Japan Business Sentiment Hits Four-Year High, Boosting Expectations of BOJ Rate Hike 
Asian Stocks Slide as Central Bank Decisions and Key Data Keep Investors Cautious 
Asian Currencies Trade Sideways as Dollar Weakens Ahead of Key U.S. Data 
Oil Prices Rebound as U.S.-Venezuela Tensions Offset Oversupply Concerns 
Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership 
U.S. Dollar Slips Near Two-Month Low as Markets Await Key Jobs Data and Central Bank Decisions 
Fed Near Neutral Signals Caution Ahead, Shifting Focus to Fixed Income in 2026 
Wall Street Futures Slip as Tech Stocks Struggle Ahead of Key US Economic Data 
ASX Shares Slide After ASIC Imposes A$150 Million Capital Requirement 
Russia Stocks End Flat as Energy and Retail Shares Show Mixed Performance 
Bank of Korea Downplays Liquidity’s Role in Weak Won and Housing Price Surge 
Fed Rate Cut Signals Balance Between Inflation and Jobs, Says Mary Daly 
Asian Technology and Chipmaking Stocks Slide as AI Spending Concerns Shake Markets 
Oil Prices Slip in Asia as 2026 Supply Glut Fears and Russia-Ukraine Talks Weigh on Markets 
China’s November Economic Data Signals Slowing Industrial Output and Weak Consumer Demand 
In November 2024, China's industrial production grew by 5.4% compared to last year's. This was in line with what experts expected and a slight increase from the 5.3% growth in October. This rise is largely due to government efforts to help businesses, especially in the manufacturing and industrial sectors.
However, other economic signs tell a different story. Retail sales only increased by 3.0% year-on-year, much lower than the expected 4.6% increase and down from 4.8% in October. This suggests that people are not spending as much money as hoped.
Fixed asset investment, which includes things like buildings and machinery, went up by 3.3% for the year to date, but that was just below the expected 3.4% growth.
Overall, while industrial production is doing well, the lower retail sales point to problems with consumer demand and confidence in the Chinese economy.
