Reuters Asia Business

By Casey Hall and Albee Zhang BEIJING (Reuters) – Alibaba’s online shopping platforms Taobao and Tmall cancelled their annual Dec. 12 shopping festival and will instead host another shopping spree called ‘year-end good price’ in December, according to notices on the platforms’ websites on Friday. The dates of the new festival were not included in …

Alibaba’s Taobao, Tmall cancel Dec 12 shopping festival, to host substitute event Read More »

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan passed on Friday an extra budget worth around 13.1 trillion yen ($88 billion) aimed at helping households cope with the rising cost of living and corporations boost domestic investment, even amid concerns over the country’s worsening finances. The government plans to issue about 8.9 trillion yen in new bonds in the …

Japan’s $88 billion extra budget clears lower house Read More »

DHAKA (Reuters) -Bangladesh expects to receive $1.1 billion in loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) by next month, a central bank spokesperson said on Friday, as it tries to cope with a fall in reserves. “We are hoping to get the amount from the IMF and ADB by December,” central …

Bangladesh expects $1.1 billion in loans from the IMF, ADB by December Read More »

By Uditha Jayasinghe and Swati Bhat COLOMBO (Reuters) -Sri Lanka’s central bank lowered interest rates on Friday in an unexpected move to shore up economic growth but said it would hold off from any further easing, while projecting inflation would remain subdued over the medium term. Helped by an International Monetary Fund bailout, the South …

Sri Lanka central bank cuts rates to boost growth, will pause easing for now Read More »

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand expects 3.4-3.5 million visitors from China this year, below its target, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) said on Friday, despite rolling out a visa-free programme to attract Chinese tourists. About 3.01 million Chinese tourists have visited the country so far this year, it said. China has been a key source market …

Thailand expects up to 3.5 million Chinese tourists this year, below target Read More »

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand will offer 10-year visas for investors in targeted businesses in its industrial eastern region to attract foreign investment, a deputy prime minister said on Friday. The visa plan, which starts next year, will facilitate investors as the government seeks to ease restrictions, Phumtham Wechayachai told reporters. The government is also targeting higher …

Thailand offers 10-year visas for investors in industrial east Read More »

By Yelin Mo and Brenda Goh BEIJING (Reuters) -Apple saw a decline in the number of smartphones sold during China’s recent Singles Day shopping festival, data from Counterpoint Research showed, lagging domestic rivals Huawei and Xiaomi which recorded robust increases. The number of Apple smartphones sold declined 4% year-on-year during the two-week sales from Oct. …

Volume of Apple sales underperforms Huawei, Xiaomi on China’s Singles Day – data Read More »