Editorial Team

Asia business editor

A currency trader talks on the phone near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), top center, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won, top center left, at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

US futures and world shares slip as worries over Trump’s Fed chief pick and AI weigh on markets

U.S. futures and world shares have skidded as worries over President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next Federal Reserve chair amplify jitters over a possible bubble in the artificial intelligence boom.

A person walks in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei index at a securities firm Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

US futures sink after Trump warns of higher tariffs for 8 countries over Greenland issue

U.S. stock futures have skidded after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to slap a 10% extra tariff on imports from eight European countries due to their opposition to his desire to take control of Greenland.

Workers install lighting on an "X" sign atop the company headquarters, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, July 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)

Grok blocked from undressing images in places where it’s illegal, X says

Elon Musk’s X says its AI chatbot Grok won’t be able to edit photos of real people in revealing clothing in places where that is illegal.

Saks Fifth Avenue holiday light show and window reveal on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

Luxury retailer Saks seeks bankruptcy protection overwhelmed by debt

Luxury retailer Saks Global has filed for bankruptcy, preparing to reposition itself after obtaining about $1.75 billion in financing commitments.

A vendor sells hot drinks in Beijing, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

China factory activity picks up in December as orders rebound ahead of holidays

Surveys show that Chinese factory activity expanded for the first time in eight months in December, as orders picked up ahead of holidays and builders rushed to finish projects.

Derek Orth works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Stocks close slightly lower in quiet post-Christmas trading

Stocks closed slightly lower as investors returned from the Christmas holiday. The S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq all fell less than 0.1% Friday.

Derek Orth works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Asian shares are mixed after US stocks drift to more records

Asian shares are mixed in thin holiday trading, with most markets in the region and elsewhere closed for Christmas.

A Japanese flag flutters at the Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo on July 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, File)

What to know about the Bank of Japan’s interest rate hike

The Bank of Japan raised its key interest rate Friday to a 30-year high, as widely expected, and financial markets shrugged.

Tokyo Container Terminal is seen in Tokyo on Wednesday Feb. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Japan’s exports rise 6% in November as shipments to the US bounce back

Japan has reported its exports climbed 6% in November from a year earlier as shipments to the United States rose for the first time since March.

Shoppers past near imported pork products from Spain at a supermarket in Beijing, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

China puts anti-dumping tariff of up to 19.8% on imports of pork from the EU

China says it will begin imposing anti-dumping duties of up to 19.8% on imports of pork products from the European Union, after a review that could have resulted in tariffs of up to 62.4%.

A Japanese flag flutters at the Bank of Japan headquarters in Tokyo on July 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, File)

Quarterly ‘tankan’ survey shows slight improvement as Bank of Japan weighs a rate hike

A quarterly survey of major Japanese manufacturers shows business sentiment improving to its best level in four years, even after President Trump raised tariffs on goods from the U.S. ally to a baseline level of 15%.

A man rides past the Tencent headquarters in Beijing, China on Aug. 7, 2020. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

Paramount says China’s Tencent withdrew from its Warner Bros bid to avert national security issues

Paramount Skydance says that the Chinese gaming and social media giant Tencent Holdings withdrew from its bid to buy Warner Bros Discovery to avert a national security review.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang speaks during the 1+10 Dialogue with heads of major international economic organizations in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Chinese premier cites damage from US tariffs, as China’s surplus surpasses $1 trillion

China’s premier says higher tariffs have dealt a “severe blow” to the world economy, even as China’s own trade surplus has surged past $1 trillion.

An usher directs an attendee to a seat for a seminar at a convention titled AI Expo in Tokyo, on Aug. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae, File)

AI’s impact could worsen gaps between world’s rich and poor, a UN report says

A new report by the United Nations Development Program is urging governments to focus more on how artificial intelligence technologies might affect people already disadvantaged in a data-driven world.

Fire sparks coming off from the burned building at the fire scene at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong's New Territories, Thursday, Nov. 27 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

Bamboo scaffolding helped build Hong Kong’s skyline, but a deadly fire may hasten its end

A deadly fire in a Hong Kong apartment complex has raised questions about bamboo scaffolding common at Asian construction sites.

Burned buildings are seen at the scene of the fire that started Wednesday at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong's New Territories, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei)

What to know about the apartment tower fire in Hong Kong

Hong Kong firefighters are making a final push to find victims from the city’s worst fire in memory.

President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, look at each other after their summit meeting at Gimhae International Airport Jinping in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Trade takeaways from Trump’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi

The two leaders agreed to dial back some of their trade measures and work together to resolve others.

Options traderMatthew Hefner works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

World shares are mixed as investors watch for further news on Trump’s tariffs

World shares are mixed as investors watch for further news after a U.S. court ruled against President Donald Trump’s sweeping higher tariffs.

A woman walks past a depiction of Evergrande properties across a China map at a partially shuttered Evergrande commercial complex, in Beijing, China, Monday, Aug. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

What to know about the delisting of property developer China Evergrande’s shares in Hong Kong

Shares in China Evergrande, the real estate developer whose downfall led a collapse in the country’s property market, have been delisted from Hong Kong’s stock exchange as creditors work to wind up debts that totaled over $300 billion.

Workers use machinery to dig at a rare earth mine in Ganxian county in central China's Jiangxi province on Dec. 30, 2010. (Chinatopix via AP, File)

What to know about China’s new regulations on rare earths

China has released new interim measures to tighten controls on mining and processing of rare earths that are used in many high-tech products including electric vehicles, smartphones and fighter jets.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang arrives before President Donald Trump speaks during an AI summit at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Nvidia’s CEO says it’s in talks with Trump administration on a new chip for China

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says the company is discussing a potential new computer chip designed for China with the Trump administration.

In this Aug. 11, 2015 photo, a shadow of a man is reflected on a glass as he reads a newspaper reporting China's central bank or People's Bank of China announced the 2015 edition of the 100 renminbi notes will be issued starting from November 12, at a stand in Beijing. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)

China is expanding into digital currencies, hoping to promote use of its ‘people’s money’

China has been expanding use of digital currencies as it promotes wider use of its yuan, or renminbi, to reflect its status as the world’s second-largest economy.

Traders Drew Cohen, left, and Ryan Falvey work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Wall Street falls further from its records as Nvidia, Palantir and other AI stars dim

Wall Street fell further from its records. The S&P 500 lost 0.6% Tuesday, its third straight loss after setting its all-time high last week.

An Intel sign is shown at the chipmaker's global headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif. on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Terry Chea

Trump administration vying to own a big stake in Intel after SoftBank’s $2 billion bet on company

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday confirmed the U.S. government is vying for a 10% stake in Silicon Valley pioneer Intel in an unusual deal that would deepen the Trump administration’s financial ties with major computer chip manufacturers and punctuate a dramatic about-face from the

Trader Michael Capolino left, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Wall Street holds at a standstill near its record heights

Wall Street held near its records. The S&P 500 barely budged Monday and fell by less than 0.1%, coming off its first loss after setting an all-time high in three consecutive days.

China’s economy lags in July under pressure from tariffs and a weak property market

China has reported its economy showed signs of slowing in July as factory output and retail sales slowed while housing prices fell further.

Bullish CEO Tom Farley, right, leads a cheer during opening bell ceremonies of the New York Stock Exchange, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Wall Street ticks higher after a rally wrapped around the world

U.S. stocks rose after a rally spurred by hopes for lower U.S. interest rates wrapped around the world. The S&P 500 rose 0.3% Wednesday.

Traders Robert Finnerty Jr., left, and Michael Milano work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

US stocks slip as Wall Street braces for an update on inflation

U.S. stocks edged back from their record heights in Wall Street’s final moves before an upcoming update on inflation.

Construction workers eat their lunch along a road side near the office buildings at the central business district during lunch break hour in Beijing, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

China’s exports and imports picked up in July, helped by the pause in Trump’s higher tariffs

China has reported its exports surged 7.2% in July from a year earlier while its imports grew at the fastest pace in a year, as businesses rushed to take advantage of a truce in President Donald Trump’s trade war with Beijing.

A crane works on stacks of containers at the Bangkok Port in Bangkok, Thailand, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

What to know about Trump’s newest and most sweeping tariffs

President Donald Trump on Thursday imposed once unthinkably high U.S. taxes on imports from dozens of countries, part of his campaign to turn one of the world’s most open economies into a fortress bristling with barriers to trade.

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