Economy — 231 insights
China confirms Trump visit to Beijing, setting up high-stakes summit
Economy

China confirms Trump visit to Beijing, setting up high-stakes summit

US president to arrive on Wednesday evening, stay until Friday U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping at their last meeting in Busan, South Korea, on Oct. 30. They are set to meet again in Beijing this week. © Reuters SHANGHAI/NEW YORK -- China on Monday announced that U.S. President Donald Trump will visit the country from Wednesday to Friday, marking the first such trip by an American leader since he went in 2017 during his first term in office.

May 11, 2026
Croatia aims to be part of India-Europe corridor, prime minister says
Economy

Croatia aims to be part of India-Europe corridor, prime minister says

Plenkovic warns Europe can't go back to Russian fuel despite energy crisis Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said that "transatlantic ties are the backbone of the modern world." (Photo by Natsuki Kaneko) DUBROVNIK, Croatia -- Croatia "wants to be part" of the India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor, with its ports serving as the European Union's entry points for goods coming from the Pacific, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic told Nikkei Asia during a recent interview.

May 8, 2026
China solar panel maker Jinko to sell majority stake in US unit for $191m
Economy

China solar panel maker Jinko to sell majority stake in US unit for $191m

Private equity firm FH Capital to control 2GW of production capacity at Florida plant Chinese solar and battery companies poured huge sums into setting up American factories to claim Biden-era tax credits. © Reuters NEW YORK -- Major Chinese solar panel manufacturer JinkoSolar Holding has agreed to sell a 75.1% stake in subsidiary Jinko Solar (U.S.) Industries to American private equity firm FH Capital under plans announced Friday.

May 8, 2026
Oil crisis sparks Japanese dash for corporate credit lines
Economy

Oil crisis sparks Japanese dash for corporate credit lines

Bankruptcy risk rises for small businesses hit by supply shock Small and midsize Japanese manufacturers face a grim earnings outlook. (Photo by Kotaro Igarashi) TOKYO -- Japanese companies are securing credit lines at a record pace to avoid bankruptcy as the Iran war drives up prices and disrupts supply chains.

May 8, 2026
NTT punts profit target by 3 years as Japan mobile unit Docomo struggles
Economy

NTT punts profit target by 3 years as Japan mobile unit Docomo struggles

Poor earnings in cash cow business could slow group's growth investments NTT's mobile unit has faced customer attrition due to poor connectivity in urban areas. (Photo by Satoko Kawasaki) TOKYO -- Japanese telecommunications group NTT has pushed back a major profit target by three years, the company said Friday, as a slump at mobile unit and earnings driver NTT Docomo threatens to hold back its overall growth strategy.

May 8, 2026
US investors cite 3 ways Japanese equities can unlock more value
Economy

US investors cite 3 ways Japanese equities can unlock more value

Capital efficiency, stock incentives and English disclosures are key, experts say Pedestrians walk past a stock quotation board in Tokyo showing the Nikkei Stock Average's figure on May 7. © Reuters NEW YORK -- As the Nikkei Stock Average hits record territory, U.S. investors are urging Japanese companies to push their shares further by improving on capital efficiency, equity-based compensation and English-language disclosures.

May 8, 2026
Japan to let companies shield directors from big liability claims
Economy

Japan to let companies shield directors from big liability claims

Protection for top executives aims to encourage bold management decisions Japan hopes that limiting liability claims against executives will encourage them to make growth investments. (Photo by Nanami Sato) TOKYO -- Japan will as early as 2027 limit the compensation directors must pay when found liable for business-related damages, aiming to ease concerns about shareholder lawsuits that could discourage investments in growth.

May 8, 2026
Japan-made EVs at risk of losing EU subsidies under content proposal
Economy

Japan-made EVs at risk of losing EU subsidies under content proposal

Japanese officials, automakers like Toyota urge revisions to guard market access European Union legislation aims to promote decarbonization in the bloc's industry, partly by adding "Made in Europe" content requirements for subsidy eligibility. © Reuters BRUSSELS/LONDON -- The European Union is considering a policy that would require electric vehicles and hybrids to be assembled within the bloc for them to receive subsidies, drawing resistance from the Japanese government and automakers.

May 8, 2026
Thrifting catches on in Thailand, and Japanese chains are going up a size
Economy

Thrifting catches on in Thailand, and Japanese chains are going up a size

2nd Street aims to have 50 stores by 2035 in Southeast Asian nation 2nd Street's 10th Thailand shop opened in Nonthaburi province, north of Bangkok, in April. (Photo by Keigo Iwamoto) BANGKOK/TOKYO -- As secondhand fashion grows popular in Thailand, the operator of a Japanese retailer aims to increase its presence there fivefold within a decade.

May 8, 2026
Anthropic courts competitors to ease data center crunch
Economy

Anthropic courts competitors to ease data center crunch

Fast-growing startup signs deal with Elon Musk's SpaceX to lease US facility Anthropic's Claude agents have soared in popularity, putting pressure on the company's compute capacity. (Nikkei Montage/Source photos by Reuters and AP) TOKYO -- Anthropic is struggling to find the computing infrastructure it needs to expand use of its high-performance AI models, resorting to signing deals with competitors to lease their data centers.

May 8, 2026
Remaking Hanoi: Vietnam bets on colossal capital renewal to drive growth
Economy

Remaking Hanoi: Vietnam bets on colossal capital renewal to drive growth

Vacant houses are demolished in Hanoi's central downtown area, May 6. The city's ambitious "100-Year Master Plan" aims to transform the capital into a multi-centered metropolitan region, part of Vietnam's goal of achieving developed-nation status by 2045. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) $2.5tn 'Master Plan' to address population boom comes with demolitions, relocations HANOI -- After more than five decades with the giant Red River as a constant, quiet neighbor, Hanoi resident Bui Minh Phuong is bracing for her life to be upended.

May 8, 2026
2 LNG tankers cross Hormuz on way to Japan, China, but shortage persists
Economy

2 LNG tankers cross Hormuz on way to Japan, China, but shortage persists

Prolonged blockade squeezes global supply, sends Asian spot prices 60% higher An LNG tanker docks at Futtsu, Japan, in February. A tanker that recently passed through the Strait of Hormuz is due to land at the port city. (Photo by Rie Ishii) TOKYO --Two liquefied natural gas tankers have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks and are heading to Japan and China, signaling a possible easing of the blockade, but the small volume also underscores the U.S.-Iran conflict's dire toll on the global supply.

May 8, 2026