India faces more rate hikes: analysts

2010-03-21T00:15:39Z

<div><p>India's central bank looks set to tighten monetary policy further after raising interest rates for the first time in nearly two years as it bids to check spiralling inflation, economists say.</p><p>In a move that surprised experts, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) hiked short-term rates from record lows late Friday to battle near double-digit annual i...

Japan corporate mood up; talk of government stimulus weighs

2010-03-18T02:00:18Z

<div><p>TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese companies have become far less gloomy about economic conditions than three months ago, a Reuters corporate survey showed, pointing to a big improvement in the Bank of Japan's closely watched tankan survey next month.</p><p>But grinding deflation will mean

BOJ split vote raises doubts about future easing

2010-03-17T04:45:13Z

<div><p>TOKYO (Reuters) - The Bank of Japan loosened monetary policy on Wednesday in a split vote that suggested the central bank would struggle in the future to meet government demands for easier monetary conditions.</p><p>The government has prodded the BOJ for weeks to ease policy, a tactic analysts say is ...

Bank of Japan frees up cash, keeps rate near zero

2010-03-17T04:16:32Z

<div><p>Japan's central bank doubled the amount of cash it will make available to banks Wednesday while keeping interest rates at a record low as it tries to kickstart a stuttering economic recovery.</p><p>Under government pressure to help fight deflation, the Bank of Japan said it would extend emergency steps taken in December by boosting its short-term loan facility to 20...

China hits back at US lawmakers on currency

2010-03-16T00:16:00Z

<div><p>China on Tuesday dismissed calls from US lawmakers for Beijing to be labelled a currency manipulator, saying the value of the yuan was not to blame for global trade imbalances.</p><p>The comments echoed those by Premier Wen Jiabao at the weekend, who said Beijing ...

China tightening fears send Asian markets lower

2010-03-15T03:15:49Z

<div><p>Speculation that China will take more steps to cool its economy hit sentiment in Asia Monday, with Shanghai and Hong Kong lower as risk-averse investors stayed on the sidelines.</p><p>Trade was relatively quiet ahead of meetings this week by ...

Japan PM calls for 'firm steps' against strong yen

2010-03-12T03:16:40Z

<div><p>Japan's Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama on Friday made a rare call for "firm steps" to stem the strength of the yen as the currency's recent advances have hit exporters' earnings.</p><p>Hatoyama told a parliamentary session that the yen's current high value gave a misleading impression of the world's second-lar...

South Korea Interest Rate

2010-03-11T00:17:18Z

Lee Seong-tae, governor of the Bank of Korea, bangs the gavel to preside over a meeting to decide a benchmark call rate at its headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 11, 2010. South Korea's central bank left its key interest rate at a record low Thursday amid international sovereign debt concerns and as the institution prepares for...

China Inflation

2010-03-10T21:31:23Z

This picture taken Wednesday Feb. 10, 2010 shows a Chinese select dry meat at a department store in Beijing, China. China's inflation spiked higher in February, adding to pressure on Beijing to prevent overheating and keep the recovery in the world's third-largest economy on track. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Yuan policy shift depends on recovery: China

2010-03-08T05:16:02Z

<div><p>A top official at China's central bank said Monday uncertainties remained about when Beijing would allow the yuan to appreciate, and it would depend on domestic and global economic conditions.</p><p>At the weekend, central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan hint...

SKorean finance chief warns against rate increase

2010-03-07T23:45:26Z

<div id="subtitle">South Korean finance minister says still too early for central bank to raise interest rate</div><div><p>South Korea's finance minister warned Monday the country's economic recovery remains too fragile to withstand an increase in borrowing costs from a record low, cautioning the central bank just days ahead of a rate-setting policy meeting.</p><p>"It is the view of the Korean government th...

China Politics

2010-03-06T20:18:20Z

Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the People's Bank of China, right, gestures while Xie Xuren, China finance minister, speaks to the media during a financial and economy press conference of the Nat...

Bank of Japan to mull further credit easing: report

2010-03-04T19:16:17Z

<div><p>Japan's central bank will likely consider more monetary easing to fight stubborn deflation as the world's second largest economy recovers from a severe recession, a newspaper reported Friday.</p><p>The Bank of Japan's policy board is expected to discuss new steps to tackle deflation at a two-day meeting opening on March 16, the China has emerged as Sri Lanka's biggest single lender in 2009, overtaking the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, the treasury said Wednesday.</p><p>China lent 1.2 billion dollars to build roads, a coal power project and...

GM's China sales up 51 percent in February

2010-03-03T00:32:50Z

<div id="subtitle">GM says China sales up 51 percent in February on strong demand for Chevrolets, Cadillacs</div><div><p>General Motors said its February vehicle sales in China rose 51 percent from a year earlier on strong demand for Chevrolet and Cadillac models as well as its popular minivans.</p><p>The 174,306 vehicles sold by Genera...

Japan's jobless rate down, but Toyota woes seen as threat

2010-03-02T03:15:29Z

<div><p>Japan's jobless rate slipped back below five percent in January, data showed Tuesday, but the government voiced concern that Toyota's recall crisis and deflation could threaten the export-led recovery.</p><p>The world's number two economy last year emerged from its worst post-war recession, growing in the second and third quarters due to reboun...

Japan jobless rate drop, Toyota threat remains

2010-03-01T23:15:48Z

World markets get lift from solid economic data

2010-02-26T09:15:43Z

<div id="subtitle">World markets get lift from economic data; pound remains under pressure despite British growth</div><div><p>World markets rose Friday after mostly solid economic data helped shore up investor optimism, at the end of a week when concerns about Greece's debt crisis and the U.S. recovery from recession have weighed on sentiment.</p><p>In

IMF post to "strengthen" cooperation: China

2010-02-24T12:16:24Z

<div><p>The naming of a senior Chinese central bank official as special advisor to the IMF chief will "help strengthen cooperation" between the Fund and emerging nations, the spokesman for the Chinese embassy said Wednesday.</p><p>IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn on Tuesday notified the fund's executi...

Global recovery doubts send Asian markets lower

2010-02-24T03:19:38Z

<div><p>Weaker-than-expected data from the United States and Europe triggered fresh doubts about the pace of global recovery Wednesday, with Asian markets trading broadly lower.</p><p>February US consumer confidence data released Tuesday eroded expectations for sustainable consumer spending and a quick economic recovery in the United States, prompting a risk-averse reacti...

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