Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Automobiles

Canada to impose 100% tariff on Chinese EVs, following U.S. lead

Trudeau says Beijing 'is not playing by same rules'; China calls move 'protectionist'

27 August 2024
"It is definitely time that we begin a process, a methodical process, of bringing rates down," Harker said. (Photo by Yuta Saito)
Interview

Fed's Harker sees possible '2 to 3' rate cuts ahead this year

Philadelphia bank chief open to faster pace of easing than in June outlook based on current data

24 August 2024
Fed Chair Jerome Powell is speaking at the Jackson Lake Lodge in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park to a gathering of global central bankers and economists.
Economy

Fed's Powell says 'time has come' for U.S. to cut interest rates

Jackson Hole remarks as close as he is likely to come to declaring victory over inflation

24 August 2024
Demand for machine tools has been strong in China and North America, but has sputtered in Europe and Japan. (Photo by Takuro Hosoda)
Business trends

Japan machine tool orders rise in July on Chinese demand

Exports buoyed by Beijing's subsidies, offsetting weak home market

23 August 2024
Xi Jinping is determined not to be caught off guard by the policies of whoever wins the U.S. presidential election in November, Democrat Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Yusuke Hinata and Getty Images)
China up close

Analysis: U.S. election could dictate Xi Jinping's political schedule

Bitter lesson from 2016 Clinton-Trump race reverberates through Beijing

22 August 2024
Attendees at the latest Financial Working Group pose for a photo in Shanghai. (People's Bank of China)
Economy

U.S., China agree to work more closely in times of financial stress

The fifth Financial Working Group meeting concluded as trade tensions rise

20 August 2024
U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris gives a speech, during an event at the Hendrick Center for Automotive Excellence in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Aug. 16.
U.S. elections 2024

Kamala Harris pledges to tackle costs, lower taxes in economy speech

Democratic presidential nominee proposes ban on 'price gouging' by grocers

17 August 2024
About 1 billion packages arrived in the U.S. duty free through the de minimis law in the first half of 2024, according to customs authorities.
Trade war

U.S. lawmakers push for clampdown on tariff-dodging Chinese imports

Proposals include tightening 'de minimis' import rules, stronger enforcement

17 August 2024
U.S. stocks rose in the morning of Aug. 15 on reports of strong retail sales.
Markets

U.S. indexes end higher as retail sales soothe slowdown fears

Nasdaq gains more than 2%, with S&P 500 and Dow also rising

16 August 2024
A policeman stands guard in front of  the headquarters of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party in Tokyo. The LDP will select a new leader next month.
Japan's leadership race

Japan's ruling LDP to vote on Kishida successor: 5 things to know

With prime minister stepping down, how will party select his replacement?

15 August 2024
Food prices gained 0.2% in July, matching June's rise.
Economy

U.S. consumer prices rise moderately; annual increase slows to below 3%

Expectations of Fed rate cut strength on downward inflation trend

14 August 2024
Amid surging labor demand in an AI boom, Vietnam aims to train at least 50,000 chip engineers and designers by 2030 as industry giants look to offset severe staff shortages in their home markets. (Illustration by Yoshiko Kawano)
The Big Story

Vietnam turns chip sector magnet with affordable, quality talent pool

US, Taiwan, South Korean players beat path to Vietnam though boom strains resources

14 August 2024
Net profit is expected to fall 1% this fiscal year for companies on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Prime market. (Photo by Mizuho Miyazaki)
Business trends

Japan Inc. projects 1% net profit dip on yen uptick and U.S. worries

Outlook for fiscal year improves slightly, but slump continues in autos and steel

14 August 2024
Singapore's economy grew 2.9% in the April-June quarter from a year earlier. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
Economy

Singapore upgrades full-year GDP growth forecast to 2-3%

Trade ministry says manufacturing sector will recover gradually in second half

13 August 2024
The dollar is coming down from a prolonged period of strength, boosting Asian currencies. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Currencies

Ringgit, baht gain against dollar on speculation of U.S. rate cut

Asian central banks seen weighing own moves as inflationary pressures ease

13 August 2024
According to the International Monetary Fund, as of March 2024, the total balance of global foreign reserves stood at $12.3499 trillion, with the dollar accounting for 58.9% based on currency allocation.
Currencies

Central banks dump dollars and yuan in favor of gold

The 'stateless currency' shines as a haven amid geopolitical tension

10 August 2024
Goldman Sachs in a note said investors typically profit when they buy after a 5% selloff in the S&P 500 index.
Markets

Wall Street bounces back after global stocks rout

Fed officials push back on bearish sentiment about U.S. economy

7 August 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris' jump to the top of the Democratic Party's 2024 presidential election ticket caught many Washington diplomats off guard. While they weigh whether she will extend President Joe Biden's current Asia policies, they must also prepare for the prospect of a new, unpredictable term for former President Donald Trump.
The Big Story

Harris takes on Trump: Asia braces as U.S. heads toward poll

As diplomats weigh policy hints, VP picks Walz and Vance vie for working class votes

7 August 2024
A trader works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange. All three major U.S. indexes sank in morning trading.
Markets

Nasdaq, S&P 500 fall 3% each amid U.S. recession fears, Apple drop

Investors bett on aggressive Fed rate cuts; Wall Street 'fear gauge' spikes

6 August 2024
The Malaysian ringgit had dropped in February to its lowest level against the dollar in data going back to 1971.
Currencies

Malaysian ringgit hits 16-month high against dollar

Country's strong economy fuels rebound amid greenback sell-off

6 August 2024
U.S. stocks fell sharply during the day on Aug. 2 following the release of weaker-than-expected jobs data.
Economy

Dow drops 600 on weak jobs data as global sell-off whips back to Wall Street

Investors worry U.S. economy is slowing under high interest rates

3 August 2024
The dollar dropped to a four-month low on Friday after a weaker-than-expected employment report for July raised expectations for a September rate cut by the Federal Reserve.
Economy

Dollar hits four-month low as weak U.S. jobs data boosts rate cut bets

Japanese yen strengthens to 146.42 against greenback at one point

3 August 2024
The U.S. hiring data in July suggests the labor market's strength is fading. 
Economy

U.S. job growth misses expectations in July; unemployment rises to 4.3%

Nonfarm payrolls increased by 114,000 jobs in sign of slowdown

2 August 2024
Federal Reserve officials have been gaining confidence that price pressures are moderating, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said.
Economy

Fed holds rates steady, nods to possible September cut

Powell says U.S. economy 'moving closer' to appropriate point for lower borrowing costs

1 August 2024
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen attends a Group of 20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro on July 25.
Interview

Yellen suggests Japan's yen intervention differs from typical manipulation

Exclusive: U.S. treasury chief says 'beggar thy neighbor' policies should not be used

27 July 2024