Japan set fiscal 2026 defense spending near 2% of GDP as the Ministry of Defense expanded funding for missiles, drones and air defense.

Malaysia recorded RM68.52 billion in halal exports in 2025, as food and beverage products remained the sector’s largest contributor.

South Korea approved its first paid self-driving freight service, clearing RideFlux to launch autonomous parcel deliveries in June.

SEJONG: South Korea’s automobile exports rose in March as strong global demand for hybrid vehicles lifted overseas shipments despite weaker sales in parts of Asia and the Middle East. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources said auto exports totaled $6.37 billion last month, up 2.2% from a year earlier…

BEIJING: Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, arrived in Beijing to begin an official visit to China that runs from April 12 to April 14, with both sides framing the trip as a step to deepen bilateral relations and expand cooperation across…

BEIJING: China’s automobile industry posted a sharp rebound in March, with production rising to 2.917 million units and sales reaching 2.899 million units, according to data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Output jumped 74.4% from February and sales increased 60.6% from the previous month. From a year…

BEIJING: China’s automobile industry posted a sharp rebound in March, with production rising to 2.917 million units and sales reaching 2.899 million units, according to data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Output jumped 74.4% from February and sales increased 60.6% from the previous month. From a year…

SEOUL: The Bank of Korea held its benchmark interest rate at 2.50% on Friday, extending a pause that began in July 2025 and marking a seventh straight policy meeting without a change, as policymakers weighed rising inflation pressure, weaker growth risks and heightened market volatility. The decision by the seven-member Monetary…

BEIJING: China’s consumer inflation rose 1.0% in March from a year earlier, official data showed on Friday, easing from February’s 1.3% increase as spending cooled after the Lunar New Year holiday period. On a month-on-month basis, the consumer price index fell 0.7%, reversing February’s 1.0% rise. For the first quarter, consumer…

ISLAMABAD: Gold prices held steady on Thursday as investors weighed a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire, preparations for talks in Islamabad and a fresh round of U.S. inflation data that could shape the Federal Reserve’s next move on interest rates. The metal stayed range-bound after a volatile week in which easing fears over…

TOKYO: Japan’s Nikkei share average fell on Thursday as investors pulled back after a powerful relief rally, with renewed concern over Middle East tensions and higher oil prices prompting a more defensive tone across the Tokyo market. The Nikkei 225 closed down 0.73% at 55,895.32, while the broader Topix lost 0.9%…

BEIJING: China’s foreign exchange reserves fell to $3.3421 trillion at the end of March, official data showed on April 7, as a stronger U.S. dollar and weaker prices for major global financial assets weighed on the value of the country’s reserve holdings. The March total was down $85.7 billion, or 2.5%,…