 billion

Singapore Airlines passenger numbers rise 13.8 percent to 9.6 million in Q1 2024

Airline's load factor in June declined 3.2 percentage points month-on-month to 87.4 percent

IMF revises up South Korea’s 2024 growth outlook to 2.5 percent, cites stable global expansion

However, the IMF has slightly lowered its 2025 growth forecast to 2.2 percent

China sees surge in foreign tourism with visa-free policies, diverse payment options

14.64 million foreign nationals entered China through various ports during the first six months of the year

China’s industrial output rises 5.3 percent in June, slows on weak domestic demand

Retail sales rose 2 percent in June, slowing significantly from a 3.7 percent expansion in May

South Korea’s car exports surge to new $37 billion high in 2024, driven by hybrid and electric demand

The number of cars exported totaled 1,467,196 units, up 3.2 percent over the same period

India’s exports rise 5.4 percent to $65.47 billion in June, set to reach $800 billion

India's goods trade deficit narrowed to $20.98 billion in June from $23.78 billion in May

South Korea’s average car export prices hit record high of $25,224 in H1 2024

The combined value of automobile exports in South Korea rose to $37 billion in the first half of 2024

China launches its first e-visa in Shanghai

The e-visa, or electronic visa, is the digital version of the traditional paper visa

South Korea’s ICT exports rise for eight consecutive month, reach $21.05 billion in June

ICT exports totaled $108.9 billion, the second-highest figure for the period

Pakistan secures new $7 billion loan program from IMF

This agreement, Pakistan's 24th IMF bailout, now awaits approval from the IMF's executive board

China’s central bank likely to hold medium-term lending rate steady next week

Weak Chinese currency has remained a major concern limiting any easing to the central bank's monetary policy