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Fiber-optic demand helps Japan’s Fujikura move on from failed expansion
Economy

Fiber-optic demand helps Japan’s Fujikura move on from failed expansion

Data center orders spur turnaround on conservative forecasts that had rattled shares Japanese cable maker Fujikura is betting on growing demand for optical fiber in the U.S. (Photo by Takahiro Yamamoto) TOKYO -- Japanese wire maker Fujikura is investing heavily in fiber-optic cable production as an influx of orders brightens its outlook, helping the company start to shed the cautiousness that marked its management since a failed expansion several years ago.

July 8, 2026
Taiwan’s top shipbuilder bets on defense drive amid China’s power play
Economy

Taiwan’s top shipbuilder bets on defense drive amid China’s power play

CSBC chairman says first homegrown sub ready soon, urges legislature to back drones The CSBC Endeavor Manta, introduced last year, is one of Taiwan’s first military uncrewed surface vessels. It is designed to conduct a range of missions, including rescues, patrols, combat operations and attacks. (CSBC) KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan -- The leading shipbuilder in Taiwan is emerging from choppy waters and ready to capitalize on the government's ambitious plans to expand its maritime forces to counter vessels from China that are "constantly lurking around," its chairman told Nikkei Asia in an interview.

July 8, 2026
Deal between Danish NATO port and Chinese peer draws criticism
Economy

Deal between Danish NATO port and Chinese peer draws criticism

State-owned Ningbo Zhoushan in tie-up with Esbjerg Port, a EU wind power hub Denmark's Esbjerg Port was designated a NATO port in 2022 and also is recognized as a wind energy hub for the European Union. (Screenshot from Port of Esbjerg's website) HAMBURG, Germany -- A cooperation deal between a NATO port in Denmark and Ningbo-Zhoushan Port Group has raised concerns about Chinese influence over the European Union's strategic hubs, underscoring the clash between the bloc's push for rapid green-energy expansion and its ability to protect critical infrastructure.

July 7, 2026
Vingroup launches $3.5bn sea bridge linking Ho Chi Minh City districts
Economy

Vingroup launches $3.5bn sea bridge linking Ho Chi Minh City districts

Vietnamese conglomerate aims to turn isolated coastal area into new urban hub Vingroup has begun constructing a bridge that would make Vung Tau accessible within 10 minutes for residents of the conglomerate's Vinhomes located in the mangrove reserve area of Can Gio in Ho Chi Minh City. (Vingroup illustration) HO CHI MINH CITY -- Vingroup has broken ground on a sea bridge linking its massive Can Gio urban development project with neighboring Vung Tau, deepening the Vietnamese conglomerate's push into infrastructure as it seeks to build a new urban hub across the southern part of Ho Chi Minh City.

July 7, 2026
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