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February 14th, 2019

China’s housing glut

A building binge has left cities saddled with 65 million empty apartments

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The Big Story

China's housing glut casts pall over the economy

A building binge leaves cities with 65 million empty apartments

Residential buildings under construction in Qingdao, Shandong Province, in 2018.
A near-empty mall in Beijing, prior to Lunar New Year 2019. In sectors from retail to automobiles, spending growth is beginning to flag.
The Big Story

Shop till you stop: Chinese consumers spend less as debt piles up

Tougher times seen for car, construction and some retail companies

Tokopedia founder and CEO William Tanuwijaya, who grew up in a rural community, wants to bring e-commerce to Indonesia's far-flung corners. (Photo by Kosaku Mimura)
Startups in Asia

Indonesia's e-tailer Tokopedia taps AI to hop island chain

Unicorn aims to link remote retailers with smart warehousing

A worker collects fruit at a palm plantation in Malaysia, one of the world's biggest producers of palm oil. (Getty Images)
Business trends

Asia's palm oil industry braces for backlash at home

Environmental concerns no longer an issue only in Western markets

People look over laptops in the Intel booth during the 2019 CES in Las Vegas, Nevada on Jan. 8.
Business trends

US crackdown on foreign buyers hits China's venture funds

Silicon Valley startups close doors to Chinese investment

Growth in Chinese demand for steel is flagging as consumers buy fewer cars and appliances.
Trade war

Trade war opens commodity floodgates

Tariffs and China slowdown combine to shrink demand

Thailand's first election in eight years is expected to boost spending in the short term. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
Business trends

Thai big business casts a wary eye on upcoming election

Ties to ruling junta could leave conglomerates exposed after poll

The shortage pushed up airfares, allowing Air India to make a windfall.
Companies

Air India under pressure to shape up for second sale attempt

Government has 'no choice' but to prop up debt-hit carrier until buyer is found

A gas rig operated in the Gulf of Thailand by state-owned PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP).
Companies

Thai oil major PTTEP wins first Mideast foothold with UAE deal

Partnership with Italy's Eni seeks to boost profitability

A Kia concept SUV displayed at a New Delhi motor show in February 2018.
Companies

Kia ready for Indian production, aiming for top 5 share

South Korean automaker will churn out SUVs and compacts

Lupin and its peers have been grappling with falling drug prices in the U.S., where the Food and Drug Administration has hastened its approval rate for generics.
Companies

Lupin posts surprise third-quarter loss on provision for EU fine

Rival Cipla's profit falls 17% during the quarter

Nikkei illustration
Asia Insight

Malaysia and Indonesia rush to slice up $3tn global halal market

From meat to massage oil, opportunities abound in mainly Muslim and non-Muslim nations alike

Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, center, visited Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in November 2018.
Comment

Mahathir still living in the shadow of Lee Kuan Yew

Recent tough stance toward Singapore reflects rocky relations of the past

A worker assembles parts at BMW Group factory in Jakarta.
Economy

Southeast Asia bucks trend of sinking global foreign investment

Strong markets make region the world's main driver of FDI growth

Demonstrators shout slogans at a march in New Delhi on Feb. 7 demanding jobs and better education.
Politics

Jobless and furious: Indian youth vow to oust PM Modi in election

Thousands of new voters protest, demanding jobs and better education

An iron mine in the state of Western Australia. Rural economies in Australia have been hit by falling commodity prices.
Politics

Jobs and traffic jams take center stage in Australia election

Ruling camp tries to catch up in polls amid troubling signs in housing

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is facing an economic storm, as Brexit threatens to upend export growth and the EU mulls the suspension of duty-free access to its markets.
Hun Sen's Cambodia

Brexit and EU sanctions threaten to push Cambodia into economic crisis

Economy will suffer if bloc pulls benefits, but Hun Sen continues with iron fist

Slowing global demand, in part stemming from a slump in smartphone sales, weighed on Asia, as many economies are reliant on Chinese production.
Nikkei PMI

Asia’s manufacturing PMIs show clear sign of slowing global economy

Factory output contracts in most markets, clouding regional growth prospect

Mistrust between Japan and South Korea will not go away soon.
Opinion

Japan-South Korean tensions threaten regional security

Populism-tinged policies damage defense cooperation with the U.S. and benefit China

China has become an unofficial 13th sphere of Fed responsibility. 
Opinion

Why Fed policy is made in Beijing

US central bank knows it cannot risk triggering shocks in China

Yi Huiman must recognise what the CSRC can and cannot do. 
Opinion

China's new market supervisor makes a welcome start

After the cautious Liu, Yi Huiman can make his mark at the CSRC with growth-oriented reforms

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha aims to stay in office after the country returns to civilian rule. (Photo by Kosaku Mimura)
The Nikkei View

Use the Thai vote to bridge social divides

Now is the chance to lay the foundations for a better nation

With an average age of 29.2, Marcello Lippi's squad is the oldest in the history of the Asian Cup.
Life

Chinese soccer -- the long march

Despite big investments and Xi's personal backing, tournament wins remain elusive

Brought together by their writing: migrant workers at a literary award in Taiwan
Arts

Migrant workers in Taiwan put pen to paper

Newcomers bring fresh perspectives to island's vibrant literary culture

Marie Kondo poses for a picture during a media event in New York in July, 2018.
Tea Leaves

In praise of mess: the Marie Kondo syndrome has gone too far

Japan's most famous housewife has turned decluttering into a new religion