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☆ Oil rises on demand optimism as China borders reopen
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Jeslyn Lerh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Companies Baker Hughes Co FollowSINGAPORE, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Oil prices climbed on Monday as the borders reopened in China, the world's top crude importer, boosting the outlook for fuel demand growth and offsetting global recession concerns. Brent crude futures were up $1.49, or 1.9%, at $80.06 a barrel as of 0745 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.43, or 1.9%, to $75.20. Those concerns are reflected in the market structure for the benchmark oil futures. ,"Oil prices have likely ticked up on increased confidence on China's reopening, but fears of recession in the wider global market remains. This uncertainty will likely lead to swings in oil prices in the near-term," said Serena Huang, Vortexa's head of APAC analysis.

☆ Morning Bid: Goodbye to all that
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Tom Westbrook:After three years, travellers are streaming into China by air, land and sea. the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, the People's Daily, wrote on Sunday. The yuan punched through its 200-day moving average to its highest since August, and the dollar was in retreat wherever Chinese tourists are expected. The twin hopes, then, of a gentler Fed and reviving China are holding recession fears at bay. In emerging markets, focus is on the open of trade in the Brazilian real after hundreds of supporters of far-right former President Jair Bolsonaro were arrested during an invasion of the country's Congress, presidential palace and Supreme Court.

Companies Baker Hughes Co FollowSINGAPORE, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Oil prices climbed on Monday as the borders reopened in China, the world's top crude importer, boosting the outlook for fuel demand growth and offsetting global recession concerns. Brent crude futures rose 90 cents, or 1.2%, to $79.47 a barrel at 0520 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up 90 cents, or 1.2%, at $74.67. Despite the gains in oil on Monday, concerns remain that the massive flow of Chinese travellers may cause another surge in COVID infections. Those concerns are reflected in the market structure for the benchmark oil futures. Energy futures for crude oil, refined products and natural gas have plummeted in the New Year as traders have reconsidered near-term worries over cold weather and fears of supply shortages and dumped contracts.

☆ Oil nudges higher after China opens borders, lifts fuel demand outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Florence Tan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Companies Baker Hughes Co FollowSINGAPORE, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Oil prices edged up on Monday, a day after travellers streamed into China following a reopening of borders that lifted the fuel demand outlook and partly offset concerns of global recession. Brent crude futures had risen 53 cents, or 0.7%, to $79.10 a barrel by 0114 GMT while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $74.23 a barrel, up 46 cents, or 0.6%. Both Brent and WTI tumbled more than 8% last week, their biggest weekly dives at the start of a year since 2016. China, the world's second-biggest oil consumer, opened its borders on Saturday for the first time in three years, buoying the outlook for its demand for transportation fuels. Energy futures for crude oil, refined products and natural gas have plummeted in the New Year as traders have reconsidered near-term worries over cold weather and fears of supply shortages and dumped contracts.

[1/5] Passengers push their luggage through the international arrivals hall at Beijing Capital International Airport after China lifted the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) quarantine requirement for inbound travellers in Beijing, China January 8, 2023. China's management of COVID was technically downgraded to "Category B" on Sunday, although many curbs have been dropped for weeks. Officially, China has reported just 5,272 COVID-related deaths as of Jan.8, one of the lowest rates of death from the infection in the world. State broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday that direct flights from South Korea to China were close to sold out. South Korea like many other countries now requires travellers from China, Macau and Hong Kong to provide negative COVID test results before departure.

Long queues formed at the Hong Kong international airport's check-in counters for flights to mainland cities including Beijing, Tianjin and Xiamen. Hong Kong media outlets estimated that thousands were crossing. Beijing has quotas on the number of people who can travel between Hong Kong and China each day. I'm thrilled, I can't believe it’s happening,” said a businesswoman surnamed Shen, 55, who flew in from Hong Kong. The World Health Organisation said on Wednesday that China's COVID data underrepresents the number of hospitalisations and deaths from the disease.

☆ China's 'great migration' kicks-off under shadow of COVID
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Casey Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

BORDER REOPENINGSunday marks the reopening of China's border with Hong Kong and the end of China's requirement for inbound international travellers to quarantine. More than a dozen countries are now demanding COVID tests from Chinese travellers, as the World Health Organisation said China's official virus data underreported the true extent of its outbreak. In Shanghai, for example, the city government on Friday announced an end to free PCR tests for residents from Jan. 8. China has relied on nine domestically-developed COVID vaccines approved for use, including inactivated vaccines, but none have been adapted to target the highly-transmissible Omicron variant and its offshoots currently in circulation. China reported three new COVID deaths in the mainland for Friday, bringing its official virus death toll to 5,267, one of the lowest in the world.

☆ China expects passenger traffic during Lunar New Year to double from 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[1/2] People wearing protective masks walk by an area decorated with lanterns during the Chinese Lunar New Year festivity at Yu Garden, following new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in Shanghai, China February 1, 2022. REUTERS/Aly SongBEIJING, Jan 6 (Reuters) - China expects the total number of passenger trips made by travellers by road, rail, water and flight during the upcoming Lunar New Year to reach 2.1 billion this year, double from last year's 1.05 billion during the same period. Traffic officials said in a news briefing on Friday that daily passenger flights scheduled during the 40 days holiday transportation season, starting Saturday, is averaging about 11,000, about 73% of the pre-COVID-19 level in 2019. Reporting by Sophie Yu, Brenda Goh; Editing by Christopher CushingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Factbox: China to reopen borders, including with Hong Kong, after 3 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Jan 6 (Reuters) - China will reopen its borders on Sunday, including with its special administrative region of Hong Kong, after nearly three years of COVID-19 closures and restrictions. Travellers from both Hong Kong and China must obtain a negative COVID test result and log it online within 48 hours of departure. Hong Kong and the neighbouring Chinese city of Shenzhen have launched an online booking system for travellers to reserve a slot. China will from Sunday resume issuing tourist and business visas for mainland residents to travel to Hong Kong and Macau. Reporting by Farah Master in Hong Kong, Bernard Orr and the Beijing newsroom; Editing by Edmund KlamannOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ With few entry tests, Southeast Asia may gain most from China's travel revival
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Xinghui Kok | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Except for airplane wastewater testing by Malaysia and Thailand for the virus, the region's 11 nations will treat Chinese travellers like any others. As many as 76% of Chinese travel agencies ranked Southeast Asia as the top destination when outbound travel resumed, according to a survey released in December by trade show ITB China. Thailand already expects to welcome 5 million Chinese travellers this year, or about half of the 10.99 million of 2019. Neighbouring Malaysia projects 1.5 million to 2 million Chinese tourists this year versus 3 million before the pandemic. "But for Cambodia, it’s an invitation to Chinese people: Chinese tourists, come to Cambodia."

☆ Oil prices rise $1 on China's reopening optimism
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Emily Chow | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Brent crude futures were 94 cents, or 1.2%, higher at $79.63 a barrel at 0345 GMT, after settling 85 cents stronger at $78.69 on Thursday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up 91 cents, or 1.2%, at $74.58 a barrel. However, oil prices were on track to end the week lower, with both contracts down around 7% on a week earlier. "China's reopening optimism, especially further stimulus measures to boost the property sector, is the main bullish factor for the oil prices, which has improved the demand outlook in the near year," said Tina Teng, an analyst at CMC Markets. China, the world's largest crude oil importer, has abruptly ended its stringent zero-COVID policy, leading to a surge in COVID infections across the country.

☆ Netherlands to require negative COVID test from China travellers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

AMSTERDAM, Jan 6 (Reuters) - The Netherlands will require travellers from China to show proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test before they are allowed into the country, the Dutch government said on Friday. The requirement, which will be active as of Tuesday, follows recommendations made by the European Union earlier this week, which were already adopted by a range of countries including neighbouring Belgium and Germany. Reporting by Bart Meijer Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] Chinese travellers wear face masks outside the border checkpoint with the neighbouring city of Zhuhai, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Macau, China, December 29, 2022. Over the three-day New Year's Day holiday, businesses and consumers caught their first glimpse of a return to post-pandemic life -- holiday-makers flocked to beaches, flight numbers ticked up, and hotels turned some guests away because they were fully booked. Flight numbers on the last working day ahead of the holiday only recovered 70% compared with pre-pandemic levels, however. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsBOON FOR RESTAURANTSMany businesses have been forced to adapt how they reach customers over the course of the pandemic. As the Lunar New Year rolls in, Chinese officials also expect a significant uptick in activity.

The aviation industry, battered by years of pandemic curbs, has also been critical of the decisions to impose testing on travellers from China. China reported five new COVID deaths in the mainland for Thursday, bringing its official virus death toll to 5,264, one of the lowest in the world. Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways (0293.HK) said on Thursday it would more than double flights to mainland China. Except for airplane wastewater testing by Malaysia and Thailand for the virus, the region's 11 nations will treat Chinese travellers like any others. As many as 76% of Chinese travel agencies ranked Southeast Asia as the top destination when outbound travel resumed, according to a survey released in December by trade show ITB China.

☆ As travel resumes, China's luxury shoppers ask: Paris or Hainan?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Casey Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"When I would go to Paris, I couldn't ask the Paris sales people to keep a bag for me, but now here we can," she said. Under pandemic travel curbs, China's domestic luxury sales boomed, doubling to 471 billion yuan ($68.25 billion) from 2019 to 2021, according to Bain & Co. Even so, Chinese consumers' share of the global market fell to 21% in 2021 from 25% in 2019. "It will be interesting to see how new luxury consumers will perceive the difference between domestic and overseas luxury shopping," he said. ALTERNATIVESInternational travel restrictions and local policies to spur spending also drove many consumers to China's tax-free island of Hainan as a luxury shopping destination.

China reported one new COVID-19 death in the mainland for Wednesday, compared with five a day earlier, bringing its official death toll to 5,259. Chinese health officials have said only deaths caused by pneumonia and respiratory failure in patients who had the virus are classified as COVID deaths. The methods for counting COVID deaths have varied across countries since the pandemic first erupted in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. British-based health data firm Airfinity has estimated about 9,000 people in China are probably dying each day from COVID. TESTING WASTEWhile countries try to get more information on the extent and severity of China's outbreak, several have imposed requirements on travellers from China to be tested for COVID.

☆ China to open border with Hong Kong on Sunday
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A general view of village houses at Hong Kong border facing the skyscrapers in Shenzhen, in Hong Kong, China, December 14, 2021. Hong Kong closely followed China's tough zero-COVID policy until the middle of 2022 when it began to ease some of restrictions. China will no longer require people to present COVID tests upon arrival in the mainland from Hong Kong, while China will issue special tourism and business visas for mainland residents to visit Hong Kong from Jan. 8, the office said. China will also increase flights between the mainland, Hong Kong and Macau, it said. Reporting by the Beijing newsroom, Farah Master and Meg Shen in Hong Kong ; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Robert BirselOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ South Korea police find Chinese man missing after being sent to COVID quarantine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, Jan 5 (Reuters) - South Korean police found on Thursday a Chinese man who went missing after testing positive for COVID-19 upon arrival, and said he would be taken to a quarantine facility and could later be charged under a disease control law. The man has been on a wanted list for allegedly running away while awaiting admission to quarantine. He could be subject to up to one year in prison, or 10 million won ($7,840) in fines, if convicted of violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act, officials said. Effective Thursday, arrivals are also required to provide a negative PCR result, taken within 48 hours of the beginning of their journeys to South Korea, or a rapid antigen test taken within 24 hours. A total of 4,113 people have arrived from China since Monday and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said 917 test results showed that 239 of them, or 26.1% of them, were infected with COVID.

☆ Stellantis keeps feet on ground in air taxi punt
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 5 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Pumping $150 million into a loss-making flying-car company looks like an odd use of money for a carmaker. Stellantis (STLA.MI) Chief Executive Carlos Tavares has plenty to worry about already, like a looming recession and growing competition from Chinese giants. Yet the auto group’s deal with $513 million Archer Aviation (ACHR.N) looks like a savvy bet. It also locks in secure funding at a time when public and venture capital investors are increasingly jittery. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ India finds 11 Omicron subvariants of COVID-19 in international travellers
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

NEW DELHI, Jan 5 (Reuters) - India detected a total of 11 variants of COVID-19 in international travellers who arrived in the country during Dec. 24 to Jan. 3, health ministry sources said on Thursday. Of the 19,227 passengers who were tested for COVID-19 during the period, 124 were found positive, the sources said. (This story has been corrected to fix the headline and lede to clarify that all COVID-19 variants are not "new")Reporting by Sarita Chaganti Singh in New Delhi, writing by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; editing by Sudipto GangulyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ China's COVID situation is worrying, says French health minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PARIS, Jan 5 (Reuters) - The situation regarding COVID infections in China is "worrying", the French health minister said on Thursday although he added that pressure on France's hospitals regarding COVID was easing. European Union member states on Wednesday agreed to introduce some safety measures with regard to travellers from China, as the bloc's crisis response group recommended that passengers flying to the EU should have a negative COVID-19 test before they board. "We're declining considerably, including with regard to people in hospital, but what's going on in China is worrying", France's Health Minister Francois Braun told France 2 television. Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Sudip Kar-GuptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ German inflation surprise hits brakes on dollar's slide
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SINGAPORE, Jan 4 (Reuters) - The euro nursed losses on Wednesday and has helped the dollar to make a strong start to 2023, after a surprise slowdown in German inflation rallied bunds and sent the common currency sliding. The euro fell 1% overnight, its sharpest drop in more than two months, and it hovered near three-week lows at $1.0550 early in the Asia session. Along with a nervous mood as U.S. stocks fell, the move gave the dollar a broader boost and stopped a rising yen in its tracks. The jump tapped the brakes on a three-month slide for the index. Headline German CPI fell to an annual 8.6% in December, from 10% the previous month, against expectations for 9.1%.

☆ Japan to tighten COVID border controls for travellers from China
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Kantaro Komiya | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Japan will toughen from Sunday its COVID-19 border control measures for travellers from China, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, in response to a surge of infections among such visitors. Additional measures will require negative coronavirus tests before passengers board direct flights from China, Kishida said on Wednesday, stepping up measures adopted on Dec. 30. Japan will continue to ask airlines to limit additional flights from China, he told a nationally televised New Year news conference. "Necessary restrictions are still put in place as we are taking all possible measures to prevent infections," Kishida added. Most European Union nations favour pre-departure testing for travellers from China, the European Commission said on Tuesday.

☆ New Zealand won't require Chinese arrivals to show COVID-19 test
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WELLINGTON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - The New Zealand government said on Wednesday it would not require travellers from China to produce a negative COVID-19 test, bucking a trend that has seen a number of nations implement such measures as cases surge in China. New Zealand's COVID-19 minister, Ayesha Verrall, said in a statement that a public health risk assessment had concluded visitors from China would not contribute significantly to the number of cases in the country. "There is minimal public health risk to New Zealand," she said. All international arrivals in New Zealand are asked to test if they become symptomatic and the country provides free tests at the airport. New Zealand is also planning to trial testing waste water on international flights to see if this can replace targetted and voluntary testing of individuals.

☆ South Korea seeks Chinese national missing from COVID quarantine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Chinese tourists walk into coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing centre upon their arrival at the Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, January 4, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Hong-JiSEOUL, Jan 4 (Reuters) - South Korea authorities said on Wednesday they were trying to track down a Chinese national who tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival but went missing while waiting at a quarantine facility. The person tested positive after arriving at Incheon International Airport near Seoul late on Tuesday and was transferred to a nearby hotel to await admission to quarantine, but then went missing, a health official said. Starting this week, South Korea required travellers from China to undergo a PCR test upon arrival. The case of the missing Chinese national triggered questions in the media about South Korea's system to control and manage infected inbound travellers.

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