Asia factory activity picks up; India remains a worry

BEIJING (Reuters) - Asia's factory sectors grew at their fastest pace in months in October led by China, providing some signs of a pickup in global demand as export orders expand.

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).

Thailand Surprises With Rate Cut

BANGKOK—The Bank of Thailand cut its policy interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point in a surprise move Wednesday, making it the latest Asian central bank to ease policy as weakening demand from the West and China hits the region's export-oriented economies.

Hong Kong's economy shrinks in 2nd quarter: official

Hong Kong's economy shrank 0.1 percent in the second quarter due to weak exports amid slowing growth in the global economy, the government said Friday.

With slower growth, China can't play economic hero

BEIJING (AP) — China's economic growth fell to a three-year low, and a potential recovery later this year will probably be too weak to pull the world out of its slump.

Philippine economy GDP growth at 2 year high; state spending surges

MANILA: The Philippine economy grew at its strongest quarterly pace in two years in January-March, powered by government spending, domestic demand and an export rebound, though analysts cautioned it may lose momentum quickly given headwinds from Europe.

Lessons From Li Ning's China Stumble

The ongoing turmoil at Li Ning, China’s leading sporting-goods company, holds important lessons for Chinese as well as foreign companies about how to win in the country’s rapidly growing and constantly changing market.

Two challenges for Asia’s economy in 2011

Asia’s recovery is firm and the region is expected to continue to grow by 7.8 percent in 2011 and 7.7 percent in 2012, despite the modest and still uncertain recovery in the major industrial economies and the recent hardship in Japan.

However, maintaining high growth could be more difficult than Asia seems prepared to admit. In order to sustain its growth, the region needs to address two important challenges.