Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says Japan's economy on upswing

NEW YORK, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, during a visit to New York, argued for a more active military role for Japan and said Japan's economy is poised for a comeback.

China's first FTZ in Shanghai to start new wave of reforms

BEIJING: China today unveiled a blueprint for its first free trade zone (FTZ) in Shanghai that will ease restrictions on the yuan, trade and investment to transform the world's second-largest economy under the new leadership.

China September manufacturing PMI seen hitting 17-month high

BEIJING: China's factory activity is forecast to have expanded at its fastest rate in 17 months in September, a Reuters poll showed, reinforcing signs of a turnaround in the world's second-largest economy as both domestic and external demand improve.

US-Japan deal could lead to more organic options

WASHINGTON: The United States and Japan have agreed to make it easier to import each other's organic products, the latest step in a global effort that could give consumers access to more _ and cheaper _ organic food.

India-U.S. ties lose shine over economic differences

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - When India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last visited the White House in 2009 he was feted at President Barack Obama's first state dinner, a star-studded affair that reflected the excitement about blooming ties between the two big democracies.

China manufacturing activity growth picks up speed

China's manufacturing activity picked up speed in September, an initial survey by HSBC has shown, adding to signs of a rebound in its economy.

Commodity Revenue at Top Banks Climbs in Asia as Loans Rise

Commodity revenue at the world’s top 10 investment banks advanced 9 percent in the Asia-Pacific region in the first half as financing increased for oil and metals producers in China, said Coalition.

Japan economy expected to withstand sales tax hike: Poll

TOKYO: Japan's economic recovery is expected to survive the impact from scheduled increases in the sales tax, a Reuters poll showed, as the government prepares economic stimulus measures to soften the blow.

Rajan’s India Inflation Battle Pressures Singh as Election Nears

Indian central bank chief Raghuram Rajan’s surprise move to raise the policy interest rate adds pressure on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take politically challenging steps to boost economic growth as elections near.

Indonesia Needs to Wean Itself From 'Easy Money,' Leader Says

JAKARTA — Indonesia must break an addiction to low global interest rates and take a series of measures in the coming year to prepare for a harsher international economic environment, the country’s vice president said in an interview Friday.

Japan government plans to offer more than $14 billion in corporate tax cuts: media

(Reuters) - Japan's government will include more than $14.1 billion in corporate tax cuts in an economic stimulus package intended to offset the blow from planned sales tax hikes, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Friday.

China spending helps lift farm aid from record low: OECD

BRUSSELS: Agricultural subsidies as a share of farm income bounced back in 2012 from a record low the previous year, thanks to a dip in commodity prices and increased farm spending by China and others, the OECD said on Wednesday.

India's business confidence at four-year low: survey

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India Inc.'s self confidence has slipped from a year ago to a four-year low, according to a survey released on Monday, as Asia's third largest economy struggles to raise slow growth and businesses try to cope with a weak rupee.

World Bank chief says China to meet 7.5% growth target

China is likely to achieve its growth target of 7.5 percent this year despite planned structural reforms to rebalance the world's second largest economy, the World Bank president said Sunday.

Analysis: Energy costs keep Japan's focus on nuclear, despite risks and use of renewables

TOKYO — Japan will once again be without atomic energy as its only operating nuclear reactor goes offline Sunday for refueling and maintenance, and other plants remain closed for intensified safety checks following the 2011 meltdowns at the tsunami-stricken plant in Fukushima.

China’s Bottom Line: Slower GDP Growth, but With Steady Employment

“Though lower than the near double-digit rates seen in previous years, a growth in the neighborhood of 7.5 percent is still considered high for any major economy in the world,” Premier Li Keqiang said in a Sept. 11 speech at the World Economic Forum meeting in Dalian.

Obama to visit Asia next month to discuss economy, security

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will discuss economic and security issues with Asian leaders during a trip to Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines October 6 - 12, the White House said on Friday.

Rising onion prices bring India woes home

Consumers in India are facing a rapidly weakening rupee and the country's slowest economic growth in a decade.

Japan PM Shinzo Abe moves toward tax hike, orders economic stimulus

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ordered his government on Tuesday to craft measures to bolster the economy to cushion the impact of an increase in the national sales tax.

Exports post double digit growth in August - trade secretary

(Reuters) - India's merchandise exports posted double-digit growth in the month of August, while imports were "contained", Trade Secretary S. R. Rao said on Monday, offering some respite for the troubled rupee.

Japan Olympic win boosts Abe, but Fukushima shadows linger

(Reuters) - Japan savored its victory on Monday in the race to host the 2020 Olympic Games, anticipating an economic boost to spur its revival from two decades of stagnation and help it recover from the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

China August exports beat forecasts, point to stabilization

(Reuters) - China's exports rose more than expected in August, boosted by improving demand for the country's goods in major markets and adding to evidence that the world's second-largest economy may have avoided a sharp slowdown.

BOJ's Kuroda: there's room for policy response if tax hike hurts economy - minutes

(Reuters) - The Bank of Japan has room to respond with monetary policy if a proposed sales tax hike hurts the economy, Governor Haruhiko Kuroda told a government panel on the tax, according to minutes released on Friday.

China says Yunnan county 'faked' economic data

China's National Bureau of Statistics has said that a county government in Yunnan province "faked" economic data, state-owned Xinhua has reported.

North Korea Could Launch a Nuclear-Weapon Strike, South Says

North Korea has the ability to “weaponize” its nuclear technology and put a warhead on a missile, the South Korean Defense Ministry said, contradicting the U.S. position that the country is years away from gaining the technology.

India's economic growth slowest since 2009

India's economy just can't seem to catch a break. The nation's gross domestic product -- the broadest measure of economic growth -- came in at 4.4% annual rate for the April to June quarter.

Japan unveils $470 million plan to stem Fukushima water leaks

The Japanese government on Tuesday unveiled a $470 million plan to stem radioactive water leaks at Fukushima, including freezing the ground underneath the stricken nuclear plant, as it pledged to lead from the front.

Sovereign Debt and Beyond: Toward a New Magna Carta?

Source: The Globalist

Alexander Mirtchev and Norman Bailey

The global debt burden appears to have gathered an unstoppable momentum, prompting divergent reactions. The world economy cannot count on growth to solve the global debt problem — and stimulus measures are not a sustainable solution. In the second installment in the series “The Search for a New Global Equilibrium,” Dr. Alexander Mirtchev and Dr. Norman Bailey explain why the solutions currently being offered are wholly inadequate to the scale of the problem, and argue the time is ripe for a “new Magna Carta” — a redefinition of the social contract among the government, Main Street and Wall Street.

Asia Pacific on Track For Another Record Year in International Visitor Arrivals

International visitor arrivals into Asia Pacific destinations have expanded at better than eight per cent over the first part of the year according to preliminary estimates released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) today.

China's manufacturing sees hefty rebound in August

BEIJING: China's manufacturing sector posted a strong recovery in August, offering further signs that the world's second largest economy is walking out of the shadows of protracted slowdown, official figures showed today.

Gold Output in Australia Increases in Second Quarter on Grades

Gold output in Australia, the world’s second-biggest producer, advanced in the second quarter on an increase in the amount of metal mined and higher ore grades, according to mining consultant Surbiton Associates Pty.