Tue, 21-Oct-2025

China factory activity edges up in December as commodity prices ease

China

BEIJING: Manufacturing activity in China edged up in December, official data showed Friday, beating expectations as the price of commodities eased and despite sporadic closures due to Covid outbreaks. The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), a key gauge of manufacturing activity, in the world’s second biggest economy rose to 50.3, remaining above the 50-point mark separating growth … Read more

Lira plunges as Turkey cuts interest rate again

Turkish lira

ISTANBUL: The Turkish lira on Thursday hit fresh lows after the central bank fired the latest salvo in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s “economic war of independence” by cutting interest rates for the fourth successive month. The reduction of the main rate to 14 per cent from 15 per cent comes in face of an annual inflation … Read more