Factory output fell for a second month in August as businesses remained cautious amid a global outlook clouded by U.S. President Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff campaign. Industrial production dropped 1.2% from the previous month, following the same pace of decline from July, the economy ministry reported Tuesday, Bloomberg News reported. The fall was led by metal products and electronic machinery, and was deeper than the median forecast of a 0.9% decline. Compared to a year earlier, output also fell more than expected. The data reflect ongoing caution among manufacturers, as the U.S.

The Reserve Bank of Australia left interest rates on hold Tuesday, citing the need for continuing caution amid simmering inflation and a still-tight job market, the Wall Street Journal reported. The RBA’s policy-setting board left the official cash rate unchanged at 3.60%, as expected by most economists. The decision was unanimous, with the central bank saying that while domestic economic activity is rebounding, the outlook remains uncertain. The decline in underlying inflation has also slowed, the RBA said in a statement.

Australian home prices increased at the fastest pace in a year in September, driven by rate cuts and record-low listings, property consultant Cotality said on Wednesday, Reuters reported. National home prices increased 0.8% to a record median value of A$857,280 ($565,462) in September, marking the strongest monthly gain since October last year, according to figures from Cotality, formerly CoreLogic. For the quarter, prices were up 2.2%, compared with a 1.5% lift in the second quarter. The monthly gain was broad-based, led by a jump of 1.2% in Brisbane and a 1.6% surge in Perth.

In a decision that could have a salutary bearing on the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), Supreme Court on Friday reversed its eyebrow-raising May 2 verdict, directing liquidation of bankrupt Bhushan Power and Steel Limited, to put back in place the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal's Feb 2020 decision to allow Sajjan-Jindal-led JSW Steel revive the failed entity, the Times of India reported.

Donald Trump faces fresh hurdles in his push to secure major investment pledges from Asian allies, after South Korea said Washington’s terms were unrealistic and a contender to lead Japan’s ruling party hinted at the possibility of reviewing the agreement, Bloomberg News reported. “We are not able to pay $350 billion in cash,” South Korea’s National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said in a Channel A News television interview on Saturday evening, referring to Seoul’s investment pledge with Washington.

The U.S. on Monday cracked down on companies in China and other countries that use subsidiaries or other foreign affiliates to get around curbs on chipmaking equipment and other goods and technology, Reuters reported. The Commerce Department issued a new rule expanding its restricted export list, known as the Entity List, to automatically include subsidiaries owned 50 percent or more by a company on the list, according to a posting in the U.S. Federal Register. The action greatly increases the number of companies that require licenses to receive American goods and services.

Synlait Milk reported a much narrower annual net loss on Monday and announced the sale of its North Island assets for NZ$307 million ($177.2 million) to U.S.-based Abbott Laboratories sending its shares surging, Reuters reported. The New Zealand-based dairy firm's shares rose as much as 20.7% to trade at NZ$0.845, posting their biggest intraday gain since February 17, while the broader market was flat. The shares hit their highest level since March 25.