The number of corporate bankruptcies involving liabilities of ¥10 million or more in Japan in the April-September period has hit the highest level in 12 years, partly due to labor shortages, Tokyo Shoko Research said on Wednesday, the Japan Times reported. In the first half of fiscal 2025, which began in April, business failures rose 1.5% from a year earlier to 5,172, up for the fourth consecutive year. The figure was close to the 5,505 recorded in the same period of fiscal 2013.

Solar glass producer Haikong Sanxin New Energy Materials will apply for bankruptcy to curb mounting losses, in the latest sign of the financial difficulties facing the solar industry in China, home to around 80% of global production, Reuters reported. Haikong Sanxin posted a net loss of 194.5 yuan ($27.3 million) for January-June 2025 and 659 million yuan in debt, parent company Hainan Development Holdings Nankai said in a filing on Thursday.

The Philippine central bank delivered a fourth straight rate cut, surprising markets as it flagged a weaker growth outlook, the Wall Street Journal reported. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas cut its benchmark overnight reverse repurchase rate by 25 basis points to 4.75% from 5.00% on Thursday. It also lowered its benchmark lending rate to 5.25% from 5.50%. Backing the case for easing: a seven-month streak of below-target inflation and sluggish economic growth. The central bank said in a statement that the outlook for domestic growth has weakened.

The Bank of Japan should be cautious about raising interest rates again as the economy is still fragile, said Etsuro Honda, a close economic adviser to Sanae Takaichi, who is likely to become the country's next prime minister, Reuters reported. "Japan is at a delicate stage right now, where the long-standing deflationary mindset is gradually giving way to a more positive inflationary outlook," Etsuro Honda, who advises Takaichi on economic policy, told Reuters in an interview on Thursday.

The National Company Law Tribunal, Mumbai Bench-I (NCLT) recently approved a resolution plan worth ₹3.4 crore submitted by M/s Priyam Projects (I) Pvt. Ltd. for the corporate debtor M/s Steadfast Shipping Pvt. Ltd. (Steadfast Shipping) - a ship leasing company, Taxscan.in reported. The Tribunal approved the resolution plan after noting that the plan had secured 100 percent assent from the Committee of Creditors (CoC). However, the Tribunal maintained that any reliefs or waivers sought in the plan would remain subject to statutory scrutiny by the authorities.

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan withdrew his insolvency plea against Jerai Fitness Pvt Ltd after reaching a settlement in a ₹7.24 crore payment dispute, LiveMint.com reported. The dispute is linked to Khan's fitness equipment brand Being Strong. Appearing before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), Khan’s counsel informed the bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan on Wednesday that the parties had resolved the matter and decided to withdraw the petition.

Thailand’s central bank held its policy rate steady on Wednesday, surprising markets that had expected the first decision under the new governor to be a cut to boost the economy, the Wall Street Journal reported. The Bank of Thailand’s monetary policy committee voted five to two to keep the policy rate at 1.50%, hitting the pause button again after delivering three cuts this year. Two members dissented, voting for a 25-basis-point reduction.

The New Zealand dollar and interest rate swaps tumbled in the wake of the move that took the official cash rate to 2.5%, as investors bet on more stimulus in the coming months to shore up demand and buffer the economy from rising global headwinds, Reuters reported. “The Committee reached consensus to reduce the official cash rate by 50 basis points to 2.5 percent,” the Reserve Bank of New Zealand said in its accompanying policy statement.

The U.S. is one week away from imposing port fees on certain vessels with links to China, a move expected to cost the top 10 carriers $3.2 billion next year as President Donald Trump seeks to address China's growing dominance on the high seas, Reuters reported. "While some observers believe the October 14 deadline may be extended — or even scrapped — as part of broader negotiations, the uncertainty has already unsettled carriers, adding another layer of geopolitical risk to fleet deployment strategies," S&P said in a report this week.