By Laurie Chen BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s hawkish state media tabloid, the Global Times, criticised on Monday a letter of protest by South Korea’s embassy in Beijing, the latest public spat amid worsening ties between the Asian neighbours. South Korea’s recent diplomatic push towards Japan and the U.S. would “induce and aggravate the … collapse…
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s election commission came under scrutiny on Monday after what a monitoring group said were widespread complaints in early voting, fuelling concern on social media about the competence of a body appointed under military rule. The People’s Network to Monitor Elections, an alliance of non-governmental organisations, said it received about 300 complaints…
By Angie Teo, Chayut Setboonsarng and Devjyot Ghoshal BANGKOK (Reuters) -Shanghai resident Daniel Bian drank in the sweeping views over the Thai capital as he lay on a deckchair beside a swimming pool on the 19th floor of a luxury condominium. “I feel alive. I feel free,” said an excited Bian, dapper in tinted sunglasses,…
By Joe Cash BEIJING (Reuters) -China’s exports were expected to have risen again in April, albeit at a less robust pace than a month earlier, a Reuters poll showed, supported by unfulfilled orders after last year’s COVID disruptions though slowing global growth is darkening the outlook. Outbound shipments last month from the world’s second largest…
A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Wayne Cole. It’s been a quiet start to the week in Asia, which is no surprise given U.S. consumer prices loom this week as a major test of the market’s sanguine view that the Fed is done hiking. Futures are 90% priced for…
By Byron Kaye and Roushni Nair (Reuters) -Australia’s Westpac Banking Corp on Monday threw out a cost-cutting target citing inflation and flagged thinner profit margins going ahead, but investors pushed its shares higher after it handily beat expectations for first-half profit. CEO Peter King said inflation was pushing up overheads as the 206-year-old bank abandoned…
TOKYO – Japan’s services activity grew at a record pace in April, a private-sector survey showed on Monday, helped by a boost in consumer spending following the end of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The final au Jibun Bank Japan Services purchasing managers’ index (PMI) climbed to a seasonally adjusted 55.4 last month from March’s 55.0. GRAPHIC…
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian business conditions remained sturdy in April, supported by robust sales and labour market strength despite high inflation and rising interest rates, while cost pressures were still posing a challenge for firms. The survey from National Australia Bank Ltd (NAB) released on Monday showed its index of business conditions fell two points…
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a visit to the kingdom on Sunday and reviewed what the White House called “significant progress” in Yemen peace efforts, the White House said. On a trip aimed at bolstering often-frayed ties with Riyadh, Sullivan also held joint…
By Leika Kihara TOKYO (Reuters) – Several Bank of Japan (BOJ) board members said the central bank must be vigilant to the risk of inflation accelerating more than expected, minutes of the March policy meeting showed on Monday. A few of the nine-member board also said they saw some “positive signs” emerging in Japan that…
