Factbox: India's stringent labor laws

(Reuters) - India has a slew of laws and rules that shape the labor market, regulating the terms of work, hiring and firing, and the working conditions.

Philippine Bonds Decline on Plan to Auction 10-Year Debt

Philippine bonds due 2023 fell, halting a two-day gain, after the government announced plans to sell 10-year debt for the first time in a year.

Asian Stocks Fall as Fed Official Says Rates May Rise

Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark index paring its seventh straight weekly gain, as a Federal Reserve official said the U.S. may raise interest rates by March.

China to set yuan clearing bank in Sydney: Australia

China will designate a clearing bank in Sydney for overseas trading of its yuan currency, a top Australian official said Thursday as Beijing seeks to make the tightly-controlled unit more international.

Singapore to Require Banks to Hold Liquid Assets for Crises

Banks in Singapore will soon be required to keep certain amounts of easy-to-sell assets on hand in the country to support themselves in times of stress.

Japan reveals plans to cut corporate tax to below 30%

Japan has unveiled plans to cut the country's corporate tax to below 30% in several stages starting next year.

India to present federal budget on July 10: government sources

(Reuters) - India's new finance minister Arun Jaitley will present the federal budget for the 2014/15 financial year on July 10, government sources said, three days after the parliament begins its budget session.

Japan business mood defies economic headwinds, backs BOJ optimism

(Reuters) - Confidence of Japanese manufacturers held steady in June while the service-sector mood rebounded from the prior month, an encouraging sign for the economy as it tries to hold its ground in the face of soft exports and weakening consumption.

India hikes rail fares ahead of budget

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The government on Friday pushed through a steep hike in rail passenger and freight fares, in the first dose of a "bitter medicine" Prime Minister Narendra Modi has warned of having to administer to revive Asia's third-largest economy.

Japan May inflation seen falling minus tax hike, likely to rise

(Reuters) - Japan's consumer inflation is expected to ease slightly in May, excluding a sales tax hike, as gains in gasoline moderated, but prices are believed likely to accelerate soon as a tight labor market supports consumer spending.

China’s banking leader rejects fears over British exit from EU

After a series of global business leaders insisting that Britain's membership of the European Union is an important part of their decision to invest in the UK, one of China's most senior financial figures has said it doesn't actually matter.

Japan exports disappoint, risks hitting economy hard

(Reuters) - Japan's annual exports declined for the first time in 15 months in May as shipments to Asia and the United States fell, threatening to knock the economy hard at a time when domestic consumption is being crimped by a national sales tax increase.

China May FDI falls by most in 16 months as economy slows

(Reuters) - The amount of new foreign investment that China attracted in May shrank by the most in 16 months, hurt partly by its cooling economy, though the trade ministry said the outlook may be brightening for exporters.

Japanese central bank chief sticks his neck out, pressures PM Abe for action

(Reuters) - Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Haruhiko Kuroda has a simple message for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe: It's time to fire the 'third arrow' of reform or risk squandering the efforts of the past 18 months to revive the Japanese economy.

Asian shares mixed, China data provides lift

Asian markets were mixed Friday following a Wall Street sell-off, as oil prices hit a nine-month high on concerns about the growing crisis in Iraq but Hong Kong and Shanghai reversed morning losses following upbeat Chinese data.

India's Modi kicks into gear with defense, dam projects

(Reuters) - India's new government kicked into gear this week, clearing billions of dollars worth of long-delayed defense projects, including a big navy base, as well as approving the scaling-up of one of the country's biggest dams.

Bank of Japan holds fire on stimulus, says economy recovering

Tokyo (AFP) - The Bank of Japan on Friday held off expanding its stimulus programme and said the world's number three economy was recovering, despite fears a sales tax rise will dent growth.

China Pledges Spending and Lower Taxes in Growth Effort

China announced new steps aimed at bolstering slowing economic growth by cutting taxes, spending more on developing the Yangtze River region and expanding financing for exporters.

India's Modi gets ready to join inflation battle

India's new government has made fighting inflation its top priority, easing concern about the potential for conflict with the country's hawkish central bank.

Asia stocks reach three-year high

(Reuters) - Asia stocks rose to three-year highs on Tuesday on optimism over global growth prospects and a record run on Wall Street, which helped lift Treasury yields and the dollar.

Economic Growth in Japan Stronger Than First Thought

TOKYO — Japan revised its initial estimate for economic growth in the January-March quarter, saying Monday that investment by companies was stronger than first thought.

China's trade surplus rises to $36bn in May

China's exports grew in May but a drop in imports signalled a possible weakening of demand in the world's second-largest economy.

Singapore finance minister accepts slower growth as trade-off for social stability

(Reuters) - Singapore is willing to accept slower growth as a trade-off for social stability as it aims to keep down the number of foreigners working in the city-state, Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam told Reuters.

Russia, North Korea to settle trade in rubles in bid to increase trade

(Reuters) - Russia and North Korea will begin settling their trade bills in rubles this month rather than dollars to facilitate trade between the two countries with a goal of reaching $1 billion by 2020, Russian news agencies said on Thursday.

Singapore Says 1,560 Online Identification Accounts Breached

The Singapore government said its online identifications issued to residents to access services including personal income tax filings and pension savings statements may have been tampered with.

Japan reviews pension system, paving way for new GPIF allocations

The Philippine peso fell the most in a week on concern a slump in government spending will deepen the nation’s economic slowdown.

Growth in China's service sector picks up

China's service sector grew at its fastest pace in six months in May, helping allay fears of a sharp slowdown in its economy.

Rupiah Falls to 3-Month Low on Widest Trade Deficit Since July

Indonesia’s rupiah extended its drop to a three-month low after the nation reported the widest trade deficit in nine months.

China official PMI hits five-month high in May, boding well for second quarter

(Reuters) - China's factory activity expanded at the fastest pace in five months in May due to rising new orders, official data showed on Sunday, reinforcing views that the world's second-largest economy is regaining momentum in the second quarter following Beijing's targeted measures to bolster growth.

India Growth Below 5% Adds Pressure on Modi to Spur Investment

India’s economy grew less than 5 percent for a second quarter, adding pressure on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to spur investment after winning the strongest electoral mandate in 30 years.