Asia-pacific

Asia-Pacific credit volatility expected in 2025 amid slow growth: S&P

Forecasts on credit conditions become unstable as trade and foreign policy under Trump 2.0 administration remain unclear

Corporate India note strongest hiring outlook globally for Jan-Mar: Survey

Employers in India reported the strongest employment outlook for the January-March period next year, with 40 per cent corporates aiming to increase their staffing levels over the next three months, the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey said on Tuesday. The survey, which gathered data from more than 3,000 employers across various regions of India, revealed that 53 per cent of employers plan to hire, while 13 per cent anticipate a decrease in their staffing levels in the the first quarter of the 2025 calendar year and 31 per cent do not expect any change. The net employment outlook (NEO) -- calculated by subtracting the percentage of employers who anticipate reductions in staffing levels from those who plan to hire -- after seasonal adjustment stood at 40 per cent, strengthened 3 percentage points from both last quarter and year-on-year. "India remains one of the world's fastest-growing large economies, with its position as the global leader in employment outlook for Q1 .

Taiwan, US territory Guam should defend freedom in region: Taiwan Prez Lai

Taiwan and Guam should work together to defend freedom and democracy in the region, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said Thursday on a visit to the American territory. Guam was Lai's second US stop on an ongoing tour of the Pacific islands, following a visit to Hawaii last weekend. China's authoritarian government claims Taiwan as its territory and says the self-governing island must come under its control at some point in the future. Lai, in a speech to Guam's legislature, emphasized the shared values and strategic importance of Taiwan and Guam in the Indo-Pacific region. "Let us together become the crucial force in defending freedom, democracy in the first island chain, he said, referring to a string of islands off the Asian continent that includes Japan, Taiwan and part of the Philippines. The legislature passed a resolution welcoming Lai and extending appreciation for Taiwan's "significant contributions to Guam's economy and community, Speaker Therese Terlaje said. Lai called fo

Taiwan Prez Lai's Pacific trip shows efforts to counter China's expansion

Taiwanese president arrived in Hawaii on Saturday for a two-day stopover en route to Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu, with a stop in Guam scheduled for his return journey

Brazil's embrace of Xi sets up a clash over Donald Trump's China policy

The infrastructure build-out is part of Lula's grand plan to move Brazil up the value chain and develop economically, with Beijing's help as key

Chinese provocations around Taiwan up by 300%, says US Air Force general

The General also said that China's tactics are just not reserved to China, but they show to the world that China achieves their goals, Taipei Times reported

Watch: PM Modi's speech at Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business

India seen as growth engine for German investments in Asia-Pacific: Survey

AHK World Business Outlook, which surveyed around 820 members in Asia-Pacific and Greater China region, shows that 51 per cent of German companies based in India intend to increase their investments

Indian employers most bullish globally on Oct-Dec quarter hiring: Survey

Corporate India reported the strongest hiring sentiments globally for the next three months, with 37 per cent of employers planning to increase their staff strength as businesses are bullish about the country's economic position, a survey said on Tuesday. According to the ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey Q4, 2024, of nearly 3,150 employers across sectors and regions, the Net Employment Outlook in India is the strongest worldwide at 37 per cent, followed by Costa Rica (36 per cent) and the US (34 per cent) in the second and third place respectively. The Net Employment Outlook (NEO) is calculated by subtracting the percentage of employers who anticipate reductions to staffing levels from those who plan to hire. The India employment outlook for Q4 (October-December) stood at 37 per cent, up 7 per cent from Q3 2024, and unchanged when compared with the same time last year. "The hiring intention of employers signifies the positive outlook in the country's economic position that h

Pope Francis arrives in Indonesia, kicks off ambitious Asia-Pacific tour

Pope Francis is expected to continue voicing appeals to confront the dangers of a warming globe

India to apply for licences to scout Pacific Ocean for critical minerals

China, Russia, and some Pacific Island nations have already secured exploration licences for the Pacific Ocean

India to remain fastest growing Asia-Pacific economy, predicts Moody's

Moody's Ratings on Thursday said India will remain the Asia-Pacific region's fastest-growing economy in 2024, sustaining last year's domestically driven momentum. In a report titled Credit Conditions Asia-Pacific H2 2024 Credit Outlook, Moody's Ratings said Indonesia, the Philippines and India led the way in terms of growth in first half of 2024 and should continue to outperform pre-COVID growth numbers on the back of rising exports, local demand and government spending on infrastructure. "India will remain the region's fastest-growing economy, sustaining last year's domestically driven momentum. We anticipate policy continuity after the general election, and a continued focus on infrastructure development and encouragement of private sector investment," it said. Moody's said stronger portfolio inflows are likely in India and ASEAN economies, because of robust corporate credit metrics and appealing valuations. Last month, the rating agency projected India to grow 6.8 per cent in t

Fumio Kishida to address Congress amid scepticism about US role abroad

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will head to Capitol Hill on Thursday for an address to US lawmakers meant to underscore the importance of keeping a strong partnership between the two countries at a time of tension in the Asia-Pacific and scepticism in Congress about US involvement abroad. Kishida was in Washington this week visiting President Joe Biden as the White House completed hosting each leader of the Quad an informal partnership between the US Japan, Australia and India that is seen as important to countering China's growing military strength in the region. Kishida is expected to talk about the future of the relationship between Japan and the US. He will be addressing many Republicans who have pushed for the US to take a less active role in global affairs as they follow the America First" ethos of Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. The Republican-controlled House has sat for months on a USD 95 billion package that would send wartime fundin

Russia's foreign minister arrives in China to discuss Ukraine, Asia-Pacific

Hit with sanctions that closed access to Western markets and finances after sending its troops to Ukraine, Russia has since become China's fastest-growing trade partner

Natural disasters cause $65bn loss in APAC in 2023; 91% loss uninsured: Aon

As per the report, 398 natural disaster events occurred globally in 2023, resulting in an economic loss of $380 billion in the year.

India to mitigate slowing Apac growth on robust domestic demand: Moody's

Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday said growth in Asia Pacific will decelerate in 2024 as a downshift in China's growth trajectory will spill over in the region through trade in goods and services, but India will be able to mitigate the challenge aided by robust domestic demand. In a report on Asia-Pacific, Moody's said the region is marked with a heavy calendar of elections in 2024, notably in India, Taiwan, Indonesia, Korea and Bangladesh. "The election outcomes will either facilitate domestic policy continuity or lead to increased polarization, and have a bearing on geopolitical relationships," said a Moody's report titled 'Growth headwinds, tight funding and geopolitics will define 2024 conditions'. It said a downshift in China's economic growth rate and a cyclical slowdown in the US will weigh on Asia-Pacific (APAC)'s credit conditions in 2024. Peaking inflation globally will provide space for monetary tightening cycles to slow, but financial conditions will remain difficult

Rome seeks larger Indo-Pacific role, will step up defence ties with Japan

The leaders of Japan and Italy said on Monday they will bolster their cooperation in security and defence, including their joint next-generation fighter jet development with Britain, as Tokyo welcomed the European nation's shift toward playing a greater role in the Indo-Pacific. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, after meeting his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni, welcomed Italy's move to increase its presence in the Indo-Pacific region, where several visits by Italy's warships, including its strike group, and joint exercises are planned this year. Japan and Italy are valuable strategic partners that share values and principles such as freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, Kishida said. Kishida also praised progress in their joint development of a new advanced fighter jet with Britain. The three countries in December signed an agreement to establish a joint organisation to develop a new advanced jet fighter for deployment in 2035. Meloni said that the ...

Growth in Asia Pacific emerging markets to remain strong in 2024: Fitch

The economic growth in Asia Pacific will remain strong in 2024 and GDP is expected to grow by about 5 per cent in India and a host of emerging market countries, Fitch Ratings said on Wednesday. In its report titled 'APAC Cross-Sector Outlook 2024', Fitch said the outlooks for the banking sectors in India and Indonesia, as well as APAC emerging markets as a whole, move to improving in 2024, partly reflecting the robust economic backdrop. "Economic growth in APAC will generally remain strong in 2024, especially in emerging markets (EMs), supporting sector outlooks across the region. We expect real GDP to expand by, or above, 5 per cent in India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam, and China's performance will still be strong by most other countries' standards," Fitch said. The Indian economy grew 7.2 per cent in 2022-23 fiscal year. India's GDP expanded 7.8 per cent and 7.6 per cent in the June and September quarters, respectively. Fitch had last month said it expects India to be

After summit bonhomie, Biden & Xi Jinping vie to woo FDI from Asia-Pacific

After a display of rare bonhomie at their meeting on Thursday, US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have fiercely courted investments from the leaders and CEOs attending the Asia-Pacific summit to entice foreign capital. Facing a doubting task of reviving a once buoyant economy with the steady outflow of foreign companies and supply chains Xi, in his address at the APEC CEO summit in San Francisco pledged to tear down foreign investment barriers and promised to invite foreign capital with "heart-warming" measures. "No matter how the international situation evolves, China's resolve to foster a market-oriented, law-based and world-class business environment will not change, Xi said in written remarks to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit on Thursday. China's policy of providing equal and quality services to foreign investors will not change, he said. We will strive to tear down the barriers to the flow of innovation factors, deepen reform

India to hold second Voice of Global South Summit virtually on Nov 17

The Global South refers to nations regarded as having a relatively low level of economic and industrial development, and are typically located to the south of more industrialised nations