Ministerial level trade talks between Japan and the U.S. are set to take place later this week– marking the third round of high-level talks between the nations, Japan's Kyodo News agency reported on Tuesday. Kyodo reported that Ryosei Akazawa, Japan's top trade negotiator and minister of economic revitalization, will fly to Washington by Friday to engage in a third round of high-level talks. Kyodo cited comments from a U.S. official. Separately, Akazawa said in a press conference on Tuesday that working level talks took place between Washington and Tokyo on Monday, and that high-level...
China cut benchmark lending rates for the first time since October on Tuesday, while major state banks lowered deposit rates as authorities work to ease monetary policy to help buffer the economy from the impact of the Sino-U.S. trade war. The widely expected rate cuts are aimed at stimulating consumption and loan growth as the world's No. 2 economy softens, while still protecting commercial lenders' shrinking profit margins. Still, the size of the rate reductions was mild and reflected the incremental pace of monetary easing in recent years and what analysts interpreted as some wariness...
Indonesia's government sees economic growth reaching at least 5.2% next year as it continues to focus on improving food production, energy security and people's wellbeing, its finance minister told parliament on Tuesday. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said economic growth in 2026 would be between 5.2% and 5.8% next year with the bottom end of the range the same as 2025's growth target. "We will reach the target in 2026 by maintaining people's purchasing power... development of natural resources downstream industry and improving the investment climate, as well as human resources,"...