Economy — 2,060 insights
Pakistan gives foreign banks an edge in shift to Islamic finance
Economy

Pakistan gives foreign banks an edge in shift to Islamic finance

Domestic lenders required to convert to sharia-compliant model from 2028 One currency, two banking systems. Pakistan's banks must all offer sharia-compliant services from 2028, but foreign banks will be able to continue offering non-Islamic services alongside -- giving them a possible advantage. © Reuters ISLAMABAD -- In the run-up to its banking reform toward Islamic banking, the Pakistani government has decided to require domestically owned banks to operate under a fully sharia-compliant model from 2028 to eliminate interest-based finance.

July 7, 2026
Lynas, JS Link sign deal for Malaysian magnet plant
Economy

Lynas, JS Link sign deal for Malaysian magnet plant

A Lynas worker in Mount Weld, Australia, picks up a handful of rare-earth concentrate in 2019. The material has been left to dry in the sun before being shipped to Malaysia. © Reuters CANBERRA -- Australia's Lynas and South Korean magnet maker JS Link have signed a deal to build a rare-earth magnet factory in Malaysia as part of efforts to develop non-China supply chains for their products.

July 7, 2026
Toyota to invest $3.6bn to move some truck production from Mexico to US
Economy

Toyota to invest $3.6bn to move some truck production from Mexico to US

New Texas assembly line will make Tacoma pickup amid Trump push for more US manufacturing Production of Toyota's Tacoma pickup truck is returning to the U.S. after being moved to Mexico five years ago. © Reuters TOKYO -- Toyota Motor has announced a $3.6 billion investment in its San Antonio plant in Texas, as it shifts some production of its Tacoma pickup truck back to the U.S. from Mexico amid Trump administration tariffs and pressure for more manufacturing on American soil.

July 7, 2026
Samsung profit soars 19 times but shares slump 6.9% on oversupply worries
Economy

Samsung profit soars 19 times but shares slump 6.9% on oversupply worries

South Korean chipmaker plans to build more fabs to meet rising demand on AI boom Samsung Electronics continues to ride the AI boom to massive profit increases but concerns are increasing over a potential glut of memory chips. © Reuters SEOUL -- Samsung Electronics' operating profit soared more than 19 times to 89.4 trillion won ($58.4 billion) in the second quarter from a year ago, the company said on Tuesday, as a memory chip shortage continues due to rising demand for artificial intelligence computing, but the announcement failed to calm investors nervous that the good times may not last.

July 7, 2026
US-sanctioned ‘teapot’ refiner Hengli leads China petrochem profit spike
Economy

US-sanctioned ‘teapot’ refiner Hengli leads China petrochem profit spike

Higher prices due to global conflicts buoy bottom lines, including at key tech suppliers Sacks of polyester-making chemicals wait to be shipped from Hengli Petrochemical's refining complex on China's Changxing Island. © Reuters TOKYO -- Hengli Petrochemical, a Shanghai-listed parent of a Chinese "teapot" oil refinery sanctioned by the U.S. for alleged dealings with Iran, said its profit more than doubled in the first half of the year, leading a chain of bright preliminary earnings reports from peers in the sector.

July 7, 2026
Japanese bond yields march toward 3% as fiscal fears escalate
Economy

Japanese bond yields march toward 3% as fiscal fears escalate

PM's expansionary policy pushes up 10-year debt yield; worries grow over BOJ moves Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's expansionary fiscal plan is causing concern in the Japanese government bond market. (Photo by Akira Kodaka) TOKYO -- Yields on Japanese government bonds (JGBs) have resumed their climb, with the 10-year benchmark yield rising above 2.8% as investors grow increasingly worried about Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's pro-growth agenda, its implications for Japan's fiscal outlook and the Bank of Japan's room to raise rates further.

July 7, 2026
Tokyo’s property boom is a warning, not a crisis
Economy

Tokyo’s property boom is a warning, not a crisis

Japan can still preserve housing affordability and stability with close coordination among relevant agencies A view of Tokyo with Mt. Fuji in the background. (Photo by Konosuke Urata) Koon Hui Tee and Shunsuke Endo are senior economists at the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office.

July 7, 2026
Japan’s blockchain-based security tokens to open to foreign investors
Economy

Japan’s blockchain-based security tokens to open to foreign investors

SBI, Daiwa to initially tap clients in Singapore through jointly built platform SBI and Daiwa are also considering providing their clients with access to investing in security tokens in Singapore in the future. (Source photo by screenshot from Daiwa Securities Group's website) TOKYO -- SBI Securities and Daiwa Securities are set to launch a jointly built settlement system that will allow foreign investors to invest in Japanese businesses and real estate via blockchain-based security tokens, sources told Nikkei.

July 7, 2026
Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank to invest in NZ infrastructure investor
Economy

Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank to invest in NZ infrastructure investor

Pair to focus on data centers, energy and other assets to meet AI-driven demand Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank will acquire a 15% stake in New Zealand-based infrastructure investor Morrison. (Photo by Shintaro Ino) TOKYO -- Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank will invest in New Zealand-based infrastructure investor Morrison and form a strategic partnership, the companies said on Tuesday, as investor demand increases for assets such as data centers and power facilities amid the global artificial intelligence boom.

July 7, 2026
Japan’s SBI Holdings takes stake in US crypto exchange EDX Markets
Economy

Japan’s SBI Holdings takes stake in US crypto exchange EDX Markets

Financial group looks to collaborate on yen-denominated stablecoin SBI Holdings debuted the yen-denominated stablecoin JPYSC in June. (Photo by Ryuta Minamihata) TOKYO -- Japanese financial group SBI Holdings has acquired a 20% stake in U.S. cryptocurrency exchange EDX Markets, aiming to expand the use of an SBI-issued stablecoin.

July 7, 2026
Japan should use nuclear power to break Mideast oil dependence: ex-PM Fukuda
Economy

Japan should use nuclear power to break Mideast oil dependence: ex-PM Fukuda

Former leader experienced first oil shock as member of Japan's nascent oil industry Fukuda was prime minister of Japan from 2007 to 2008. He retired from politics in 2012. (Photo by Tomoki Mera) TOKYO -- Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who served from 2007 to 2008, was working at an oil company during the first oil shock of 1973.

July 7, 2026
China missile test over Pacific alarms island nations
Economy

China missile test over Pacific alarms island nations

Leaders decry breach of nuclear-free zone norms as they weigh security partnerships A Chinese naval submarine near Hainan Island launches a missile carrying a dummy warhead toward the South Pacific on July 6. (Screenshot from PLA's WeChat page) SYDNEY -- Countries in the Pacific have condemned China for test-firing a nuclear-capable missile into the South Pacific's nuclear weapon-free zone on Monday, prompting calls to strengthen regional security.

July 7, 2026