BEIJING: China’s industrial profits in April grew at the fastest pace since November 2023, despite financial pressures stemming from softening domestic demand and rising component costs exacerbated by the Middle East crisis. The latest data adds to signs of an uneven recovery, with the economy largely losing momentum at the start of the second quarter….
Hong Kong’s Exchange Fund, the war chest used to defend the local currency, reported its smallest investment gain in five quarters as the Middle East crisis weighed on stock market performance. The fund gained HK$34.5 billion (US$4.4 billion) in the first quarter, 56 per cent lower than HK$79.2 billion a year earlier, according to data…
The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects global LNG markets to remain tight through 2027, as the Middle East conflict disrupts supply and delays fresh capacity additions. In its latest quarterly gas report for Q2 2026, the agency said shipping disruptions via the Strait of Hormuz have effectively taken nearly 20% of global LNG supply off…