South Korea April industrial output weak, clouds economic outlook

(Reuters) - South Korea's industrial output rose at a much slower pace than expected in April, dampening the economic recovery, as temporary factors such as a sinking of a ferry last month had a chilling effect on consumer sentiment.

Japan firms doubt BOJ price targets, new stimulus seen

(Reuters) - Corporate Japan expects the consumer price index to be just 1.5 percent higher in a year from now, a Bank of Japan tankan survey found on Wednesday -- a sign of how difficult the central bank could find meeting its 2 percent inflation goal by the April 2015 target date.

Asia's manufacturing powers stutter, stir talk of policy support

(Reuters) - Asia's major economies finished the first quarter on a weak note with manufacturing surveys in China and Japan fuelling expectations that policymakers will be forced to act in coming months to prop up faltering growth.

Asia business sentiment improves in first-quarter, global worries continue to weigh

SEOUL (Reuters) - Business sentiment among Asia's top companies edged up in the first quarter, as solid improvement in the Philippines and South Korea outweighed weakness in China, India and Australia amid persistent concerns over the global economy, a ThomsonReuters/INSEAD survey showed.

Asia business sentiment falls but India outlook bullish

SEOUL (Reuters) - Business sentiment among Asia's top companies dropped sharply in the fourth quarter, extending last quarter's declines, with global economic uncertainty and rising costs weighing on the region's firms, a Thomson Reuters/INSEAD survey showed.

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.