Australia hits buy-now-pay-later sector with consumer credit law

By Byron Kaye and Renju Jose SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia said it would regulate buy-now-pay-later services as a consumer credit product under new laws, forcing BNPL providers to carry out background checks before lending in what would be one of the world’s toughest regimes for the startup sector. The move would put companies like Afterpay, owned…

Read More

Thai jobless rate lowest in 3 years in Q1 as tourism rebounds

BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s unemployment rate hit a three-year low in the first quarter, the state planning agency said on Monday, declining to 1.05% from 1.15% in the last three months of 2022 as recovery in the crucial tourism industry strengthened. Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter, driven by…

Read More

Grupo Mexico says negotiations with government more difficult after railway expropriation

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Grupo Mexico said on Sunday its negotiations with the government are facing difficulties after the Mexican Navy took over part of a railway in southern Mexico operated by a unit of the company last week. Grupo Mexico Transportes said negotiations with authorities about the railway concession spanning from Coatzacoalcos to Medias…

Read More

Japan March core machinery orders fall for 2nd straight month

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan core machinery orders fell in March for a second straight month, indicating firms’ cautious about capital spending amid worries about the global economic slowdown. Japan’s economy emerged from recession in the first quarter as a post-COVID consumption rebound offset global headwinds. But tame reading in the machinery orders may cast doubts…

Read More