Fashion Retailer H&M’s Profit Tumbles As Costs Bite
Sweden's H&M reported on Friday a much larger than expected drop in September-November profit, hit by weak consumer confidence and soaring costs that it did not fully pass on to price tags, sending its shares down 7% in early trade. Operating profit in the...
Asian Stocks Creep Higher, China Lags On Disappointing Data
Most Asian stock markets rose on Tuesday, tracking some overnight resilience in U.S. equities as markets awaited more cues on the world’s largest economy, although broader gains were held back by disappointing Chinese economic data. Outperformance in Japan’s Nikkei 225 index persisted, with the...
Merck KGaA Expects 2023 Profit to Slip As COVID Demand Wanes
Germany's Merck KGaA on Thursday predicted 2023 earnings would slip due to a decline at its electronic chemicals unit and a drop in COVID-related demand for its lab supplies from drug and vaccine makers. For 2023 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA),...
Japan to Make Raising Wages a Top Priority, Says Senior Govt official
Japan's government will make raising wages a top priority in its economic policy next year, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Kihara said on Wednesday. "The biggest challenge for Japan's economy is a lack of wage growth. Unless wages rise, consumption won't pick up and...
Japan outshines Asian Stocks On Tech Strength, Chinese Markets Lag
Japanese stocks moved back towards a 33-year high on Friday, outpacing their Asian peers amid increased optimism over chipmaking stocks, while Chinese markets lagged as investors fretted over slowing economic growth and worsening U.S. ties. Broader Asian stocks also ticked lower in anticipation of...
Australia wins U.S. Support For Critical Minerals Industry
Australia has won the backing of the United States for development of its critical minerals industry after the two countries reached an agreement to coordinate polices and investment to support the industry’s growth. Australia supplies around half of the world’s lithium as well as...
Analysis-In China, Tesla Could Win Electric Vehicle Price Battle – But Lose The War
Slashed prices have given Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA)'s China sales a pop, but analysts, and even fans, warn the U.S. automaker needs to up its long-term game to avoid choking on the dust of fast-moving rivals in the world's biggest electric vehicle market. Most immediately, Tesla's...
At G20 Meeting, U.S. Accuses Russian Finance Officials Of Complicity in War
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen accused Russian officials attending a G20 finance leaders meeting of being "complicit" in atrocities in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while host India avoided mentioning the year-long war in inaugural remarks. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the financial leaders...
Asian Stocks Slip On Weak Chinese Data, Fed jitters Persist
Most Asian stocks edged lower on Thursday as weaker-than-expected Chinese inflation data pointed to a sluggish economic recovery in the country, while fears of a more hawkish Federal Reserve continued to chip away at sentiment. China’s Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite indexes...
South Korea Asks US to Review China Rule For Chip Subsidies
South Korea has asked Washington to review its criteria for new semiconductor subsidies, concerned over the impact of rules to limit chip investment in countries such as China, a U.S. public filing showed. In March, the U.S. commerce department proposed rules to prevent China...