Australia’s consumer confidence surged and business sentiment showed ongoing resilience after the country’s Reserve Bank left its key interest rate unchanged for the first time in its almost yearlong tightening cycle, Bloomberg News reported. Consumer sentiment jumped 9.4% in April to 85.8, a Westpac Banking Corp. survey showed Tuesday. Still Westpac’s Chief Economist Bill Evans expects household spending this year to be lackluster with confidence remaining 10.4% below the level in April 2022, the month before the RBA began raising rates. A separate National Australia Bank Ltd.

South Korea's central bank on Tuesday held interest rates steady and warned against expectations for a rate cut within this year, saying cooling but still high inflation posed a bigger risk than an economic slump. Remarks by the bank's governor at a news conference were largely neutral, but economists said the unanimous rate decision indicated the board has turned more dovish than at the previous meeting, when there was one member voting for a hike. The Bank of Korea's board kept the base rate unchanged at 3.50%, as it did on Feb. 23 and as expected.

India's bankruptcy court has allowed the acquisition of Anudan Properties by Mumbai-based developer KGK Realty (India). The Committee of Creditors (CoC) approved KGK Realty's resolution plan with 76.35% voting, the Economic Times of India reported. Other developers such as Aanya Real Estate and a consortium of Ashdan Properties, and NNP Buildcon had also submitted revival plans for the company. The development is an indication of the rising trend of several established developers with sound financials scouting for deals in the property sector through the bankruptcy process.

Cash-strapped Shanghai-listed Chinese property developer Sichuan Languang Development is facing delisting risks, after its closing price fell below one yuan per share for two consecutive days and the company warns of insolvency, Nikkei Asia reported. Shares of Sichuan Languang tumbled 7.77% from 1.07 yuan ($0.16) to close at 0.95 yuan on Thursday. On Friday, the company closed further down 2.11% to 0.93 yuan per share. That puts the developer on the cusp of getting booted from the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE).

Some smaller Chinese lenders cut interest rates for time deposits over the weekend, following a similar move by their larger rivals last year, after several lending rate reductions by policy makers started to squeeze their margins, Bloomberg News reported. Rural lenders in provinces including Henan and Hubei lowered deposit rates by as much as 45 basis points on some tenors, according to their announcements. After the adjustment, these lenders will pay an annual 1.9% for one-year deposits, down from the previous 2.25%.

Growth in sales of China's passenger vehicles was flat in March from a year earlier, industry data showed on Monday, as more price cuts by auto brands and the rollout of incentives by local governments helped to support demand, Reuters reported. Car sales in March were 1.61 million units, the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) said. In the first three months, sales had fallen 13.4% to 4.33 million units, it added.

Mt Gox has issued notice stating that the deadline for the Selection and Registration has expired, and now, the rehabilitation creditors cannot make changes without the approval of the Rehabilitation Trustee, beincrypto.com reported. The deadlines were extended multiple times, first to Mar. 10 and then eventually to Apr. 6, 2023. The Trustee will work towards making the Base, Intermediate, and Early Lump-Sum repayments by Oct. 31, 2023. However, the notice reads that the deadline might get extended due to various circumstances with the permission of the Tokyo District Court.

Lenders of debt-ridden Reliance Capital (RCap) may consider extending the deadline for completing the resolution process till May 30 this year, the Economic Times reported. The current deadline ends on April 16. Considering the fact that the second round of auctions is yet to take place, it is not possible to wrap up the resolution process within the current deadline. Earlier this week, lenders postponed the second auction to April 11. The deadline to complete the resolution process of RCap has been extended multiple times in the past.

Philippine central bank Governor Felipe Medalla has signaled that pausing from policy rate increases may be an option when the monetary board meets in May, after inflation eased last month, Bloomberg News reported. Medalla, in a mobile-phone message late Saturday, said Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas could pause on rate hikes if April’s month-on-month inflation “is low, like February and March.” The central bank chief earlier said that it may be “too early” to keep the policy rate unchanged in the next meeting unless prices fall.