Asia

India’s central bank to launch Unified Lending Interface platform to digitalize banking services

Platform is part of RBI's efforts to digitalize banking services, which has made India one of the fastest-growing digital payments markets globally

India’s foreign exchange reserves climb to $674.66 billion

This figure is just below the previous record high of $674.919 billion

South Korea’s foreign currency deposits rise for 2nd straight month in July to 94.44 billion

U.S. dollar deposits jumped $4.57 billion dollars from a month earlier to $78.04 billion by the end of July

Japan’s manufacturing activity dips for second straight month in August: PMI

In contrast, the country's service sector expanded at a solid pace for the second month in a row

India aims for 17 million zero-emission trucks by 2050

The country is accelerating truck electrification with 30 new policy interventions

Vietnam ports’ cargo volume soars 16 percent to 501.117 million tons, TEUs reach 16.902 million in first seven months

Despite the surge in cargo volume, sea freight rates have been declining across all routes since the end of July

Pakistan’s IT exports surge 32 percent to $297 million in July on software and telecommunications

Software consultancy services saw a significant surge, increasing by 24.53 percent to reach $77.262 million

South Korea’s mid-sized businesses hit $2.52 billion in Q2 profits on semiconductors and auto parts

The operating profits of automobile and auto parts businesses increased 18.9 percent during the same period

Only 20 percent of Japanese companies use GenAI due to expertise, accuracy concerns: Survey

The primary concern cited by 54.1 percent of respondents was a lack of skilled staff and operational expertise

India successfully launches Earth Observation Satellite-8

The satellite, designed for a one-year mission duration, carries a range of advanced technologies

South Korea’s ICT exports surge 32.8 percent to $19.4 billion on AI and mobile phones

Semiconductor exports skyrocketed by 49.0 percent to $11.23 billion

China’s home prices hit new nine-year low in July

Property investment fell 10.2 percent annually in the January-July period, compared with a 10.1 percent drop in the first half of the year

Japan’s economy expands 3.1 percent in Q2 2024, raising rate hike bets

Japan's private consumption, which accounts for over half of the economic output, rose 1 percent in Q2

South Korea’s automotive exports down 9.1 percent, still hit $5.4 billion in July 2024

Hybrid vehicle sales surged by 56.6 percent year-on-year, reaching $980 million

Japan’s wholesale inflation surges to 11-month high as weak yen bites

The corporate goods price index hit a record high of 123.1, marking the eighth straight month of increases

Singapore’s GDP grows 2.9 percent YoY in Q2 2024

Ministry attributed GDP growth to the wholesale trade, finance and insurance, and information and communications sectors

Foreign airlines pull China services as domestic airlines expand networks internationally

Foreign carriers operated only 60 percent of pre-pandemic flights to China last month

Leading Chinese chipmaker SMIC revenues rise 21.8 percent to $1.9 billion in Q2 2024

The company's capital expenditure reached $2.25 billion in the second quarter

China’s 1,000-km/h high-speed flying train completes successful full-scale test

The train may be deployed on commuter routes in mega-cities, reducing the Beijing-Shanghai travel time to 90 minutes

South Korea’s current account surplus hits seven-year high of $12.26 billion in June

South Korea's cumulative current account surplus for the first six months of 2024 reached $37.73 billion