Hong Kong Q1 GDP grew 2.7% y/y, sees tourism, consumption driving recovery this year

HONG KONG (Reuters) -Hong Kong’s economy grew 2.7% in the first quarter from a year earlier, government data showed on Friday, thanks to a strong recovery of inbound tourism and domestic demand which would remain drivers for growth this year. It was the first quarter of growth after four consecutive ones of contraction. The city’s…

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U.S., German ministers discuss efforts to counter Russian sanctions evasion

NIIGATA, Japan (Reuters) – U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen met German Finance Minister Christian Lindner on Friday, underscoring the importance of working together to counter evasion of Western sanctions imposed on Russia over its war in Ukraine, Treasury said. Yellen and Lindner met on the sidelines of a Group of Seven finance officials meeting in…

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Indonesia’s April trade surplus seen increasing to $3.38 billion- Reuters poll

JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s April trade surplus was seen increasing from the previous month, with imports softening due to less production activities during the holiday of Ramadan, a Reuters poll showed. The median analysis of 14 economists in the survey showed the trade surplus in April likely increased to $3.38 billion from $2.91 billion in…

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Malaysian central bank upbeat despite external slowdown

By Rozanna Latiff KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -Malaysia’s economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter buoyed by firm domestic demand, spurring the central bank to downplay fears of a global slowdown hitting the export-dependent country. Gross domestic product rose 5.6%, according to central bank and government data, faster than the 4.8% annual expansion forecast…

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Erdogan rival accuses Russia of ‘deep fake’ campaign ahead of presidential vote

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the main election rival of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, issued a warning to Russia, accusing it of responsibility for the release of fake material on social media ahead of Sunday’s ballot. Kilicdaroglu, who has a slight lead over long-time leader Erdogan according to opinion polls, did not specify to which…

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Apple to open first online shop in Vietnam in a push to emerging market

(Reuters) – Apple said on Friday it would open its first online store in Vietnam next week, as the iPhone vendor doubles down on emerging markets to drive growth amid slowing sales in China. The opening on May 18 comes just weeks after the Cupertino, California-based company opened its first Apple stores in India –…

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Japan core CPI likely re-accelerated in April despite energy subsidies- Reuters poll

By Kantaro Komiya TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s core consumer inflation likely re-accelerated in April, a Reuters poll of 19 economists showed, as a flurry of retail price hikes offset the effect of the government’s energy subsidies. Persistent inflation, coupled with three-decade-high wage hikes, have emboldened market speculation that the Bank of Japan is preparing for…

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