Eurozone inflation remained unchanged in August, official data showed Thursday, leaving the European Central Bank faced with a conundrum over whether to continue hiking interest rates amid fears of a deepening economic downturn.

Policymakers in Tokyo believe China’s deepening economic woes could hit Japan’s fragile recovery, especially if Beijing fails to shore up demand with meaningful stimulus, potentially delaying an exit from ultra-loose monetary policy.

China’s exports and imports sank again in August, data showed Thursday, adding to growing pressure on authorities to introduce fresh stimulus for the world’s number two economy even as the figures showed some sign of improvement.

Data from China on Thursday showing falling exports fanned more fears about a slowdown in the world’s second-biggest economy, which has struggled with its post-Covid recovery.

Brazil is set to pass the United States this year as the world’s top corn exporter, ending years of US dominance thanks to a bumper harvest, officials said Wednesday.

Muhammed Aziz Khan, chairman of Summit Group, was named the 41st richest man in Singapore this year, moving one notch up from the last year’s position on the list of Forbes’ 50 richest men.

The world risks a "great fracture" of its economic and financial systems, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday at a summit with Southeast Asia's ASEAN bloc, China, the United States and others in Indonesia.

Bangladesh may sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Russia soon to import some food items as those were offered at competitive prices, said Senior Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh yesterday. 

India is seeking additional volumes of natural gas and has asked utilities to expedite completion of power plant maintenance, as part of emergency steps to stop electricity outages, according to a government note seen by Reuters.

The Indian rupee weakened for a third straight session on Wednesday as elevated US Treasury yields and rising global crude oil prices weighed on the local unit.

Most Asian markets fell Wednesday as a jump in oil prices to 10-month highs rekindled worries of another US Federal Reserve interest rate hike.

Russia’s central bank announced Wednesday it plans to sharply step up support for the rouble, which has weakened considerably after 18 months of Western sanctions following Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine.

The US services sector unexpectedly gained steam in August, with new orders firming and businesses paying higher prices for inputs -- potential signs of still-elevated inflation pressures.

German factory orders fell more than expected in July, official data showed Wednesday, in the latest setback for Europe’s largest economy as it grapples with an industrial slowdown.

The dollar held near a six-month peak on Wednesday as jitters over China and global growth weighed on risk appetite, while the yen was close to a10-month low, drawing the strongest warning since mid-August from Japan’s top currency diplomat.

India’s palm oil imports are set to jump 26 percent to a record high in the 2022/23 year ending on October 31, as a recovery in consumption and competitive prices prompt refiners to increase purchases, the country’s top palm oil buyer told Reuters on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia and Russia said on Tuesday they would extend voluntary oil cuts until the end of the year, sending the price of Brent crude to a 10-month high.

The European Union on Wednesday unveiled the list of digital giants -- including Apple, Facebook owner Meta and TikTok parent ByteDance -- that will face tough new curbs on how they do business.

Oil prices reversed course on Wednesday after rising over 1 percent in the previous session, on a firmer dollar and as investors shrugged off jitters arising from supply cuts from Saudi Arabia and Russia.

The dollar held close to a six-month peak as jitters over China and global growth weighed on risk appetite, while the yen strengthened as Japan's top currency diplomat sent a warning about the currency after it earlier dropped to a 10-month low.