Japan’s 40-year bond yield hits 4% record on fiscal jitters following election call

Japan’s 40-year bond yield hits 4% record on fiscal jitters following election call

Bird’s-eye view of central Tokyo including Tokyo Tower at sunrise hours. Vladimir Zakharov | Moment | Getty Images Japan’s 40-year government bond yield hit a record high on Tuesday amid a broad selloff in government bonds, as investors worried that proposed cuts to the food sales tax could worsen the country’s fiscal position. The long-dated … Read more

Japanese stocks open at record highs as expectations of snap poll rise

Japanese stocks open at record highs as expectations of snap poll rise

Osanbashi in Yokohama on December 10, 2022. Yuichi Yamazaki | Afp | Getty Images Japanese indexes hit record highs Wednesday on expectations that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi could call for a snap election, likely in February. If called, it will be Takaichi’s first time facing Japan’s voters in an election. The Nikkei 225 index rose … Read more

Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed as investors parse Australia inflation data

Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed as investors parse Australia inflation data

Sydney Opera House, designed by Danish architect Mr Jorn Oberg Utzon, at first light as the sun rises over Sydney harbor and city center skyscrapers. Ucg | Universal Images Group | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed Wednesday as investors parsed Australia’s inflation data. The country’s benchmark ASX/S&P 200 rose 0.38% after domestic inflation data … Read more

Asia-Pacific markets open mixed after record global stock rally amid Venezuela tensions

Asia-Pacific markets open mixed after record global stock rally amid Venezuela tensions

19 November 2025, China, Shanghai: Boats sail past downtown Shanghai on the Huangpu River. The tallest building on the skyline is the Shanghai Tower (rear). Bernd von Jutrczenka | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets opened mixed Tuesday, building on a record-breaking rally in global stocks as investors continued to assess ongoing geopolitical tensions … Read more

Asian markets rise, defense stocks lead after after U.S. captures Venezuela’s Maduro

Asian markets rise, defense stocks lead after after U.S. captures Venezuela’s Maduro

The skyline of Tokyo city, Japan. Tomohiro Ohsumi | Bloomberg | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets began the first full trading week of 2026 on a stronger note after the U.S. said it had attacked Venezuela and captured President Nicolas Maduro over the weekend. Oil prices edged lower as markets weighed the potential impact of geopolitical … Read more

Western Tatami Mat Mania Keeping Alive Japan’s Traditional Woven Grass Flooring Industry

Western Tatami Mat Mania Keeping Alive Japan’s Traditional Woven Grass Flooring Industry

A modern tatami room – credit, Filiz Elaerts on Unsplash Western admirers of Japanese aesthetic are keeping afloat tatami craftsmen in Japan, where modernity and maintenance requirements are driving down interest in this artisanal form of flooring. From Europe to the US and even in the Middle East, eager importers of tatami mats now account … Read more

Asia-Pacific markets mostly fall on penultimate day of the year

Asia-Pacific markets mostly fall on penultimate day of the year

Aerial view by drone of Tokyo Cityscape with Tokyo Sky Tree visible in Tokyo city, Japan on sunrise. pongnathee kluaythong | Moment | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets mostly fell Tuesday, after the tech sell-down on Wall Street continued on AI bubble fears. Nvidia shares dropped more than 1% Monday stateside, giving back some of its more … Read more

Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed in final week of 2025

Asia-Pacific markets open mixed after record global stock rally amid Venezuela tensions

19 November 2025, China, Shanghai: Boats sail past downtown Shanghai on the Huangpu River. The tallest building on the skyline is the Shanghai Tower (rear). Bernd von Jutrczenka | Picture Alliance | Getty Images Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed on Monday as investors kicked off the final trading week of the year. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 … Read more

5 major trends set to shape travel in 2026

5 major trends set to shape travel in 2026

Traveling is no longer just about the destination – or even the journey. It’s about the experience you walk away with. Since the end of Covid, experience‑led travel has continued to evolve, shifting away from checking off landmarks and more towards meaningful trips that help travelers connect with the people and places they visit. CNBC … Read more

Gold and silver prices soar to new highs as the yellow metal reemerges as a hedge

Gold and silver prices soar to new highs as the yellow metal reemerges as a hedge

Gold and silver prices soared to new highs on Monday. Gold was last seen at a record $4,445.8 per ounce while spot gold was last trading at $4,414.99. Prices are up nearly 70% since the start of the year. The metal has soared this year, smashing consecutive price records as risk assets lost ground. Gold is typically viewed … Read more