Japan goods 641.5 bln yen trade deficit in December

Japan's goods trade deficit registered 641.5 billion yen in December, government data showed on Thursday.
Exports fell 5.8 percent from a year earlier to 5,300.3 billion yen while imports expanded 1.9 percent to 5,941.8 billion yen, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report.

China to raise national budget deficit to US$192bn

China plans to increase its annual budget deficit this year to 1.2 trillion yuan (US$192 billion) and use it to support its financial policies and ensure economic growth.

Weiging up Abe's monetary policy

The depreciation of the Japanese yen has become the hottest issue in the international financial markets. Since Shinzo Abe took over as Japan's prime minister at the end of last year and proposed that the country should adopt a more active monetary policy, its currency has dropped 13.16% against the US dollar. The currency was trading against

Russian economy in good shape: Medvedev

Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday dismissed challenging comments in saying its economy is in good shape and the country has already embarked on reforms.

Davos: brainstorm amid global pessimism

The world’s political and business elite have gathered in the Alpine resort of Davos in Switzerland to discuss global economic affairs and search for ways to ease the impact of financial and economic crisis on global development.

Warning issued on global economy

The global financial structure remains little changed five years on from the onset of the crisis and more needs to be done, the deputy director general of the International Monetary Fund said.

World economy to strengthen modestly in 2013, says IMF

The global economy is poised for a gradual upturn in 2013 as the constraints on growth gradually ease, but policy complacency should be guarded against as risks remain, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its updated World Economic Outlook (WEO) on Wednesday.

Monti expects UK to stay in EU

Italy's Prime Minister Mario Monti expected the British people to decide to stay in the European Union (EU) in a possible referendum promised by its leader.
"I hope that if there is a referendum one day, UK citizens will decide to stay within Europe and help shape it," Monti told a meeting at the annual World Economic Forum.

2-minute toilet breaks ignite uproar of workers

Hundreds of Chinese factory workers angry about strictly timed bathroom breaks and fines for starting work late held their Japanese and Chinese managers hostage for a day and a half before police broke up the strike.