Reuters Asia Business

By Leika Kihara TOKYO (Reuters) – Factory activity in many Asia economies weakened in March but there were some brighter signs in China and South Korea, surveys and data showed on Monday, offering a mixed picture on the once fast-expanding, key driver of the global economy. China’s Caixin/S&P Global manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) rose …

Asia factory activity slumps, brighter signs emerge in China Read More »

(Reuters) – Singapore’s competition watchdog had looked into the likelihood of the now-collapsed talks between Grab Holdings and Delivery Hero raising worries about competition in the food delivery market, the regulator said on Monday. Germany’s Delivery Hero had been looking to divest its foodpanda business in some Southeast Asian markets and media reports from September …

Singapore competition watchdog looked into potential Grab, Delivery Hero deal Read More »

By Sophie Yu and Brenda Goh BEIJING (Reuters) -China Southern Airlines on Monday launched its first flight between Beijing and Macau and said it plans to add 17 international routes, in a sign it expects a pick-up in international travel this year. The airline said at an event in Beijing the routes would be launched …

China Southern Airlines to add 17 international routes Read More »

HANOI (Reuters) – Vietnam is seeking to learn from China to develop its first high-speed railway network, according to its government, with plans in the works for a rail line running the length of the country. Vietnam is planning to build a 1,545 km (960 miles) high-speed system with a price tag that could be …

Vietnam seeking to learn from China with high-speed rail plan Read More »

(Corrects forecast year for capex) TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese big manufacturers’ business confidence worsened in the three months to March compared with the previous quarter, the Bank of Japan’s closely-watched tankan survey showed on Monday. The headline index for big manufacturers’ sentiment stood at plus 11 in the first quarter, versus plus 10 seen by …

Japan Q1 big manufacturers’ mood down, seen falling further ahead -Tankan Read More »

SHENZHEN, China (Reuters) – Chinese rocket maker Space Epoch is working with Alibaba’s online shopping platform Taobao to make reusable rockets for express deliveries that could arrive globally in an hour, Space Epoch announced on Sunday. The project is in early trial stages and aims to develop a rocket that can carry up to ten …

China’s Taobao working with startup on deliveries by reusable rocket Read More »

ZURICH (Reuters) – The Chinese market is likely to be difficult until the end of the year with consumers hesitating over higher prices, the chief executive of Swiss watchmaker Swatch Group was quoted as saying in a newspaper interview. Swatch CEO Nick Hayek told the Neue Zuercher Zeitung that China still has great potential, but …

Swatch buyers in China hesitate over higher prices, CEO says Read More »

SHENZHEN, China (Reuters) -China’s manufacturing activity expanded for the first time in six months in March, an official factory survey showed on Sunday, offering relief to policymakers even as a crisis in the property sector remains a drag on the economy and confidence. The official purchasing managers’ index (PMI) rose to 50.8 in March from …

China’s March factory activity expands for first time in six months Read More »

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s central bank said it had provided banks with 2.5 billion Chinese yuan ($346.25 million) for the equivalent 31.8 billion roubles on Friday under currency swap transactions. The bank said last week it was adjusting currency swap operation rates for sales of yuan from March 25. It said it was also increasing …

Russian central bank lends more Chinese yuan under currency swap operations Read More »