BusinessNo supertankers carrying Iranian crude have crossed the Strait of Hormuz since mid-July, effectively strangling the primary supply route for China’s independent refiners. Following the collapse of a peace deal and the re-imposition of U.S. sanctions, Tehran’s ability to move oil has hit a critical bottleneck.
BusinessBritish retail sales slipped 0.5% in July, a predictable cooling period following a robust June surge driven by favorable weather and World Cup promotions. Official data released Friday confirms the downturn, aligning with economist expectations as the annual growth rate slowed to 1.6% from a revised 3.8% the previous month.
BusinessThe Asian Development Bank has secured $2 billion through its latest 10-year global bond, attracting heavy interest from international institutional investors. This capital injection, finalized at a 4.625% annual coupon, bolsters the institution's ordinary capital resources intended for economic development projects across the Asia-Pacific region.
BusinessThe Asian Development Bank has approved a $225 million loan to decentralize Mongolia's medical infrastructure, aiming to reduce the reliance on Ulaanbaatar for critical care. By 2031, the initiative seeks to provide over half of the provincial population with local access to emergency treatment, specialized diagnostics, and advanced surgical facilities.
BusinessWhile Indonesia maintains strict employment quotas for persons with disabilities, a new International Labour Organization study suggests that legal mandates alone fail to bridge the gap in labor force participation. Real progress requires a systemic overhaul of workplace accessibility, enforcement mechanisms, and institutional support structures across the country.
BusinessA diplomatic deadlock in the Gulf has sent Brent crude prices surging to a one-month high of $94.71, heightening global inflation anxiety. This geopolitical friction, coupled with persistent volatility in U.S. Treasury yields, has left European equities struggling to find footing as they head toward a second consecutive weekly decline.
BusinessMore than 800 participants and 100 international speakers will converge in Quito, Ecuador, from October 5–7 for the GET Forum 2026. The gathering, hosted by the Inter-American Development Bank Group, seeks to bridge the gap between Latin American entrepreneurial talent and the capital necessary to scale businesses into global competitors.
BusinessNearly 77% of Mongolia’s territory is degraded, a stark backdrop as the UNCCD COP17 summit begins in Ulaanbaatar. With 12,000 delegates gathered, the African Development Bank is using the platform to demand more reliable, long-term financing to restore landscapes in conflict-affected regions across the continent.
BusinessEscalating volatility in global bond markets triggered a sharp downturn across Asian exchanges as the week drew to a close. A spike in oil prices, fueled by a persistent diplomatic stalemate in the Gulf, compounded investor anxiety, casting a shadow over regional equities and heightening concerns regarding long-term inflation.
BusinessAfter two decades of economic volatility, Nepal has successfully concluded its first IMF-supported reform program. Despite battling the 2023 earthquake, severe 2024 floods, and regional energy price hikes, the nation has stabilized its financial buffers, significantly lowered inflation, and modernized its core economic institutions to better withstand future shocks.
BusinessChina is pivoting its economic playbook, moving beyond traditional infrastructure spending to prioritize domestic consumption. Vice Finance Minister Liao Min confirmed that the government is preparing a fresh suite of fiscal measures designed to put money directly into the hands of households and small businesses before the year concludes.
BusinessTreasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s attempt to stabilize the economy through aggressive long-term government bond purchases has triggered immediate market volatility. Just twenty-four hours after the announcement of the so-called 'Bessent Bid,' yields have surged to 5.25%, leaving investors to grapple with the plan's viability against a backdrop of mounting national debt.
BusinessThousands of Hyundai Motor employees have walked off the job in the company’s first comprehensive strike in ten years. The labor action, organized by the Korea Metal Workers Union, targets stagnant wage agreements and deepening anxieties over job security as the automaker accelerates its transition toward factory automation.
BusinessSmoke rises over the Tanintharyi Region as the Myanmar military deploys significant forces to seize territory for the stalled Dawei Special Economic Zone. Local resistance groups and activists report that soldiers are burning villages and cordoning off land to clear a path for the controversial deep-sea port and power plant project.
BusinessVice Finance Minister Liao Min has signaled a strategic shift in Beijing’s economic playbook, moving away from massive stimulus toward targeted support for households. The directive aims to address chronic domestic demand weakness while imposing stricter discipline on local government spending to curb the accumulation of hidden debt.
BusinessA valuation collapse from $100 billion to roughly $26 billion has forced Shein to recalibrate its path toward a Hong Kong public offering. While the fast-fashion retailer eyes a September 1 debut, internal hesitation and shifting market appetites suggest the timeline remains fluid as the firm courts new institutional backing.
BusinessFacing a persistent economic slowdown, China is preparing a new suite of fiscal maneuvers designed to fortify domestic resilience. Vice Finance Minister Liao Min confirmed that the government will prioritize long-term stability and internal consumption rather than relying on the traditional, large-scale stimulus packages of the past.
BusinessA potential 7.5 billion ringgit acquisition of Datasonic Technologies Sdn Bhd has emerged, signaling a major shift in the Malaysian government’s strategy for handling national identity infrastructure. The move, confirmed by the firm's parent company, places the passport and ID card supplier at the center of a significant state-led buyout.
BusinessFast-fashion giant Shein has recalibrated its Hong Kong initial public offering for September 1, slipping slightly behind its original August 28 target. The delay reflects a cooling market as the retailer contends with rising operational costs and decelerating growth, complicating its transition from a private disruptor to a public entity.
BusinessFor the first time in ten years, the factory floors of Hyundai Motor fell silent on Friday as the union launched a total walkout. The industrial action, which rippled through Kia Corp and their network of suppliers, signals a hardening stance against the company’s current wage offers and long-term labor policies.
BusinessRising oil prices triggered by Middle East instability are colliding with a relentless surge in U.S. Treasury yields, forcing a broad retreat across Asian financial markets. Investors are increasingly wary as the dual pressure of inflationary risks and geopolitical volatility disrupts traditional asset valuations and undermines central bank credibility.
BusinessWith a 50% tariff on $20 billion of Canadian goods looming this Saturday, Ottawa and Washington are pushing for a last-minute trade breakthrough. Canadian minister Dominic LeBlanc met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington on Thursday, signaling a desperate sprint to resolve months of escalating economic hostility.
BusinessA sharp 9.2% slide in Walmart shares rattled investor confidence on Thursday, dragging major U.S. indexes into the red. The retail giant’s failure to meet quarterly expectations, compounded by the dual pressures of climbing Treasury yields and surging oil prices, signaled growing anxiety over the resilience of consumer spending.
BusinessTreasury Secretary Scott Bessent is intensifying government bond repurchases, a calculated maneuver to stabilize a volatile debt market currently reeling from near-two-decade high yields. As the Trump administration shifts toward aggressive fiscal restraint, this strategy aims to lower service costs while tempering the volatility that has rattled investors.
BusinessA 9% slide in share price—the steepest single-day drop since May 2022—has signaled investor anxiety over Walmart’s latest performance report. While the retail titan remains committed to an aggressive price-cutting strategy, the company is grappling with its slowest quarterly comparable sales growth in over six years.
BusinessArgentina’s economic activity expanded by 2.7% in June compared to the same month last year, comfortably beating the 1.9% growth forecast by Reuters analysts. This rebound represents a significant acceleration from the 0.4% uptick recorded in May, signaling a shift in the nation’s volatile fiscal landscape.
BusinessArgentina’s economic activity surged by 2.7 percent in June, significantly exceeding the 1.9 percent growth projected by Reuters analysts. This sharp acceleration marks a dramatic recovery from the 0.4 percent marginal gain recorded in May, signaling a stronger-than-anticipated rebound for Latin America's third-largest economy.
BusinessA sharp 9% drop in Walmart shares triggered a broader retreat across U.S. markets Thursday, pulling major indexes toward two-week lows. As retail confidence faltered under the weight of missed earnings, a simultaneous climb in Treasury yields and crude oil prices further soured the appetite for risk.
BusinessOil prices climbed to a three-week high as the United States readied an unprecedented package of sanctions against Iran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent framed the move as a deliberate shift toward economic containment, intended to erode Tehran’s regional influence and stabilize the Middle East without initiating direct military engagement.
BusinessA 10% drop in share price to $102.85 marks Walmart's steepest single-day decline since May 2022, following a report of the retailer's slowest quarterly comparable sales growth in six years. While management remains optimistic, the market is reacting sharply to signs that high fuel costs are finally curbing consumer spending.