Australia's export price index rose 3.6%, while its import price index advanced 0.2% in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Asian shares are mixed in muted trading after the U.S. Federal Reserve opted not to cut interest rates for the first time since it began trying to help the economy through lower rates in September.

Japan's annual interest payments on government debt could surge more than 50% over the next few years, government estimates showed on Thursday, highlighting the country's struggle to fix its tattered public finances amid rising interest rates.

Many of the region’s biggest equity markets — including those in Hong Kong, mainland China and South Korea — are closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.

Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato and U.S. Treasury secretary Scott Bessent will cooperate on issues including forex, Kato said on Wednesday, following a video conference call between the two officials.

TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba seeks to advance his resource diplomacy agenda with a senior adviser's trip to Central Asia this week, hoping to leverage the technical capabilities of Japanese companies to support energy and mineral development in the region.

A special adviser to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is scheduled to embark on an 11-day trip to five central Asian countries through Feb 8, beginning with Kazakhstan, the Japanese government said Wednesday.

Asian shares are trading mixed after Wall Street’s tech superstars tumbled as a competitor from China raised doubts over the recent artificial-intelligence market frenzy.

Japan's share of all private equity and venture capital investments in Asia-Pacific grew in 2024 as the value of private equity deals targeting Japanese companies surged. Click to read.

Japan and Hong Kong stocks were set to open mixed Tuesday, with several Asia-Pacific markets closed for the Lunar New Year holiday. Japan's Nikkei 225 futures pointed to a lower open for the market. The futures contract in Chicago was at 39,150 and its counterpart in Osaka last traded at 39,050 compared to the index's previous close of 39,565.8.

Japan PM Ishiba is seeking to arrange a meeting with US President Donald Trump. Read more at straitstimes.com.

U.S. stock indexes ended slightly lower on Wednesday, and tech was the biggest drag on the S&P 500, as the benchmark slipped 0.5%