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☆ Ashwath Kaushik: 8-year-old prodigy makes history after beating chess grandmaster
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

At eight years, six months and 11 days, Ashwath Kaushik made history on Sunday by becoming the youngest player ever to beat a chess grandmaster in a classical tournament game. The youngster, who lives in Singapore, achieved the feat after beating Poland’s Jacek Stopa, 37, in round four of the Burgdorfer Stadthaus Open in Switzerland. “It felt really exciting and amazing, and I felt proud of my game and how I played, especially since I was worse at one point but managed to come back from that,” Kaushik told Chess.com after beating Stopa. Ashwath has earned the attention of some of the chess world's biggest names like Anish Giri. Every day is a new discovery, and we sometimes stumble in search of the right pathway for him,” his father, Kaushik Sriram, told Chess.com.

Persons: there’s, Ashwath Kaushik, Poland’s Jacek Stopa, Leonid Ivanovic –, Ashwath, Stopa, ” Kaushik, Chess.com, Anish Giri, Carleton Lim, Ashwath’s, ”, Kaushik Sriram Organizations: CNN, Stopa, Singapore Chess Federation Locations: Singapore, Switzerland, Serbian, India

☆ Kim Jong Un has broken with decades of North Korean policy – does it mean he’s planning for war?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

The two sides have been cut off from each other since 1953, when an armistice ended the Korean War, and remain technically at war. Yoon and Biden have sharpened their countries’ deterrence plans and coordination in the face of North Korea’s threats and weapons development. If anything, some analysts believe, North Korea’s public statements signal that North Korea is abandoning its reunification policy in pursuit of peace on the peninsula. Vladimir Smirnov/AFP/Getty ImagesAn ‘emboldened’ KimThe North Korean leader may also feel more confident about his arsenal and his options as he watches a shifting global landscape. “Kim Jong Un is wary of a full-scale provocation by the South Korean military disguised as a military exercise and has vowed to occupy South Korean territory without hesitation,” said Lim in Changwon.

Persons: Kim Jong, South Korea –, ” Kim, ”, Kim, ’, Robert Carlin, Siegfred Heckler, Chul Lim, “, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Edward Howell, Yoon Suk Yeol, Ayse, ” He’s, Yoon, Biden, Seoul . Kim, Trump, Lim, “ That’s, Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, Vladimir Smirnov, ’ Kim, “ Kim Jong, …, Rachel Minyoung Lee, Howell, “ Kim Jong Un, Lee, Japan – Organizations: CNN, South, Korean Central News Agency, Reuters, North Korea Research Center, University’s Institute, Far Eastern, University of Oxford, Japan, Ewha Womans University, US, North, Russia's Vostochny, Getty, Stimson, –, White, United Nations Security Council, West, South Korean Defense Ministry, ”, Trump, North Korean Locations: Ukraine, Gaza, North Korea, South Korea, Korea, Republic of Korea, Kim, Washington, Seoul, Tokyo, United States, Korea’s, Changwon, Pyongyang, Russia, United Kingdom, Japan, Guam, Gon, Seoul ., Russian, Russia's, China, Iran, denuclearization, Western, North, Moscow, Beijing, Oxford, Jeju, South, “

☆ Singapore pledges to support households and companies as costs rise; budget deficit widens in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

SINGAPORE — Singapore's budget deficit widened more than expected in 2023 but the country expects a small surplus in the 2024 financial year, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said in his budget speech on Friday. The budget deficit for 2023 was revised to $2.67 billion (3.6 billion Singapore dollars), representing about 0.5% of its gross domestic product, Wong told parliament. Wong said a small surplus of SG$800 million is expected for the 2024 financial year, which runs from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025. In his budget speech, Wong announced that the city-state will increase support for households and companies in as the country continues to grapple with higher prices. The total bill for these added household measures will come up to an additional $1.41 billion, or 1.9 billion Singapore dollars.

Persons: Lawrence Wong, Wong, Singapore's Organizations: Finance Locations: SINGAPORE

☆ Asia markets set to rebound as Wall Street recovers ground; Japan and Singapore GDP on tap
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A woman rides her bicycle with the Marina Bay Sands hotel and high-rise buildings in the background in Singapore on Sept. 4, 2023. Roslan Rahman | AFP | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets were set to rebound after mostly falling on Wednesday after hotter-than-expected U.S. inflation data stoked concerns the Federal Reserve might keep interest rates higher for longer. On Thursday, investors will also assess gross domestic product reading from Japan and Singapore, as well as trade numbers from South Korea. Should the index match the futures level, it would be less than 1,000 points from its all-time high of 38,915.87 hit on Dec. 29, 1989. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 15,931, pointing to a stronger open compared with the HSI's close of 15,879.38.

Persons: Roslan Rahman Organizations: AFP, Getty, Reserve, Japan's Nikkei Locations: Sands, Singapore, Asia, Pacific, Japan, South Korea, Chicago, Osaka, Australia

☆ Japan is no longer the world's third-largest economy as it slips into recession
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Japan has lost its spot as the world's third-largest economy to Germany, as the Asian giant unexpectedly slipped into recession. Fourth quarter GDP sharply missed forecasts for a 1.4% growth in a Reuters poll of economists. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, GDP slipped 0.1%, compared with a 0.3% rise expected in the Reuters poll. Germany, on the other hand, saw its nominal GDP grow 6.3% to reach 4.12 trillion euros, or $4.46 trillion based on last year's average exchange rate. Nominal GDP measures the value of output in current dollars, without adjusting for inflation.

Organizations: Nikkei, Bank of Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Germany, Bank of Japan

☆ What the Year of the Dragon means for businesses, according to Maybank's fengshui report
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In Maybank Investment's fengshui report for 2024, its head of research Thilan Wickramasinghe, along with fengshui master Ken Koh, take a look at which sectors will outperform and which will face headwinds in the Year of the Dragon. 2024 is the year of the wood dragon and will be "unique," according to the report. Earth, metal and fireSectors under the earth element will also benefit from the dominant fire element, Maybank said, identifying sector winners as waste management, real estate, data warehousing and urban farming. "Despite rising interest rates and inflationary costs, the dominant Earth industries have shown resilience and continue to break new grounds," the Maybank report said. Most notably, in industries under the metal element — such as banking, engineering, mining and automotive — the wood element will be prominent and will bring prosperity to the metal industries.

Persons: Roslan Rahman, Investment's, Ken Koh, Koh, Maybank Organizations: Afp, Getty Locations: Singapore

☆ Asia markets poised to track Wall Street declines after hotter-than-expected U.S. inflation data
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Asia-Pacific markets were set to track Wall Street losses after U.S. January inflation came in hotter than expected, with the consumer price index climbing 3.1% on a 12-month basis and 0.3% for the month. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected the CPI to have increased by 0.2% month over month in January and 2.9% on an annual basis. Core prices, which exclude volatile food and energy components, rose 0.4% month over month and 3.9% from a year ago. Core CPI was expected to have increased 0.3% in January and 3.7% from a year earlier, respectively. Japan's Nikkei 225 was also set to retreat from 34-year highs, with the futures contract in Chicago at 37,715 and its counterpart in Osaka at 37,670 against the index's last close of 37,963.97.

Persons: Dow Jones, Masato Kanda Organizations: U.S, CPI, Nikkei, Reuters, Stock Locations: Asia, Pacific, Australia, Chicago, Osaka

☆ See what celebrities wore to New York Fashion Week
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Jacqui Palumbo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —New York Fashion Week is back, with celebrities seen sitting front row at shows across Manhattan and Brooklyn and arriving at private parties for luxury houses including Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Christian SirianoJodie Turner-Smith arrives at a private Gucci party. Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images/Getty ImagesJessica Chastain at a private Gucci party on Saturday. Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage/Getty ImagesElliot Page arrives at a private Gucci party. Theo Wargo/Getty Images for NYFW: The ShowsIris Apatow at a private Gucci party on Saturday.

Persons: Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Tommy Hilfiger’s, Sofia Richie Grainge, Becky G, Willy Chavarria’s, Sam Smith, Julia Fox, Jessica Chastain, Jodie, Turner Smith, Demi Moore, Elliot Page, Nicola Peltz Beckham, Joe Biden’s, Ashley Biden, Kamala Harris ’, Ella Emhoff, Sophia Bush, J . Smith, Cameron, Philipps, Melanie Lynskey, Alicia Silverstone, Ashlee Simpson, Christian Siriano's, Jamie McCarthy, Christian, Jodie Turner, Smith, Gilbert Carrasquillo, Dascha Polanco, Willy Chavarria's, Roy Rochlin, Debbie Harry, Jason Mendez, Willy Chavarria, Amanda Lepore, Tommy Dorfman, Natasha Lyonne, Annabelle Dexter, Jones, Chanel, Dimitrios Kambouris, Camila Mendes, Ariana Greenblatt, Gilbert Flores, Storm Reid, Jackie Aina, Udo Salters, Cowan, Sarah Desjardins, Christian Cowan, Joel Kim Booster, Anna Wintour, Diane Kruger, Carolina Herrera, Charly Triballeau, Olivia Jade, Noah Beck, Louisa Jacobson, Misty Copeland, Jaimie Alexander, Jason Wu, Molly Ringwald, Helmut Lang, Jed Cullen, Dave Benett, Jeremy O, Harris, Stephanie Hsu, Phillip Lim, Arturo Holmes, Bella Thorne, Theo Wargo, Iris Apatow, Katie Holmes, Ulla Johnson, Manny Carabel, Jemima Kirke, Trullie Organizations: CNN, New York, Central, Brooklyn, Christian, Gucci, Bach, Getty, Harmonie Club, Carolina, Beauty Brooklyn Locations: Manhattan, Brooklyn, AFP, Zsela

☆ Nikkei briefly breaches 38,000 for the first time since 1990 as it rallies 3%, nears all-time high
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Signage for the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), operated by Japan Exchange Group Inc. (JPX), displayed outside the bourse in Tokyo, in Tokyo, Japan, on Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. Photographer: Akio Kon/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesJapan's Nikkei 225 briefly crossed the 38,000 mark for the first time since the asset bubble burst in 1990 as it rallied about 3% and pushed 34-year highs. However, it was unable to sustain its run above 38,000 points, falling minutes before its close to end at 37,963.97, while the Topix climbed 2.12% to 2,612.03, also at a 34-year high. Other Asia-Pacific markets mostly rose as more markets return to trade from the Lunar New Year holiday, including South Korea and Singapore. Japan's corporate goods price index rose 0.2% in January, beating the 0.1% expected by economists polled by Reuters.

Persons: Akio Kon Organizations: Tokyo Stock Exchange, Japan Exchange Group Inc, bourse, Bloomberg, Getty, Nikkei, Reuters Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Gaza, Asia, Pacific, South Korea, Singapore

☆ Japan set for fresh 34-year highs; most Asian markets are closed for Lunar New Year holiday
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Crude oil futures prices rose for the fourth day in a row afte Israel rejected a ceasefire proposal by Hamas. The West Texas Intermediate futures contract added $2.14, or 2.90%, to trade at $75.98 a barrel. The Brent contract for April gained $2.16, or 2.73%, to trade at $81.37 a barrel. Blinken met Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday to discuss a counterproposal by Hamas that demands a permanent end to the fighting. Netanyahu rejected the Hamas' proposal, vowing to press on to the southern city of Rafah on the border with Egypt and achieve "total victory" in Gaza.

Persons: Israel, Brent, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, — Spencer Kimball Organizations: The West Texas Intermediate, U.S, Israel Locations: Gaza, Rafah, Egypt

☆ Japan's stock markets are on a tear. Will 'zombie’ firms threaten the bull run?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

What are zombie companies? Japan's "zombie" problem has been around for a long time, said William Pesek, author of the book "Japanization: What the World Can Learn from Japan's Lost Decades." Raising the borrowing cost will put these zombie companies at risk of bankruptcy and bailouts, which could have a broader impact on the economy if there are job losses. "But the aid program has led to an increase in the number of 'zombie' companies that would otherwise have been unable to continue operating," the report added. Japan's stock markets have also been testing new highs since 2023, and higher interest rates could halt the bull run.

Persons: Adam Pretty, William Pesek, we've, Pesek, CNBC's Martin Soong, Warren Buffett's, Warren Buffett, Kazuo Ueda, Ueda Organizations: Getty, Bank of Japan, Tide, Asia Times, Japan Times, CNBC, Nikkei Locations: TOKYO, JAPAN, Roppongi Hills, Tokyo, Japan, Asia

☆ Asia markets largely set to rise ahead ahead of China's inflation numbers and India's rate decision
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

A butcher (L) shows a piece of pork to a customer at a market in Beijing on July 10, 2019. NICOLAS ASFOURI | AFP | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets are set to rise as investors look toward China's inflation figures for and the Reserve Bank of India's rate decision. China's consumer price index for January is expected to fall 0.5% year-on-year, while the Reserve Bank of India is forecast to hold rates at 6.5%. Japan's Nikkei 225 is also set to rise, with the futures contract in Chicago at 36,375 and its counterpart in Osaka at 36,280 against the index's last close of 36,119.92. However, futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 16,024, pointing to a weaker open compared with the HSI's last close of 16,081.89.

Persons: NICOLAS ASFOURI Organizations: AFP, Getty, Reserve Bank, Reserve Bank of, Nikkei Locations: Beijing, Asia, Pacific, Reserve Bank of India, Australia, Chicago, Osaka

☆ Lawson shares surge 18% after Japan's KDDI launches $3.4 billion privatization offer
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

A customer exits a Lawson Inc. convenience store in Tokyo, Japan, on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. Shares of Japan's third-largest convenience store chain Lawson surged 18% it received an offer to go private. The offer would see conglomerate Mitsubishi and mobile carrier KDDI jointly manage the convenience store chain, with each owning a 50% stake. This represents a 16% premium to Lawson's closing share price of 8,913 yen on Tuesday, valuing the offer at about 500 billion yen ($3.4 billion). KDDI currently owns a 2.11% stake in Lawson, while Mitsubishi owns 50.11%.

Persons: Lawson, KDDI Organizations: Lawson Inc, Mitsubishi, KDDI Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Lawson

☆ Asia markets mostly poised to track Wall Street gains; Japan to fall
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester on Tuesday became the latest central banker to advocate a patient approach to cutting interest rates this year. Like several other officials who have spoken recently, Mester said she's not ready to start easing policy until she gains more confidence that inflation is on a stable path towards the Fed's 2% goal. Having a strong economy allows policymakers to hold off on any dramatic moves, she added. "My base case is that we will do so at a gradual pace so that we can continue to manage the risks to both sides of our mandate." Markets have moved back expectations for the first cut to May, with five total quarter percentage point moves lower priced in, according to the CME Group's FedWatch futures gauge.

Persons: Loretta Mester, Mester, she's, Jeff Cox Organizations: Cleveland Federal, Market

Lamp posts in front of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) building in Sydney, Australia, on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023. Asia-Pacific markets were set for a mixed open ahead of the interest rate decision from the Reserve Bank of Australia later Tuesday. Twenty-nine economists polled by Reuters unanimously expect the RBA to hold rates at 4.35%. In Japan, household spending dipped more than expected in December, falling 2.5% year on year compared with the 2.1% expected by economists polled by Reuters. The Bank of Japan has said sustainable wage increases are one of the prerequisites for unwinding its ultra-loose monetary policy.

Organizations: Reserve Bank of Australia, Reuters, Bank of Locations: Sydney, Australia, Asia, Pacific, Japan, Bank of Japan

☆ Asia markets poised for mixed open as they kickstart holiday-shortened week; central bank decisions in focus
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Jade Gao | Afp | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific stocks were set for a mixed open as they kickstart a holiday-shortened trading week for some markets. Investors will watch out for key central bank decisions this week, especially from the Reserve Bank of Australia on Tuesday and the Reserve Bank of India on Thursday. On Monday, private surveys on service sector activity will be released from China and Hong Kong. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index is also set to fall, with futures at 15,412 compared to the HSI's close of 15,533.56. China, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong will all see shortened trading weeks as the Lunar New Year approaches.

Persons: Jade Gao, Hong Organizations: Central Business District, Afp, Getty, Investors, Reserve Bank of Australia, Reserve Bank of India, Nikkei Locations: Beijing, Asia, Pacific, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, Chicago, Osaka, Taiwan, South Korea

☆ Hong Kong government may cut support funding after Messi did not play in friendly match
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

HONG KONG, CHINA - FEBRUARY 04: Fans react after not seeing Inter Miami's Argentine forward Lionel Messi play during the friendly match between Hong Kong Team and Inter Miami CF at Hong Kong Stadium on February 4, 2024 in Hong Kong, China. The Hong Kong government said it may cut funding for a friendly match after soccer legend Lionel Messi did not take the pitch on Sunday. The Miami Herald reported that Messi had an MRI last week ahead of a friendly match in Saudi Arabia. The friendly match had been awarded "M" Mark status which is granted to major sporting events held in the city. Hong Kong said it had awarded the event a matching grant of 15 million Hong Kong dollars ($1.9 million) and a venue grant of HK$1 million.

Persons: Lionel Messi, Messi Organizations: Inter Miami's Argentine, Hong Kong Team, Inter Miami CF, Hong Kong, Hong, Major League Soccer, Inter Miami, Argentine, Miami Herald, Florida, China, HK Locations: HONG KONG, CHINA, Hong Kong, China, ., Saudi Arabia

☆ The relentless focus on White Christian nationalism is spreading a racist myth
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( John Blake | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

That’s how critics have described White Christian nationalism, a deviant strain of religion that has infected the political mainstream. But there is another cost to the spread of White Christian nationalism that no one mentions. The relentless coverage of White Christian nationalism is spreading a racist myth: that Whiteness is the default setting for evangelical Christianity. In a February 2023 survey, nearly two-thirds of White evangelical Protestants qualified as sympathizers or adherents to Christian nationalism. However, he rejects the political beliefs associated with White Christian nationalism.

Persons: CNN — It’s, ”, Pastor Peter Lim, ” Lim, he’s, “ It’s, It’s, White, Carolyn Chen, Ella Sophie Bessette, you’re, “, Walter Kim, Tom Lin, William Barber II, Chen, Trump, John Minchillo, browning, — it’s, John C, Richards, Jr, Jim Crow, Mark Noll, ” Richards, “ I’m, John Onwuchekwa, Lyndon B, Johnson, Lady Bird Johnson, Hubert Humphrey, Edward Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Onwuchekwa, ” Maria Antonetty, Tina Fineberg, don’t, Lim, William J, Barber, Oliver Contreras, We’re, John Blake Organizations: CNN, White, Christianity, of Atlanta, Berkeley Center, Republican, Princeton, Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Oral Roberts University, National Association of Evangelicals, InterVarsity, USA, Christian, MLK, Saint Mark Baptist Church, White Americans, Liberty, New, Southern Baptist Convention, Cornerstone Church, Primitive Christian, Washington Post, Asian Pacific American Religions Research Initiative Locations: America, White, American, Korean, Taiwanese, Asian, Africa, Silicon Valley, Taiwan, Korea, Mexico, Little Rock , Arkansas, Georgia, New York, New York City, Crete, Atlanta, Asia, Washington , DC

☆ Asia markets poised for a stronger start as Wall Street rebounds from Fed day sell-off
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In a photo taken on November 4, 2019 a subway train crosses a rail bridge over the Han river, before the skyline of the Yeouido business district of Seoul. Asia-Pacific markets were set to rise early Friday in Asia, mirroring Wall Street's rebound from the sell-off earlier this week after Chairman Jerome Powell indicated the U.S. Federal Reserve was unlikely to cut rates in March. In Asia, investors will wrap up the week with January inflation figures out of South Korea and producer prices from Australia. South Korea's consumer price index grew 2.8% year on year, slightly below the 2.9% expected in a Reuters poll of economists.

Persons: Jerome Powell Organizations: U.S . Federal Locations: Seoul . Asia, Pacific, Asia, South Korea, Australia

Asia-Pacific markets are set to fall after the U.S. Federal Reserve signaled it was unlikely to cut rates in March. Overnight, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank would likely not be comfortable enough with the path of inflation by its next meeting in March to cut interest rates. But that's to be seen," Powell said. In Asia, investors will assess private surveys on business activity for January across the region, most notably, the Caixin purchasing managers index out from China. Economists polled by Reuters expect the Caixin manufacturing PMI to come in at 50.6, an expansionary figure compared with official figures of 49.2 released on Wednesday.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell Organizations: U.S . Federal Reserve, Reuters, PMI Locations: Asia, Pacific, China

☆ Singapore tourist arrivals double in 2023 amid global travel recovery
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Travellers look at the flight departure schedule on the screen at Singapore Changi airport on December 7, 2022.International tourist arrivals to Singapore more than doubled in 2023, surging to 13.6 million compared to 2022's figure of 6.3 million. The Singapore Tourism Board said this in line with its forecast, and was at 71% of 2019 levels, the last full year before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country. Indonesia topped the ranking for the most amount of tourists to Singapore at 2.3 million, followed by China and Malaysia at 1.4 million and 1.1 million respectively, according to STB data. "Other key markets that posted buoyant recovery included Australia, South Korea and USA," the tourism board added.

Organizations: International, Singapore Tourism Board Locations: Singapore Changi, Singapore, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Australia, South Korea, USA

☆ Asia markets set to fall ahead of Fed decision; China factory activity and Australia inflation on tap
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A public screen displays stock figures in Shanghai, China, on Monday, Oct. 10, 2022. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets are set to fall ahead of the rate decision from the U.S. Federal Reserve and a slew of economic data from across the region, including China and Australia. Australia will release its inflation numbers for December and the fourth quarter, while China will announce its official purchasing managers index figures for January. Japan's Nikkei 225 is also set to fall, with the futures contract in Chicago at 35,785 and its counterpart in Osaka at 35,930 against the index's last close of 36,065.86. Futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 15,702, pointing to a similar open compared with the HSI's close of 15,703.45.

Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, U.S . Federal Reserve, Nikkei Locations: Shanghai, China, Asia, Pacific, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Chicago, Osaka

☆ Asia markets poised to mostly rise; Hong Kong set to fall in the wake of Evergrande liquidation order
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Yuichi Yamazaki | Afp | Getty ImagesAsia-Pacific markets are set to rise on Tuesday, with the exception of Hong Kong, as investors continue to grapple with the fallout from Evergrande's liquidation order. A Hong Kong court ruled to liquidate the firm, which was once considered one of China's largest real estate firms. This comes as Japan's unemployment rate in December fell to 2.4%, lower than 2.5% in the month before and slightly below expectations. Economists polled by Reuters expected the unemployment rate to stay unchanged at 2.5%. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 started the day up 0.46%, on pace for a seventh straight day of gains.

Persons: Yuichi Yamazaki Organizations: Afp, Getty, Hong, Futures, Nikkei, Reuters Locations: Tokyo, Asia, Pacific, Hong Kong, Chicago, Osaka, Australia

☆ Asia markets set to rise; GDP, inflation readings and Fed meeting in focus this week
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Asia-Pacific markets are set to rise as investors await GDP and inflation data from around the region this week. Markets will also be watching the U.S. Federal Reserve's first rate decision of 2024, set to be released Wednesday stateside. This week's major events will be China's factory activity figures for January as well as Australia's fourth-quarter inflation figures on Wednesday. This will be last set of key data before the Reserve Bank of Australia's meeting on Feb. 5. On Wednesday, Taiwan and Hong Kong will also release their fourth-quarter GDP numbers.

Organizations: Opera, Vivid, U.S, U.S . Federal, Reserve Bank of Australia's Locations: Sydney, Australia, Asia, Pacific, U.S ., Taiwan, Hong Kong

☆ Asia markets poised for mixed open ahead of Tokyo inflation data, Bank of Japan December meeting minutes
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S.' personal consumption expenditures price index, excluding food and energy, climbed 2% in the final quarter of 2023, while headline inflation rose 1.7%. Japan's Nikkei 225 was set to fall ahead of its January inflation reading from Tokyo — widely considered to be a leading indicator for nationwide inflation. The Nikkei futures contract in Chicago was at 36,000, and its counterpart in Osaka at 36,050, against the index's last close of 36,236.47. Investors will also be watching out for minutes of the Bank of Japan's final meeting of 2023. Separately, futures for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index stood at 16,079, pointing to a weaker open compared with the HSI's close of 16,211.96.

Persons: Dow Jones Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Gross, U.S, Nikkei, Bank of Japan's Locations: Minato, Tokyo, Japan, Asia, Pacific, U.S, Australia, Chicago, Osaka

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