India oil play eases currency pain

The rupee pulled back from a record low Thursday after India announced a plan to lend dollars to state oil companies, the latest in a series of measures designed to stem the currency's decline.

Philippines growth beats forecast as it defies trend

The Philippines has posted better-than-forecast economic growth, fuelled by its services sector and higher consumer and government spending.

China's debt-fuelled growth outlives fallen politician Bo Xilai

Fallen Chinese politician Bo Xilai may have been ritually consigned to political history at his trial this week but the country's leadership has yet to abandon the debt-fuelled economic policies he epitomised.

India in crisis mode as rupee hits another record low

The Indian rupee extended losses to another record low on Wednesday as government efforts to stabilize markets failed and investors continued to pull money out of the country.

Australia's mining boom rolls on for Chinese entrepreneur in the outback

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Former Chinese commodities trader Jerry Ren, who is quietly building a mining empire in the Australian outback, scoffs at talk the resources boom is over.

Singapore-U.S. Trade High Persists on Record FDI: Southeast Asia

Singapore’s trade with the U.S. in 2013 will probably exceed $50 billion for a third year after the nation attracted the most investment from American companies in the Asia-Pacific region.

Indonesia aims to boost economy as emerging Asia struggles

JAKARTA: Indonesia today announced measures to shore up its economy as Asia's emerging nations come under huge pressure from outflows of foreign cash that have sent their stock markets and currencies plummeting.

China manufacturing activity sees sharp rebound

China's manufacturing activity rebounded in August, a preliminary survey by HSBC has indicated, easing fears of a slowdown in its economy.

Malaysia Cuts 2013 Growth Forecast as Expansion Misses Estimates

Malaysia cut its forecast for growth this year after second-quarter expansion missed economists’ estimates, adding pressure on policy makers to bolster confidence as the ringgit weakens.

Kenya's Kenyatta and and China's Xi sign $5bn deals

Kenya has signed deals worth $5bn (£3bn) with China to build a railway line, an energy project and to improve wildlife protection, officials say.

Japan trade deficit worsens on back of weak yen

Japan's trade deficit worsened in July, almost doubling from a year ago, as a weak yen boosted import costs.

China wants fewer curbs in free trade zones to lure foreign investment

BEIJING: China hopes to suspend its laws governing foreign investment in proposed free trade zones, the cabinet said, in a sign the world's second-biggest economy could open further to foreign competition.

Hong Kong Raises ’13 Growth Outlook on Second-Quarter Spurt

Hong Kong’s economy expanded more than estimated in the second quarter on consumer spending and investment, prompting the government to raise its estimate for the full-year expansion.

Analysis: Asia's great investor rotation flows to North from South

(Reuters) - Alongside the great rotation from bonds to equities and from emerging to developed markets that has been 2013's overriding investment theme, Asia is seeing its own migration in portfolio flows: from the South to North.

India inflation rate rises amid weakening currency

India's inflation rate rose by more-than-expected in July as a weaker currency brought higher import costs. India's main gauge of inflation, the Wholesale Price Index, rose 5.79% from a year earlier, up from 4.86% in June.

Australia's Commonwealth Bank posts record profit

SYDNEY (AFP) – The Commonwealth Bank on Wednesday posted the biggest ever profit by an Australian banking institution, underlining a buoyant financial position despite "mixed" business conditions.

China to spend more to tackle dire pollution

BEIJING: China plans to accelerate investment in technology to save energy and tackle the dire pollution blamed for a series of health crises that have generated widespread public anger.

Japanese stocks down after growth disappoints

BANGKOK (AP) -- Slower-than-expected economic growth weighed on Japan's stock market Monday but gains were posted elsewhere in Asia following signs that China's economy may be picking up.

Japan's national debt: One quadrillion yen and counting

TOKYO: Japan's eye-watering national debt has topped one quadrillion yen, official data showed today, a record figure that underlines Tokyo's struggle to curb its huge borrowing.

Exclusive: China to let banks sell off loans in prelude to possible bailout

(Reuters) - China is developing a new trading platform to enable banks to sell off loans to a wider range of investors, in a move that could pave the way for a government bailout of lenders or distressed asset sales to private investors.

India's central bank in new measures to boost rupee

India's central bank has announced new measures to reduce volatility in currency markets and support the weakened rupee.

Japan $80 bn public fund may shift funds to stocks from bonds: Sources

TOKYO: The pension fund for Japan's civil servants is considering changing its ultraconservative investment strategy to allow more of its $80 billion to go into stocks and less into domestic government bonds, people familiar with the matter said.

IMF calls for Japan reforms, plan to clear debt

TOKYO (AP) — The International Monetary Fund said Japan's economy is recovering from years of stagnation, but that far-reaching reforms and a "credible plan" are needed to reduce its debt mountain and sustain growth in the long run.

India's central bank 'intervened to rescue rupee'

MUMBAI (AFP) – India's central Reserve Bank of India was believed to have intervened in the foreign exchange market Friday to rescue the rupee from near-record low levels, dealers said.

Asia's exports stutter, missing out on U.S. revival

HONG KONG: The U.S. economy may have stopped sneezing, but Asia's exports are still laid up with a nasty cold. Growth in exports from seven of East Asia's biggest exporters - Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore - slowed to a halt in the second quarter, according to national trade data compiled by Reuters, led by a 9 percent drop in exports to the European Union compared to a year earlier.

China tops global consumption of materials, UN report says

BEIJING: China, whose domestic material consumption is four times that of the US, is the world's largest consumer of minerals and fossil fuels, but this has lead to intense environmental pressures, a new UN report says.

Australia budget deficit blows out, deposit tax unveiled

SYDNEY: Australia said Friday its budget deficit has blown out to AUD 30 billion and revenues are shrinking, as it unveiled a pre-election mini-budget that includes a controversial plan to tax bank deposits.

Lufthansa sees Asia as particular challenge, no recovery signs yet

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Lufthansa AG said markets in Asia remained particularly challenging in the second quarter with no signs yet of recovery, indicating it might be forced into more measures to respond to the tough conditions.

Asian countries decide to create trade pact for A-Pac

NEW DELHI: Business leaders of Asian nations today decided to promote new free trade agreements and strengthen the existing pacts to use them as building blocks for creating a Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP).