Economy & Markets
Asian central banks, currencies, trade flows, commodities and the supply chains wiring the Indo-Pacific.
Asia's AI boom masks deeper economic rust-belt troubles
AI-fueled exports are booming in South Korea, Taiwan, and China, but domestic economies are struggling. Weak spending, aging workforces, and
Silicon Shock: 100 Signs of a New Industrial Era Reshaping Asia
AI demand is repricing hardware, chemicals, and energy across Asia. Chipmakers are financing suppliers, while shortages hit wafers, gases, a
Bessent's bond buyback echoes Japan's debt trap
The US Treasury's new bond buyback program to cap yields echoes Japan's decades-long struggle with debt. Critics warn that fighting market f
Sanctions without exit strategies are fracturing the global economy
Sanctions without exit strategies are hardening into permanent economic partitions, not just temporary pressure. Iran and Russia have shifte
Bessent's ultimatum: join Iran sanctions or exit dollar system
Washington's new 'Operation Economic Outcast' targets Iran's remaining revenue streams, threatening sanctions on any entity that trades with
AI's protein design breakthrough signals end of specialist era
Anthropic's AI model designed proteins that bound to 14 of 15 targets, with success rates double the field norm. The results suggest AI can
Why Chinese Suppliers Are No Longer Discounting for Big Buyers
CXMT's refusal to discount for Apple marks a turning point in global tech supply chains. Suppliers from Taiwan to South Korea are now raisin
Cheap Chinese AI Tokens Mask Higher Real Costs as US-China Split Deepens
Chinese AI developers offer cheaper token prices, but analysts say enterprises often pay more per completed task. Meanwhile, Washington and
Trump's permanent tariffs shift cost burden onto American consumers
President Trump's latest tariffs are built on existing trade law and designed to be permanent, unlike the emergency levies struck down by th
Pakistan's diplomatic wins now face the test of real investment
Pakistan has been courted by Washington, Beijing, and the Gulf, but the real test is whether it can convert diplomatic wins into actual inve
Rising US Treasury yields put Asia back on edge
US Treasury yields are pressing against their highest levels since 2007, and Asia's policymakers know what that usually means: turbulence ah
Hong Kong's first regulated stablecoin enters its market test
Hong Kong's first regulated stablecoin, HKDAP, has entered beta testing with institutional investors. The launch tests whether a bank-backed