Panasonic’s Q3 profit slides as material costs rise and appliance sales fall

Japan’s Panasonic Corp (6752.T) on Wednesday posted a larger-than-expected 44% slide in third-quarter operating profit, hit hard by rising costs for raw materials, component shortages and a drop in domestic sales for appliances.
Japanese banks sound caution for earnings as Omicron highlights bad loan risks

Japan’s biggest lenders on Wednesday all sounded alarm about the risk the Omicron variant could have on their earnings, reviving concerns that a resurgent pandemic could trigger more bad loans.
Tesco is ending night-time restocking, putting 1,600 jobs at risk

Tesco has warned that 1,600 jobs are at risk as it phased out midnight replenishment at select stores and converted some petrol stations to pay-at-pump. The intentions come just one day after the grocer announced the closing of its Jack’s bargain outlets. It claimed that refilling shelves during the day will allow more employees to […]
Japan’s factory output dips more than expected as risks emerge

Japan’s factory output shrank for the first time in three months in December as a decline in machinery production outweighed a small rise in autos, casting a cloud over the strength of the economic recovery.
Stocks rebound but head for worst January since 2016

Stocks staged a modest rebound on Monday as traders put aside concerns about inflation and the crisis in Ukraine to dip back in, but global equities are still headed for their worst January since 2016 after a bruising month for riskier assets.
U.S. economy likely regained steam in Q4, 2021 growth seen best in 37 years

U.S. economic growth likely accelerated in the fourth quarter as businesses replenished depleted inventories to meet strong demand for goods, helping the nation to log its best performance in nearly four decades in 2021.
U.S. consumer confidence dips; more plan to buy big-ticket items

U.S. consumer confidence ebbed slightly in January, with more consumers planning to purchase homes, automobiles and other big- ticket items even as they grew less optimistic about business and labor market conditions in the short term.
Is Omicron causing supply chain disruptions?

In the United States, an omicron outbreak is causing supply chain difficulties. Even though the market previously suffered a shutdown as a result of the pandemic slowly it has been recovering. The Omicron variant, on the other hand, could be the source of major supply chain delays. According to Bloomberg’s monthly survey, growth in the […]
S.Korea’s GDP growth climbs to 11-year high, but recovery uneven

South Korea’s economy expanded at the fastest pace in 11 years in 2021 helped by a jump in exports and construction activity, tempering declines in capital investment and a slow recovery in the coronavirus-hit service sectors.
Hong Kong’s financial sector faces talent crunch as expats head for the exit

Late last year, Tania Sibree quit her well-paid job as a financial services lawyer in Hong Kong and returned to Australia rather than live a moment longer with the city’s strict coronavirus restrictions.