Bank of Japan Deputy Gov. Ryozo Himino has backed the case for further interest-rate hikes if the economy and prices grow as expected, echoing recent comments from the central bank’s chief, the Wall Street Journal reported. Himino’s remarks on Wednesday suggest that the BOJ’s top officials are on the same page about the bank’s future policy path.

Australian inflation pressures eased in July supported by government rebates aimed at offsetting soaring electricity costs and rising rents, the Wall Street Journal reported. The monthly consumer-price index, which is only a partial reading of economy-wide inflation, rose 3.5% in the 12 months to July 2024, down from 3.8% in June, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said Wednesday.

Switzerland's federal criminal court on Wednesday convicted two top managers of a Saudi oil company on charges including fraud and money laundering in a vast scam that swiped at least $1.8 billion from a Malaysian state-owned investment fund, the Associated Press reported. PetroSaudi executive Tarek Obaid, a Saudi-Swiss dual national, received a seven-year sentence and British-Swiss associate Patrick Mahony was handed a six-year sentence from the Federal Criminal Court in southern Bellinzona, officials said.

Malaysia is weighing the return of a broad-based consumption tax instead of implementing subsidy cuts for a commonly-used gasoline as the government seeks to bolster its finances, Bloomberg News reported. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s cabinet has been discussing the viability of bringing back the goods and services tax, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information is private. No decision has been reached given the political sensitivities.

Foreign investors in Byju's, including General Atlantic, have urged India's Supreme Court to hear their concerns as judges decide on the future of the insolvent education tech firm, a legal filing shows, Reuters reported. Valued at $22 billion in 2022, Byju's became popular by offering online training courses during the COVID-19 pandemic, but is now locked in a dispute with U.S. lenders seeking $1 billion in unpaid dues - a case that has triggered its insolvency.

Country Garden Holdings Co. told some investors that it is considering further extending payments on some of its yuan bonds as a prolonged sales slump adds to the Chinese developer’s financial stress, Bloomberg News reported. In an effort to gain more time to map out a debt overhaul, Country Garden’s main onshore unit may push back payments on several yuan bonds due in September by six months, the people said, citing private conversations. That would include 10% of the principal on its 4.38% notes due September 2026. Bondholders’ approval would be needed for the delays.

In recent weeks, bond traders have been piling into the perceived safety of Chinese government bonds, driving an epic buying spree that has pushed yields on the benchmark 10-year note, which move inversely to prices, to record lows, the Wall Street Journal reported. The rally has elicited an unusual response from China’s central bank, which is responsible for managing the state treasury and maintaining financial stability: Stop buying these notes.

China on Tuesday accused Canada of protectionism after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government imposed a 100% tariff on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles, matching U.S. duties on Chinese EVs, the Associated Press reported. The Chinese Commerce Ministry said the tariffs would disrupt the stability of global industrial and supply chains, severely impact China-Canada economic and trade ties and damage the interests of enterprises in both countries. “China is strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposes this,” it said in a statement.

Suraksha Group has infused ₹250 crore in Jaypee Infratech Ltd (JIL) as equity and debt after taking control of the latter in early June, the Hindustan Times reported. New Delhi, Aug 25 (PTI) Suraksha Group has infused ₹250 crore in Jaypee Infratech after acquiring it through insolvency process and has also arranged a ₹3,000 crore loan facility, as it gears up to complete around 20,000 unfinished flats in Delhi NCR.

China’s central bank left a key interest rate unchanged, keeping a lid on a bond frenzy as it stays patient in supporting the economy, Bloomberg News reported. The People’s Bank of China kept the rate on its one-year policy loans, or the medium-term lending facility, at 2.3%, after a slashing the rate by 20 basis points in July. Meanwhile, the central bank withdrew a net 101 billion yuan ($14 billion) from the banking system this month, as 401 billion yuan of the loans expired on August 15.