alt

May 11th, 2023

Pakistan's financial gender gap

With little access to bank accounts, women rely on each other to save

View all editions

The Big Story

Pakistan's financial gender gap aggravates chronic poverty

With little access to bank accounts, women rely on one another to save

Women in the southern Pakistani village of Molvi Suleman Jat gather to discuss their informal community savings program, which they use instead of formal bank accounts, in February. (Photo by Betsy Joles)
Monthly inbound spending per credit card increased 30% in the three years through last December, thanks to spending on leisure and other activities by Asia's wealthy.
Datawatch

Rural Japan leads growth in inbound tourism spending

Asia's rich lured to hot springs and golf resorts

Meng Wanzhou, rotating chairperson and chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, announces the company's annual results on March 31 in Shenzhen. 
Opinion

Neither China nor Huawei will be held back by U.S. pressure

Both are proving resilient and making breakthroughs in face of hostility

Sen. Maria Imelda "Imee" Marcos, center, distributes free drinks to children in Malabon, Philippines, in November 2022. (Sipa via AP)
Opinion

Marcos is gaining fans, but the president's sister is not one

Philippine Senate foreign affairs chair a top critic of brother's foreign policy

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, left, and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol shake hands at a joint press conference after their meeting in Seoul on May 7.
The Nikkei View

Japan, South Korea should boost ties through shuttle diplomacy

Frequent meetings will help neighbors navigate complex bilateral relationship

The Ballet Cat electric vehicle by Ora. China has around 200 EV makers, a number some predict will fall sharply in the coming years. (Photo by CK Tan) 
Business Spotlight

China's EV industry braces for a shakeout as prices plunge

Local players face softer demand and competition from foreign makers

Apple CEO Tim Cook presents iPad and iPad mini models during an event at Apple Park, California, in September 2021. (Photo courtesy of Apple Inc.)
Electronics

Samsung and LG Display bet on OLED iPads and MacBooks

South Korean display makers hope to beat Chinese rivals to 'last growth market'

HSBC's research unit last month in a report flagged "pockets of vulnerabilities" within lenders in the ASEAN.
Finance

ASEAN banks squeezed between credit risks and interest dynamics

Largely spared Western peers' woes, Southeast Asian lenders still face obstacles

The Philippines and the U.S. are expanding maritime cooperation, including joint patrols, with one analyst saying Manila's newfound assertiveness could "encourage other Southeast Asian claimants to be more confident in protecting their rights in the South China Sea."
Asia Insight

Philippines' Marcos muscles up ASEAN's South China Sea posture

China tensions loom over bloc summit as Malaysia asserts gas rights, Vietnam hones defense

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg speaks to reporters ahead of a meeting of NATO defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels in October 2022.
Indo-Pacific

NATO to open Japan office, deepening Indo-Pacific engagement

Two sides to upgrade cooperation on cyber, disruptive tech and disinformation

Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, says North Korea's exercise of self-defense will become stronger. (File photo by Reuters)
International relations

U.S.-South Korea pact risks a more aggressive North Korea

Pyongyang has lashed out at deal to deploy U.S. strategic assets to East Asia

China has been researching into the digital yuan since 2014.
Currencies

Chinese cities begin to pay public employees in digital yuan

Move in Changshu marks next phase to encourage e-currency's adoption

People walk at a shopping street in Beijing. China's economic growth is being driven by consumer spending, the International Monetary Fund reports.
Economy

China and India to drive half of 2023's global economic growth: IMF

End of zero-COVID seen supercharging Asia-Pacific region

Interest in the majestic Brihadeeswara Temple and others like it has surged in the wake of a movie that some have called the "Indian Game of Thrones." (Photos by Kalpana Sunder unless specified otherwise)
Life

Epic movie rekindles interest in ancient south Indian empire

Cultural legacy of Chola dynasty draws tourists to region

Thailand's prime ministerial election has provided fodder for both policy wonks and fashion watchers. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Ken Kobayashi; Bhumjaithai party, Move Forward party via Line)
Tea Leaves

In Thai elections, flaunting wealth is a winner

Candidates sport luxury watches and designer shoes to push populist policies on campaign trail