Reuters Asia

India may earmark $48 billion for next year’s food, fertiliser subsidies

By Sarita Chaganti Singh and Mayank Bhardwaj NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India may earmark about 4 trillion rupees ($48 billion) for food and fertiliser subsidies for the next fiscal year, two government sources said, indicating fiscal caution ahead of this year’s general election. Food and fertiliser subsidies account for about one-ninth of India’s total budget …

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China 2023 aluminium output hits record high but growth rate slows

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s primary aluminium output reached a record high in 2023 but the growth rate slowed, data showed on Wednesday, amid weather-related production curbs at smelters in the country’s southwest. The world’s biggest aluminium producer churned out 41.59 million metric tons of primary aluminium last year, according to data from the National Bureau …

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China’s 2023 oil refinery output rises to record on fuel demand recovery

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s oil refinery throughput in 2023 rose 9.3% from a year earlier to a record, reversing a rare decline in 2022, as new plants in the world’s second-largest crude consumer bolstered production to meet a post-pandemic recovery in fuel demand. Refiners processed 734.8 million metric tons of crude oil last year, data …

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China’s population drops for 2nd year, raises long-term growth concerns

By Farah Master BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s population fell for a second consecutive year in 2023, as a record low birth rate and a wave of COVID-19 deaths when strict lockdowns ended accelerated a downturn that will have profound long-term effects on the economy’s growth potential. The National Bureau of Statistics said the total number …

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China’s Q4 GDP shows patchy economic recovery, many challenges ahead

By Kevin Yao and Ellen Zhang BEIJING (Reuters) -China’s economy grew 5.2% in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, official data showed on Wednesday, missing analysts’ expectations slightly but still ensuring Beijing met its annual 2023 growth target despite a shaky start to the year. Confounding most analysts’ expectations, the world’s second-largest economy has …

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Malaysia to review migrant labour deals to stamp out exploitation

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia will review bilateral agreements with 15 nations from which it sources labourers in a bid to address exploitative practices and manpower imbalances that have left thousands of migrant workers stranded without jobs, officials said. Since last year, thousands of migrants, mostly from Bangladesh and Nepal, have been left in limbo …

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