Category Archives: Weekly Global Update

Auto sales growth in China declined in 2011, trailing sales growth in the US for the first time in 14 years, according to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Total vehicle sales rose 2.5 percent to 18.5 million … Read More

China’s 2011 retail sales rose 17 percent from the previous year to RMB18 trillion (USD2.86 trillion), a sign that China’s attempts to shift its economic growth model toward domestic consumption are bearing fruit. The country’s Ministry of Commerce said retail … Read More

India’s food price inflation in the third week of December rose at its slowest pace in more than five years. The wholesale price index-based food inflation rate for the week ended Dec. 17 came in at 0.42 percent year over … Read More

South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index rose 1.1 percent to 1,867.22, to bring the index 1.5 percent higher during a week which saw the death of North Korea’s longtime dictator Kim Jong-Il. The KOSPI declined 3.4 percent on Dec. 19 after … Read More

China announced that it would impose duties as high as 22 percent on US imports of large autos and sport utility vehicles for the next two years, in a sign of rising trade friction between the two countries. The move … Read More

India abruptly backtracked on plans to allow international supermarkets and department store to enter the market. The surprise move, announced on Wednesday, suspended a previous Cabinet decision that would have allowed foreign companies such as Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE: WMT) to … Read More

The People’s Bank of China announced on Wednesday that it would cut banks’ reserve requirement ratio–the amount of money banks must hold in reserve and therefore not lend out–by 50 basis points to 21.5 percent. The move to ease the … Read More

China’s trade surplus expanded in October, despite declines in imports and exports. The trade surplus rose to USD17.03 billion last month, compared to USD14.51 billion in September. This figure, however, fell short of analysts’ expectations. Exports declined 7.2 percent from … Read More

Hong Kong property transactions fell 14 percent month over month in October and 53 percent year over year, according to data from the city’s Land Registry. The total amount of transactions came in at 5,675, of which 4,643 transactions were … Read More

  China’s banks posted strong third-quarter profit growth, despite investor concerns that these banks may face a wave of non-performing loans. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), China’s largest bank in terms of assets, said net profit rose 28 … Read More